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Plants for wet areas
Hello everyone, first post!
I have an area at the back of my garden which sees little sun. I have tried (normally unsuccessfully!) to grow several species of plants with little success.
The soil in this area is heavy clay with a rather ornamental cherry blossom being the well established centrepiece. As previously stated, the soil rarely dries out completely. At this time of year it resembles claggy mud!
It's a small area measuring roughly 5ft x 12ft. I'd love to establish this area for perhaps small low growing shrubs and plants if possible.
Anyone able to advise please?
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Unless you can improve the soil there, by digging in lots of grit, compost and manure, you'll have to plant shrubs and perennials which are best suited to the conditions. If it's permanently wet, it may not also be very hospitable, so it's worth doing that anyway, to ensure anything you plant stands a good chance of thriving.
Once you do that, Astilbes will do well, and so will Hostas, Dicentras, Heucheras, Ferns and Japanese Anemones. Shrubs like Osmanthus will be fine, and can be pruned if they get too big. Euonymous will grow there and give a splash of colour all year round. Low growing Ajuga will also do well .
I have white Spireas in a similar spot. Hydrangeas will generally do well too if you have enough space, but if you only want low growing things, they might be too big.
There are also lots of bulbs which will be fine - snowdrops and daffs. Primulas will thrive as well.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My favourite is purple loosestrife, but you could entertain the idea of making your own bog garden. My own has a variety of plants including gunneras, water mint, water forget-me-nots, flag irises and purple / yellow loosestrife....it’s a haven for wildlife as well...
Last edited: 12 November 2017 08:25:52
There are plenty of plants that thrive in those conditions, but it is all about what you want to create. Medium height shrubs, evergreens like Choisya Ternata, the Mexican Orange Blossom will tolerate those conditions, even Weigela Florida, and there are a few compact varieties. Bergenia Cordifolia has huge semi-evergreen leaves that sometimes changes to reds in autumn. Great for ground cover with added bonus of flowers in early summer. Liriope Muscari can cope too and also has evergreen foliage. Finally, Viola Odorata, the sweet violet, will gently colonise any bare ground. Those plants will easily fill 5ft by 12ft.
Last edited: 12 November 2017 12:06:30
Check out this morning's Garden Revival on BBC2, Joe Swift does a 30 minute segment on bog gardens
HOSTAS, LOTS OF THEM.
No one can ever have too many Hostas, or should that be, too much of Hosta?
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border