![Unrelated photo. I just love I have Violets growing in my backyard Unrelated photo. I just love I have Violets growing in my backyard](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-13.05.54.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
Today I dug up a bit of my front yard to build a rain garden of sorts. There looks to be a drainage gully leading from the front of the house to the street. I dug a dike 1 lawn mower width from the corner of my driveway and sidewalk. Gotta make the chores as easy as I can.
![The city had dug up the water shut-off valve last summer here. The city had dug up the water shut-off valve last summer here.](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-10.30.05.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
What I did is dug a deep trench and dropped a bunch of short logs into it. What will happen is these logs will start to rot in a few years and turn into giant water sponges. By placing these in the path of the drainage gully I am hoping that they will soak up and hold the rain water. I planted a bunch of irises and purple cone flower seeds.
![Trenches dug and some logs dropped in Trenches dug and some logs dropped in](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-10.54.38.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
![All the logs dropped into this hugelkulture bed All the logs dropped into this hugelkulture bed](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-11.12.45.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
![Logs buried at grade depth Logs buried at grade depth](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-11.21.24.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
![Watering the bed in. See how it forms a dike making a rain garden? Watering the bed in. See how it forms a dike making a rain garden?](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-11.50.02.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
I also planted my grapevine. This I dug a deep hole that I dropped a bunch of half burned fire wood down. I also mashed up some of the charcoal I made my dousing my campfires. The charcoal will hopefully form Terra Petra of sorts.
![Deep hole and charred wood for Terra Petra Deep hole and charred wood for Terra Petra](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-15.26.06.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
![Charred wood for the Terra Petra Charred wood for the Terra Petra](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-15.25.41.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
![Down the hole with the wood and charcoal Down the hole with the wood and charcoal](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-15.36.47.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
![Charcoal made from dousing my campfire mixed into the dirt. Charcoal made from dousing my campfire mixed into the dirt.](https://i0.wp.com/mike.creuzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wpid-2011-05-01-15.39.39.jpg?resize=500%2C375)
[Edited] Post was posted with the photos in a jumbled up order and no captions.
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