Calling All Swanky Gardeners

[3894]

We moved to a new place a couple of months ago. We are learning the new garden. Here's the problem:

Right next to the back porch of our new place is a rock garden. That rock garden is flawed genius - genius because different plants bloom one right after the other with no let up and flawed because, well, look at the wash of dirt onto the boards.

We have painters coming in a week. This is probably a temporary fix. Eventually, we would like to replace these boards with fieldstone. Until then, what kind of barrier do we put up to keep the dirt from washing onto the porch?

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/Helen_3894/20140706_160815_zpsdd03a905.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/Helen_3894/20140706_160857_zps1a42fe08.jpg

[RStar]

It looks great!

You should put plastic bender board up against the deck, and dig a small drainage ditch (this may require romoval/transplanting some of the plants in the front) along the deck to divert the water flow (you can put gravel in the ditch to prevend erosion). If this water flow issue is from rain that causes a large amount of water all at once this may overwhelm the ditch, requiring a lanscsaping drain with an underground pipe that will cary the water to a location that can handle the volume. If it is rain, and is from a downspout, can that downspout be moved or diverted?

Good luck!

[Strangler Lewis]

Call the super.

[Snowflake]

Call the super.

Hahahaaaa! Strangler wins the internets today!

[DreadPirateRoberts]

How about a French drain?

[alphabassettgrrl]

I agree- a vertical barrier and a small drain ditch.

[RStar]

What's a french drain?

[Alex]

It's like a French kiss but about 9 months later.

Or this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_drain). I never know whether to trust Wikipedia or whether to trust Urban Dictionary.

[RStar]

Yeah, that's kind of what I was talking about. I just didn't know it was French....

;)