QuestionsHow to growTrees and ShrubsChoosing trees and shrubsplants to ‘soak’ up water 0 Vote Up Vote Down Jude Mannion asked 14 years ago looking for some suggestions for plants that like a lot of water and so might do well in wet part of the garden and help ‘soak’ it up 1 Answers 0 Vote Up Vote Down Gerry Daly Staff answered 7 years ago While plants do use water and soak it up from the soil, they are no substitute for drainage. If you decide not to drain, and there is space to grow trees, you could plant the area with alder and trun it into damp woodland.