Water sits ontop of topsoil - Poor drainage in new topsoil

[katypoo]

hi

to cut a very long story short, my garden has had totally new subsoil and topsoil laid as my new build home had some asbestos left behind (fortunately a well know house insurer has paid for this!).

However i am left with poor surface drainage. I have very boggy flower beds in places where the water just sits on the surface and does not drain through the topsoil.

I did an experiment and dug a large hole through the top soil and down to the natural clay/flint or chalk layer. Overnight and after rain it did not fill with water so i have assumed it is not a water table problem.

The next day i put a 5cm layer of my new topsoil in the hole and after some more rain, the next morning it was aawash with water. It seems the water does not penetrate the top soil.

I have installed a land drain down one side which has helped a little, but still water sits on the top of the bed right next to the drain. I had thought it was a compaction problem but this experiment does not concur with that.

any help appreciate. i can send photos if needed.

katypoo

[msh paving]

The topsoil need rippng lose with a good size rotorvator or a ripper tine on a minidigger to let the water through the hard packed pan of topsoil and allow water into the chalk/flint,adding more top soil will just make poor drainage worse MSH