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What colourful plants would you recommend for sticky, wet clay soil?

PeterJarvisPeterJarvis Posts: 123
in Problem solving
I guess it's water plants or bog garden plants. But you probably know better.

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Not necessarily. If the area doesn't stay wet and boggy,IE bone dry in summer,it doesn't work. Which way does garden face? How much sun?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The best thing is to improve the soil with organic matter. That will give you more scope, and a better chance of success. 
    As @Nanny Beach says, in a drier area you have the problem of it cracking in summer, and in wetter areas it just stays sticky and wet, and becomes sour over time. Both are difficult for plants to thrive, even bog plants need drainage. Some of the Irises which enjoy wet conditions might be ok, but if the soil dries out extensively over summer, they may not survive.
    The aspect will help too. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PeterJarvisPeterJarvis Posts: 123
    Nanny Beach said:
    Not necessarily. If the area doesn't stay wet and boggy,IE bone dry in summer,it doesn't work. Which way does garden face? How much sun?
    It doesn't dry out in summer. Faces south.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Ligularias. They need soil that doesn't dry out, and sun. Some of those aforementioned Irises. There are various types of those which need lots of moisture and sun. I grow Iris chrysographes in that sort of site. Many shrubs would be ok too, but it depends on what you like too    :)
    It's important there's enough air in the soil though. Hence my comment re improving it. Clay soil is a great growing medium, but not if it's the sub layer which is solid, and bluey and has no openness to it. Roots need oxygen  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    Persicaria bistorta supberba and Persicaria amplexicaulis Firetail - though this one gets BIG

    ferns, hostas and hardy geraniums I would think would be ok, they were all happy in my very wet clay, pulmonaria, asters, shasta daisy and roses.

    That’s all ones I’ve grown in a very wet, clay border previously!
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    edited April 2022
    Faces south, doesn't dry out. Oh, we're north facing London clay,the beige/yellow stuff,and it's dry and cracked now. We manage to grow the native bog iris, yellow one.brooms,ferns, roses,but yes as Fairy says it's had leafmould, compost. The irises were already here,pre all that treatment,and survived both being under water and baked. Got any pictures?
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Astilbes, Rogersias to add to those given.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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