ponytug
Super Member
I have French drains as well, and I am with @EddieWalker on them. Filter fabric and gravel will fill with soil and debris over time, and clog, leaving you without drainage.
If you need the look of a seamless area, and are ok with ripping them out after awhile, go for it.
However, @Torvy's comment of "we get a lot of rain" would make me nervous on two counts; one that the french drains might not handle enough runoff flow, and two that they are going to clog more quickly.
I would favor ditches, swales, and where needed solid drain pipes (corrugated ones fail quickly), bigger than you think you need.
And, yes, you will probably need a fair amount of rock, but heavy weight geotextile will really help.
All the best,
Peter
If you need the look of a seamless area, and are ok with ripping them out after awhile, go for it.
However, @Torvy's comment of "we get a lot of rain" would make me nervous on two counts; one that the french drains might not handle enough runoff flow, and two that they are going to clog more quickly.
I would favor ditches, swales, and where needed solid drain pipes (corrugated ones fail quickly), bigger than you think you need.
And, yes, you will probably need a fair amount of rock, but heavy weight geotextile will really help.
All the best,
Peter