- Had similar experiences myself, and yeah, certain plants definitely hold up better.
- Sedums seem pretty tough overall—had a nasty hailstorm last year, and they bounced back surprisingly quick.
- Also noticed grasses like blue fescue or prairie dropseed handle wind and heavy rains better than most flowering plants.
- One thing I learned the hard way: deeper substrate layers help a lot. Shallow setups dry out fast or wash away easily in storms.
- Might be worth looking into native varieties too; they're adapted to local conditions, so they usually fare better.
- Anyway, hang in there... green roofs can be tricky at first, but once you find the right combo, it gets easier.
Good points on natives and deeper substrate, though I'd add drainage matters just as much. Learned that after a storm turned my yard into a mini lake... Sedums held up, sure, but standing water still did damage. Proper drainage channels saved me next time around.
Interesting take on drainage channels, and I totally get why you'd prioritize them after your yard turned into a pond. But I'm wondering—did you consider soil composition at all? I've seen yards with great drainage setups still struggle because the soil itself was compacted or clay-heavy, making it tough for water to seep through properly. Even with good channels, if the soil isn't absorbing or dispersing water effectively, you might still end up with soggy patches or erosion issues.
A friend of mine had this exact issue: installed drainage channels everywhere, but the yard stayed mushy after heavy rains. Turned out the soil was so dense it just couldn't handle the water load. They ended up mixing in compost and sand to loosen things up, and it made a huge difference. Maybe it's not always about directing water away, but also about helping your yard soak it up better? Curious if anyone else has experienced something similar...
Good point about soil composition. I had a similar issue a couple years back—spent a weekend installing drainage channels thinking it'd solve everything. Nope. My yard stayed soggy for days after every storm. Turns out the soil was mostly clay, super compacted, and basically waterproof. Ended up aerating the lawn and mixing in some compost and coarse sand to loosen things up. Took a bit of effort, but it made a noticeable difference pretty quickly. Now water actually sinks in instead of pooling on top.
I think you're onto something about helping the yard absorb water rather than just redirecting it. Channels alone aren't always enough if the ground itself isn't cooperating. Makes me wonder if people overlook soil health too often when dealing with drainage issues...
You're right about channels not being a cure-all. I've seen plenty of roofs where folks put tons of effort into gutters but ignore drainage at ground level. Good to hear your approach worked—sometimes the basics really are the best fix.
