Hello from Denmark

[LadyDay]

You have posted some very good photos, and I`m sure you will be able to make a lovely garden there. My very first thoughts though are regarding possible flooding. Have you double checked if there have been any previous issues ?
In a village near here where we live there is a stream similar to this one in your garden, and sometimes it floods and causes problems in homes that are close by. That hole made by the previous owners indicate that they may have been rather worried about this.

Wow, thank you so, so much for this!
We asked a while back about the history of flooding from the stream and were told that in the 11 years they've lived there it has only been 1 meter up the garden. However they haven't answered when we asked what the hole was for!
The house doesn't have a basement and the inspector who looked at the house didn't find any water damage, however the hole is indeed suspicious! The geo data site says very little risk of flooding, but I don't know how they determine that.
I have contacted our realtor who is going to have a thorough look into it. I'm glad we have a professional on our side!
If we risk it and still buy the house, after our guy has determined the history, we have good insurance that will cover both future damage and if there's already damage there that the inspector didn't find.
Still, a flooded house (or garden for that matter) would be horrible!
Again, thank you so much for your help!

 

[Tetters]

It would indeed be dreadful if you had the problem of flooding. There are many people here in England who have in recent years had a huge problem with unwanted water!! At first, after much heartbreak, and personal treasures being completely ruined by sewage etc - the insurance companies paid the bill, which was a help. Unfortunately though, not only do these insurance people refuse to accept further cover for homes in a flood area, but the properties are un saleable as nobody wants to buy them. This then is another trap to consider, and would/could ruin your new start in life.
My very sincere advice to you two is this .......IF IN DOUBT, DON`T DO IT.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I suppose you are right, Tetters, but the idea of a proper stream (that is almost a small river) at the bottom of the garden is so romantic.

I am almost in a flood zone myself here. Although we are not far from the top of a hill it is Weald clay and there is an inch or two of surface water over much of the garden after two days quite heavy rain.

 

[Tetters]

Denmark is very flat and not very high above sea level. The change in the climate makes it necessary in my opinion to be very careful about buying property near to rivers or any water courses.
It might seem lovely and romantic, but not so when flood water brings sewage through your nice new home ! That is definitely not romantic.
It seems you must be a bit south of us here then @Oliver Buckle to be situated in the Weald clay !

 

[LadyDay]

Good morning.

Hmmm, I got really worried, but boyfriend isn't. For multiple reasons. The house is higher above the stream than it looks. You can sort of get a sense of it from the picture here. The house is level with the bridge/street. So if the water rises a lot it might flood some of the garden, but it would take an unimaginable lot to reach the height of the house.

While Denmark is indeed flat, this place is still 43 meters above sea level, so there's no thread of the sea making it's way here. Checking the path of the stream also reveals that it doesn't run into the sea anywhere nearby. The water takes a big detour around the country, where it runs for a long way, then into another stream, which also runs a long way, then into a river, which ultimately, eventually, reaches the sea. So the sea isn't about to push it's way up this stream.
The house also doesn't have a basement, where there risk of water pushing from the sewer up drains from would be the highest and where the risk of water getting in would in general be higher than ground floor.
The conclusion is that the hole is probably meant to drain rain water from the lawn.
We're still having it looked into though, including asking the sellers what the point of the hole is and figuring out if the water has been anywhere up near the house in the past.
The house is also 150 years old (True story. It's from 1877!) and still standing, though I don't know how much that says.

Having a river (it's name actually says that it's a river, but I'd say it's definitely a very small river) at the bottom of the garden is indeed incredibly romantic, as @Oliver Buckle says, but of course less so if we're suddenly wading around knee deep in water on the ground floor. I am wondering if it would be an idea to install flood proofing thingies (don't know what they're called) on the doors, to prevent water from getting in that way, and consider the proofing stuff one can install in the drains that prevents water from coming back up pipes.

I can't figure out how worried we should be about it. I'll have to let those who know better figure it out and then put my trust in them.

 

[Tetters]

I for one wish you good luck and hope that all will be well. We will have to put our heads together and help you dream up a nice bog garden

Liquid assets: Grow bog plants and moisture lovers to stop garden floo

IF YOUR garden has become a soggy bog, don’t fight it – just grow moisture-loving plants, says Britain's best known gardener

www.express.co.uk

I found this link for you - an article by our Alan Titchmarsh that you may enjoy reading.

