This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Plant ideas for clay soil
I have heavy clay and as a result it tends to be quite damp for a large part of the year. It never dries out to be rock hard.
Some parts are really damp and bog like (ie if I walk across it now I would leave footprints and in the winter my wellington could get stuck!), other parts are just fairly damp / moist (dogwood is happily growing here), while there are a couple of dryish parts also.
So really I have a wide range of moisture conditions, but none of it could be described as free draining.
I have planted many different perennials and shrubs, but would like to see what others who have similar soil have typed to give me some inspiration.
I have planted roses, astilbes, hostas, persicaria, phlox, globe flower, achillea, weigela, pheasant berry, Ribes sanguineum, viburnum opulus, buddleja, ragged robin and loosestrife.
I have also just planted camassia and the giant snowdrop bulbs
In the boggy area I have sowed boggy wildflower seed and will let it do whatever it does as it's not really possible to maintain it due to how sticky the ground is.
What plants that would thrive in those conditions am I missing? For example, are there any nice flowering plants that would like those conditions
0
Posts
For shrubs, worth trying Weigelas, Hypericums and Choisya Ternata can establish.
In sunny spots, Ligularia is extremely happy. Acteas love it, and a bit of shade. Low growing plants like Ajuga as well - mine grows in the shallows of the pond. Heucheras and prostarte Gaultheriss. Solomon's Seal and Jacob's Ladder are fine - Polygonatum and Polemonium. Easy to mix those two up! Japanes anemones as well.
I also grow Spireas in wet conditions, Potentillas, Hydrangeas and Mahonia.
Many plants are more tolerant of damp ground than most people think, so it's also worth experimenting. Lilies grow in my damp soil no problem. Just the slugs that are a nuisance
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They have been slow to clump up, but are easy and long lived. Though our white one seems a bit less vigorous and fussy.
Though that may be the position it is in compared to the blue.
This year ours flopped a bit, due to the dry weather, it usually manages as the bed does not dry out much ( east facing). But a can of water revived it.
On the south-facing side of the garden, I have almost like a clay basin which, when planting, I have to smash out with a pick axe, using my hands crumble the rock solid, bone dry (even after bog-inducing rain since it just runs off) clay and the key then is to mix with compost. The result is actually awesomely good for growing anything I've found.
So some things not from your list which have really established nicely in this kind of soil include Wisteria, Cotinus, Hebe, Japanese Maples, Fuschia, Japanese Anenome, African Lilly, Choisya Ternata, Lavender ... but important to stress it had to be broken up in the hole and mixed with compost. I also planted high and put in a few inches of compost at the base of the holes after slamming a fork in to try to get some degree of drainage. I don't see root rot on that side ever.
On the north-facing side, I've got a boggy area and something that has grown really well in there is a Fatsia Japonica. Also two James Grieve's have grown nicely. Both with minimal soil amendment too, although naturally the soil - whilst clay-like - had more organic material worked in naturally over the years from leaf fall. I also find Coryllus Avellana Contorta grows fine in that side, it seems to lap up any amount of water. Heucheras like that boggy side as do Hostas.
Almost forgot to mention - Ferns. I'm a big fan of ferns and I have filled my north facing spaces with ferns which disappointingly are leafless right now but looked great in the summer.