Question
We live in south eastern pennsylvania in a new construction house.  we have a big back yard, but most of it is a detention basin that is mainly dry except when we get a lot of rain (which it looks like a lake right now!)  We are at a loss as to how to landscape our back yard to make the basin as usable as possible, what type of trees we should plant that can handle large amounts of water and then periods of dry? what is the best location to plant in and/or around a basin?    any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

Answer
some trees that can stand being alternatively wet, then dry are:
Swamp White Oak - Quercus bicolor
Pin Oak - Quercus palustris
Red maple - Acer rubrum
American Elm - Ulmus americana
Dawn redwood - Metasequoia glyptostoboides
also River birch, willows and
As far as location, I'd place them at the edges of the basin, though I've put them in the bottom of larger, regional basins that drain whole neighborhoods.

In the middle of the basin, you can plant all sorts of shrubs, such as Bamboo, Pampas gras, viburnum, serviceberry, dogwood and inkberry.  

I would not suggest turf, because mowing on soggy ground will drive you nuts! Plus, if its really wet, you'll get all sorts of mosses and weeds in it.

regards -
Marc