Garden drainage

Hi this is my first time posting but I have got lots of tips and tricks from reading posts from you friendly people.

I have recently moved into a new build home with my son (18 months ago) and our garden is a nightmare when it rains (as it does constantly) as it puddles up and one end of the garden ends up like a mud pit for weeks.
We have been digging holes for a project and realized it has a lot of clay after about 20cm of soil!

I have been reading about French drains etc but don't know where to start as this is where it gets very strange. Our garden has a slight slope (can't really notice it) from the bottom going down towards the house and the part that gets the most muddy and waterlogged is the bottom of the garden (the highest point) the lowest point seems to drain ok. So it says build a French drain at the lowest point to run the water off but that's not where the water is.

Anyone ever dealt with this or know what I can do?

Thanks.
(P.s I'm a single mum so can't afford to pay out much as I have very little spare money so looking to do as much as I can)

 

Hi @NurseJayne and welcome to the forum! Yes, you can have water that fails to run downhill! When there's a lot of clay, the water can't penetrate it, so it sits...
The problem with new builds is that the top soil has probably been pulled away and then heavy vehicles like excavators have been busy compressing the subsoil. They than add a scattering of top soil and that's it!
If you can improve the soil structure by deep digging and dumping organic matter you should be able to make a difference. I have found french drains don't really work unless the water can move sideways into them - which means breaking up the clay.
Since you're on a budget, I'd look for ways of getting cheap organic matter. Are there any stables near you? They're normally desperate to give away muck.

 

Hi @NurseJayne - it's never easy when you're on a tight budget - I remember that all too well.
I agree with @CarolineL that this is often the problem with new builds - it's probably the most common query about lawns because the ground is so compacted after building work, and there's no proper prep done before turf gets laid.
Is it mainly grass where you have the problem? That's a bit more tricky than amending soil in a border. If you're wanting to plant in the area, it always pays to do as Caroline suggests re getting loads of organic matter to improve the soil health and drainage. Clay is ultimately an excellent medium for all sorts of plants, but it needs a bit of help first, so that those plants survive and thrive.
If you can upload a couple of pix of the area, that will also help with advice or suggestions.

 

Thank you for all your help and advice, I have seen powder to break up the clay online at Amazon etc is this suitable and how quickly does it work? With the deep digging how deep do I need to go and then do I just drop the manure in it and level it or put the dug up soil back on it??

Sorry for all the questions and if they are stupid I'm very new to this it's my first house with my son and I'm trying to do as much myself as I can.

I am currently on shift so I'll get pictures as soon as I can, the muddiest part won't really grow any grass so it's just really mud.

Thank you again for your help I do really appreciate it.

 

You'd need tons and tons of grit for it to be of any use. Organic matter is always better, but if it's to improve 'just grass' that isn't feasible.
If you want a half decent spot for your son to play etc, it often isn't worth doing too much to the grass, but if it's for planting, it's always worth making the effort. You can always make a small raised lawn, even in just part of it, but that also might be a bridge too far if you don't have the tools, and you'd need enough soil etc for it. You also wouldn't be able to have that suitable for use this year, unless it was turfeed rather than seeded.

Hopefully - with a few pix, we can help more @NurseJayne