Pooling of water along bed edges or in planting beds   If this is occurring in a bed in the middle of your yard, probably not a major issue, but if occurring in a foundation bed, it should definitely be addressed to avoid excess water from settling near the foundation. Typically these issues can be resolved by connecting the downspouts to drain pipe and extending past the edge of the bed or by raising the grade at the foundation to create positive flow away from the foundation. Also, creating a swale and lining with filter cloth and decorative river cobble can help to move the water out to an area where it can properly sheet drain. By incorporating a few larger boulders, along with the river cobble, an aesthetic "stream bed" appearance can be created.

The dreaded soggy spot in the yard where the grass always looks horrible   This usually indicates a low spot where water settles, which can be corrected by raising the grade and repairing with sod. Maybe you live near the Bay and your yard is extremely flat and always pretty much soggy. Probably one of the more difficult issues, but we have had success by installing underground French drains which can be ran to either a culvert area or out to the water. Typically, site grading also should occur along with installation of drainage. May be a larger project, but often allows for utilization of lawn areas for play or entertaining, that were previously under-utilized.