Boggy area
CazzieT
Posts: 74
We have a large boggy area at the bottom of our rural garden which runs down hill to a dry-stone wall, on the other side of which is a narrow pathway and 10ft wide stream (not on our land). It's boggy because we are at the lowest level of the other, similarly large gardens to the west of ours and the water from their land comes down to us. It is really wet for most of the year (i.e. can suck your boot off if you step in the wrong place) and I have tried over the years, in vain, to dig a natural pond area (just seemed to end up drawing more water into the surrounding area) and plant various moisture loving plants. The trouble is that weeding is a nightmare as the ground is so wet and heavy (though not clay, thankfully) - it's impossible to get the spade in whilst one is plodging around in the mud and it is a filthy job! I have usually resorted to covering the area with a suppressing mulch of some sort which looks better temporarily but it takes an age to barrow it all down the garden and the weeds come back eventually. We're toying with the idea of getting someone in to do some drainage work but that would be expensive and, since we probably won't be in this house any more than ten years (getting on a bit now!) I just wonder if there is last ditch option like planting a willow. I had an image of it being an area of lovely green or red-coloured dogwood stems surrounded by bark chippings but I can't see that happening.
Any suggestions more than gratefully received.
Last edited: 15 October 2017 13:37:55
Posts
can we have a picture?
Difficult to know but if draining it simply isny working then I would go with willow - even better if you have log fires. Personally I'd be intrigued to see what I could do regarding drainage - I wonder if a sump and syphon the water to the stream would help or try and dig a small stream to drain away from you. You could stabilise it with a few tonnes of stone...
Thanks for the replies. Will try to post a photo.
We haven't done any draining as such yet and not sure whether we can take advantage of the stream as it would mean messing up their land but it's a possibility if the upheaval is minimal. Any drainage work would be expensive as it would be labour intensive so if I could do something effective without that I'd be up for it.
I have made the decision not to look into drainage but to have a go at making it into a bog garden. It'll take some work but I hope I can do it!
It all depends on the look you want for your boggy garden. Lots of Lythrums will thrive in those conditions. Pick tough plants like Bergenia Cordifolia. Plant in long drifts repeated with Candelabra Primulas.
Last edited: 03 November 2017 17:22:21
Thanks for the advice. I'll just be happy to have some attractive growth and cover and not to have to spend too much time maintaining it though that's probably a big 'ask'.
No reason why you can't have your dogwoods too! They love boggy soil, so much so that they will make a thicket if you don't chop them back in spring on a regular basis.
Bear in mind that all bog plants are basically thugs, so be prepared to keep them in check and avoid those with really bad manners, especially yellow flag iris. Lysichitum americanum, the yellow flowered skunk cabbage, which is on the RHS proscribed list, is best avoided too, especially as you are near a stream . I'm keeping mine for now but it will need deadheading every year so it can't set seed, and when that is too much of a chore it will have to go!
I've got six dogwoods down there already, three green stemmed and three 'Midwinter fire'. They did pretty well the first couple of years and I pruned them back each February but this year they haven't grown much and are only a foot or so high with some blackened tips. I wondered if it was just too wet for them or whether they need some help with nutrition.
The recommendations I posted earlier will probably need you to cut back or tidy up once in late winter or early spring. Rodgersias can take up a bit of space to help cover ground. They offer height and drama. If you are looking for less work, plant some shrubs. They will only need a bit of pruning when you need to. Some Weigelas can thrive in this condition. Viburnum Opulus and Viburnum Lantana will probably do well too.
Great, thanks, good to know what will like these conditions.