Barrier to channel away surface water.

[epsilonGreedy]

I am considering how to make a minor barrier to prevent road surface water drainage veering off into my garden during periods of heavy rain.

 

One of the planning conditions of my plot is that I have to establish a native hedge along what is now the site access road. This hedge is 25m long and it is intended that the site access road will eventually blend in with the other hedges along minor roads in the village, this is fortuitous because long established countryside hedges tend to build up a mound along the base. Rather than waiting decades for nature to create the root base mound I want to kick start the process with some discrete civil engineering that will hide my surface water barrier within the hedge base.

 

This barrier need only be 250mm high and one idea I have is to buy the deepest plastic honeycomb mesh that is normally used to stabilize a gravel drive. I would plant the hedge saplings in gaps between the plastic sections, load up the honeycomb with mixed aggregate, then top it off with soil and grass seed. Sound like a good plan?

Edited June 6, 2018 by epsilonGreedy

[PeterW]

Not necessary .... dig a trench 12” wide in a vee and then put the soil immediately adjacent in a long pile 12” wise on the road side. Flatten the top and plant straight into it. 

 

Fill the trench with 30-50mm limestone no fines to the top and you have your run off and hedge in one go.. 

[Temp]

+1

 

Even if you plant two rows it should be possible without any reinforcing. The recommended distance between the rows varies up to 1m, but here it suggests 250mm.. 

 

http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/78857/hedgeplanting.pdf

 

A double staggered row of plants produces a dense, solid hedge with suitable stems for laying. This method uses 6 plants per metre, in two rows about 25cm apart with plants at approximately 45cm in each row.

 

So the width of the flat top would need to be about 500mm wide and with 45 degree sloping sides the base would be 1m wide.  Obviously with a single row it would be narrower.

 

If you will have to maintain it take care over the selection. We made a mistake and planted several dog rose plants that have vicious thorns on them. I'm now digging them out.

 

Whips are pretty easy to plant. You just dig an L shape slot with a spade, lift the corner, stick one in and heel it back down.  About 1 in 20 will fail. If feeling keen you can replace these of just let neighbours fill the gap. If rabbits are a problem it's a bit more work fitting plastic spirals.

 

 

[epsilonGreedy]

BuildHUb saves me money again, thanks chaps.

 

The planning condition for the hedge states the suggested variety with its Latin name, it is related to beech but does not loose all its leaves in the winter.

[epsilonGreedy]

5 hours ago, PeterW said:

Not necessary .... dig a trench 12” wide in a vee and then put the soil immediately adjacent in a long pile 12” wise on the road side. Flatten the top and plant straight into it. 

 

Fill the trench with 30-50mm limestone no fines to the top and you have your run off and hedge in one go.. 

 

Ok, so the principal is help it drain away elsewhere rather than fight back against the deluge.

[Hecateh]

I have a beech hedge - between me and my (to the west) neighbour.  Looks fab in winter with bronze leaves,  Needs cutting once per year (ideally) to keep it in shape.  Best done in August, then it grows fresh green leaves which go bronze late autumn and stay on all winter, only pushed of by the new leaves in late spring.

[Onoff]

5 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said:

BuildHUb saves me money again, thanks chaps.

 

The planning condition for the hedge states the suggested variety with its Latin name, it is related to beech but does not loose all its leaves in the winter.

 

Hornbeam I'm guessing?

 

We planted a mixed native hedge. Half a dozen types that bear fruit at different times. Birds and insects love it. 

 

 (Should have saved my money, ash, elder, slow and oak all seem to do a bloody good job of self seeding held together by ivy! )

[Ferdinand]

7 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said:

 

Ok, so the principal is help it drain away elsewhere rather than fight back against the deluge.

 

That in the @PeterW comment the quoterbot ignored, without the gravel, is the absolute traditional way to do field hedges. Dig a ditch, make a bank, plant hedge on bank.

 

If you wanted to you could make the ditch into a French Drain by putting a perforated pipe down there (maybe soil pipe in 5m lengths with lots of holes drilled in it), and line with weed barrier folded over the top and weighed down with gravel or cheap pavers. Needs somewhere to drain to, mind.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Ferdinand

[Temp]

12 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said:

Ok, so the principal is help it drain away elsewhere rather than fight back against the deluge

 

Both.