Typically, a flooded yard is nothing more than a costly and time-intensive problem to fix.
However, TikToker Michael (@plant_daddyUK) got incredibly lucky in that respect.
As he explained in his video, he and his family initially thought that their flooded yard would be a disaster to deal with when they first moved into their 18th-century home.
@plant_daddyuk A year ago we moved into our 18th-century farmhouse... and the garden instantly flooded. What felt like a disaster turned out to be hiding history — an old land drain that led us to uncover a secret pond! After hours of digging, we now have a freshwater brook running right through the garden, feeding a pond that looks like it's always been here. Sometimes the garden tells you what it wants to be. #garden #restoration #pond #secretgarden #wildlife ♬ Light of the Soul - SANTANA J.L.M
However, they discovered that the water was actually from a centuries-old drainage system.
After some digging and restoration, they uncovered a pond buried "under centuries of mud." Now, the water runs through a paved channel in the yard to a pond.
"What started out as a problem … has turned out to be the most beautiful part of our garden," Michael wrote.
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"That's a jackpot," one commenter said of the discovery.
While not everyone will uncover a centuries-old water drainage system in their yard, there are many ways to foster a thriving natural ecosystem. One of the easiest ways to do this is to fill your space with native plants.
Cultivating a variety of local foliage in your yard is a great way to save time and money on lawn care while actively supporting your local ecosystem.
Native plants have evolved alongside local life, from mammals that consume them to microbes in the soil, over thousands of years.
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Several hours a week 🧑🌾 These specific adaptations make them well suited to the climate, allowing them to be more resilient. This means less maintenance and lower water costs for gardeners.
Natives can also be a great boon to pollinators, which are responsible for securing more than a third of the global food supply.
Michael has amassed over 50,000 followers on TikTok, where he shares videos and insights from his countryside garden in the United Kingdom.
With nearly 95,000 likes and almost 1,300 comments, Michael's pond video has attracted substantial interest. From being excited about the potential for animals to enjoy the pond to marveling at the drainage system's history, commenters were thrilled for his family.
"This is an amazing find," one wrote. "And lovely that you restored it."
"Imagine the person who originally made it. Hundreds of years ago, someone touched each stone to make that. What an amazing find," another observed.
"God how does it feel to live MY DREAM," a third joked.
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