Dry Riverbeds

This element in the garden is one of my favorites. Each time someone says to me, “I have a drainage issue” I get a little excited. For me a drainage issue means an opportunity to be creative! Now having said that not all riverbeds function the same.

Some empty into a catch basin of sorts, perhaps even a rain garden, some are simply directed where the water will have the least amount of negative impact to the environment. What that means is I would prefer that the water in the riverbed have time to perk and cool as it makes its way to wherever it may be going. To do this it must empty into a system or an area where it can disperse and percolate into the surrounding landscape without notice.

The images below represent a small number of riverbeds that we have done over the years, each has its own uniqueness.