 

[LadyDay]

Thank you, you are lovely!
I am looking so much forwards to project garden and am happy help is at hand, since I've never tried it before. So no doubt I'll have questions! I will also get some gardening books. Lots to learn!
It will be hard to wait, while getting to know the garden, when so excited to start! I figure I can start getting willows, to line the edge of the garden reasonably soon? I really want the garden made more private and they'll take some time to grow. My plan is coppiced/pollarded willows, people sound like that would work. As you can see from the pictures, the garden is completely open to the street, and tricky to close off due to the slope to the street, so one feels very exposed.
Judging by the headline that article sounds spot on. I will read it right away.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I think "Unimaginable" is a bit strong, I have seen the river Rother at Bodiam rise by that sort of amount after prolonged rain and make me go around another way when we used to live near there. The important factor to me would be are you downstream or upstream from the bridge? That could be a sort of pinch point, where only so much water can go under it. Having said that, the bridge at Bodiam is a medieval arched bridge, that looks like a modern bridge with far more space under it. Downstream from the bridge even if the water builds up. enough to come over the road and embankment it will quickly return to the watercourse.
I would call it a river, are there fish in it?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Sorry, posted and then read your post.
Willows don't take that long, I remember years ago telling my father about a book on propagation. Most things wanted about a nine inch cutting of about pencil thickness, willow they said make a hole with a crowbar for a cutting about an inch thick and six feet long. Dad smiled and then said "Yes, and then step back."
However, if you are thinking 'privacy' it might be worth incorporating some evergreens as well. You are mostly in the garden in Summer, but not only. Growing rambling roses, or something similar, through them can have a strong deterrent effect on intruders.
It is worth checking out the oversize books in charity shops for gardening books. Gardening and cookery seem to be very over represented there, they are continually being 'updated', but mostly it is in the presentation, the actual information does not change all that much and you can get for pennies what can cost a fortune.

 

[LadyDay]

I think "Unimaginable" is a bit strong, I have seen the river Rother at Bodiam rise by that sort of amount after prolonged rain and make me go around another way when we used to live near there. The important factor to me would be are you downstream or upstream from the bridge? That could be a sort of pinch point, where only so much water can go under it. Having said that, the bridge at Bodiam is a medieval arched bridge, that looks like a modern bridge with far more space under it. Downstream from the bridge even if the water builds up. enough to come over the road and embankment it will quickly return to the watercourse.
I would call it a river, are there fish in it?

Hmmm. The house is upstream from it. I am really worried. It's a house that don't come around often, so we're very eager to get it, but it would also be terrible with flooding! I wonder if there are steps that can be taken to prevent the house from flooding, should the water rise high enough. That aren't incredibly expensive (there are things that can be put all the way around the house that rise up like a wall if water comes up, but they are very expensive). It's also a problem that the ground water is too high for normal draining methods, like a fascine.
There are barriers that can attach to doors and go up if water comes up to there, but I don't know if it's enough to block doors?
I really don't know what to do!
I don't know if there's fish in it.

 

[LadyDay]

Sorry, posted and then read your post.
Willows don't take that long, I remember years ago telling my father about a book on propagation. Most things wanted about a nine inch cutting of about pencil thickness, willow they said make a hole with a crowbar for a cutting about an inch thick and six feet long. Dad smiled and then said "Yes, and then step back."
However, if you are thinking 'privacy' it might be worth incorporating some evergreens as well. You are mostly in the garden in Summer, but not only. Growing rambling roses, or something similar, through them can have a strong deterrent effect on intruders.
It is worth checking out the oversize books in charity shops for gardening books. Gardening and cookery seem to be very over represented there, they are continually being 'updated', but mostly it is in the presentation, the actual information does not change all that much and you can get for pennies what can cost a fortune.

I didn't really understand the first part I'm afraid, after "Willows don't take that long...".
Anyway, it makes sense with some evergreen in there. Roses are pretty and smell amazing! We're not worried about intruders too much, it's more that people can look straight into the garden. The edge of the lot is at the foot of the slope down from the street with the bridge, so it takes something tall to block the view. Still, roses would look beautiful in it between the willow branches!

It's a really good idea to go to a used book store to look for gardening books! Books aren't cheap and saving money is always good.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I will try to explain.
My father had a first class degree in agriculture and was a very knowledgeable gardener.
I had been reading a book about propagation, the various ways of increasing numbers of a plant.
I told my father about the section in the book which was about taking cuttings.
With most things you take a piece about the size of a pencil round and about 20cm long.
With willow you take a piece a bit thicker than your thumb and about two meters long.
Make a hole in the ground with a crowbar about 80cm deep and put it in.
My father said "And stand back", meaning it will grow so fast it might knock you over, a very English sort of joke maybe.

Partly it is that you use such good English I simply prattle on, I must remember not to be obscure

 

[LadyDay]

Aaaaah, then I get it. I know it takes a bit out of a joke to have to explain it, but it was funny!
I understand most English prattle I think. It's easier to understand American prattle than English-English (due to exposure no doubt). However, hoping not to get my English entirely "Americanised" I enjoy trying to pick up British expressions, so prattle on (Disclaimer: No offense meant to Americans of course, we just happen to be neighbours to the UK, hence the wish to say 'cheers' in stead of 'thanks', call crisps 'crisps' and use some of the funniest expletives in the entire English language).
Also, as you can tell, I have a tendency to prattle on myself!

 

[Tetters]

 

[LadyDay]

That looks stunning! That's exactly what I would love to have. Lush, green, beautiful flowers, natural looking. A peaceful little paradise.
I couldn't help myself a couple of gardening books yesterday. English. Today I'm going to the used book store to look for Danish ones. I can dream and read until I can start creating my paradise next spring, when I know the garden space properly.