Project at a Glance

Location: Charlotte, NC

Problem: Water collecting next to a detached garage

Drainage: French drain, about 65 ft of perforated pipe in gravel and geotextile, with a catch basin; discharges beyond the property

Turf bed: Poured concrete curb, geotextile, compacted crushed stone base, fine leveling layer, artificial turf

Area: Narrow side strip between a detached garage and a concrete patio

Where the Project Started
Water was pooling along the garage wall after rain, and the ground there showed it. The grass had thinned out closest to the building, the soil was bare and muddy, and the edge next to the patio had no border to hold it. The fenced lawn and the patio slab around it were in good shape, which left this strip as the one part of the backyard that stayed wet and looked unfinished.
Drainage Before Turf
Water was the reason for the call, so the drain line went in before any stone went into the turf bed. A French drain only works if the water has somewhere to go, and here that meant carrying it off the lot entirely.

A trench was dug along the fence line, and perforated pipe was laid in gravel wrapped in geotextile fabric. The fabric keeps Charlotte's clay from silting up the stone around the pipe, which is what lets the drain keep working over time. A catch basin with a grate was set at the corner of the new turf bed to pick up surface water, and the line runs about 65 feet to discharge beyond the property.
Building the Turf Bed
Geotextile fabric and plate compactor on the turf bed base
The outline of the bed was set with lumber forms and checked with a level, and a concrete curb was poured around it to hold the edges. The old soil inside the bed was then excavated.

Red clay holds water and moves more than sandier soils, so the base went in as separate layers:
  • geotextile fabric across the excavated bed, to keep clay from working up into the stone
  • crushed stone, spread and compacted with a plate compactor
  • a fine leveling layer on top, screeded flat with a straight board
The turf rests directly on this base, so any dip or soft spot left at this stage would eventually show through the surface.
The Finished Side Yard
The artificial turf was laid over the prepared base and cut to the curb line. The strip now reads as part of the patio layout rather than a leftover patch of lawn: green year-round, no mowing, and no bare soil against the garage wall. The concrete curb gives the turf a clean edge along the patio and at the front of the bed, and the water that used to collect here has a way out of the yard.
About Us
Behind Hortus-Flora is Vladimir, a civil engineer (Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2012) with years of hands-on construction work, who started the original firm together with his wife in 2015. Projects like this one show the approach: solve the water first, then build the surface over ground that stays dry. Hortus-Flora LLC now works in Charlotte as a small crew. The same people handle planting and floral touches, and a trusted plumbing partner covers anything backflow-related.
Related Services

This page describes one completed project. For the services behind it, see:

Drainage & Grading: French drains, catch basins, and grading for Charlotte yards.

Artificial Turf Installation: base preparation, seams, edging, and infill.

Sod Installation: the natural-lawn alternative where grass will grow.

Landscaping: garden beds, mulch, and planting.

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Drainage & Artificial Turf Projects Across the Charlotte Area

We work with homeowners throughout the Charlotte area, including Matthews, Indian Trail, Waxhaw, Monroe, Pineville, and Weddington.
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Hortus-Flora LLC: Hardscape and Landscape Services
6416 Providence Farm Ln, Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 388-6833
Hardscaping
Paver Patio Installation
Driveway Paver Installation
Retaining Wall Installation
Retaining Wall Repair
Paver Repair
Walkway & Garden Path
Fire Pit Installation
Stone Veneer Installation
Landscaping
Sod & Lawn Establishment
Mulch Installation
Garden Bed Design & Planting
Plant Selection
Artificial Turf Installation
Drainage & Irrigation
French Drain Installation
Yard Grading & Lawn Leveling
Catch Basin Installation
Downspout Drainage
Irrigation Repair
Sprinkler Winterization & Startup