How to Landscape Near Creeks

Select plants that tolerate wet roots or moist soil conditions. Red maples (Acer rubrum), sweetbay magnolias (Magnolia virginiana), winterberries (Ilex vertically), marsh magnolias (Caltha palustris), water irises (Iris laevigata) and hardy arums (Peltandra virginica) are a few examples of plants that can survive and grow well in moist soil conditions.

Plant trees and shrubs so the root balls are about 3 inches above the soil line. Cover the roots with mulch and replenish as necessary. This improves the drainage around the root balls and helps prevent them from sitting in waterlogged soil.

Incorporate 5 to 6 inches of organic matter into the soil when planting near a creek. Turn over 10 to 12 inches of soil, and mix in compost, peat moss or another type of organic material. This improves soil drainage and raises the garden bed slightly to help improve drainage.

Build a raised bed near a creek so you can grow more varieties of plants. There are many ways to build a raised bed. For example, dig a 6-inch deep trench around the perimeter of the raised bed and fill with approximately 2 inches of gravel. Then use 6-by-2 inch timbers to build a 12- to 18-inch tall raised bed. Lay each course of timber around the circumference of the trench, check for level and fasten them together with screws and a drill. Place 2 screws at each corner and 1 in the center of each timber to secure them. Fill the raised bed in with topsoil and compost.