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Wet boggy clay soil
Bagpuss57
Posts: 256
I have a spot in my garden where all the water seems to congregate. The garden is gently sloped up to the patio but right at the bottom in one corner is a patch where nothing seems to thrive. It gets really soggy and doesn't drain easily, being very clayey! (If that's such a word?) Surely there must be something I can do with this soggy patch of earth? I was thinking of bog plants but have no idea what or where to begin or even if this is the answer. Any ideas welcome!!
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Bog plants would certainly be fine, but can you give us a bit more info on the site and aspect? That will help with advice.
If it's quite sunny, some of the smaller Sibirica Irises would do well, and also Ligularias. Lots of ferns will also be fine there, and Astilbes. They're also good if the site's shadier. You would still want to mix in some grit to the area which will help anything planted there.
If you have a few photos that would be even better - click on the camera icon in the top right hand corner and follow the instructions.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for your great advice Fairygirl! I will try to get a photo attached but having trouble with that at the mo, I press the camera icon but nothing happens?? My garden is south facing and gets early morning sun right through until the afternoon and then shaded from a tall fence, it stays in sun until late afternoon in the summer but from around 1pm mostly in shade the rest of the year. I have also been considering putting in a wildlife pond so perhaps could add these plants around the edge of the biggest side? I love the idea of astilbes and irises though they'd look lovely.
Some of the candelabra primulas might be good. Such a great range of them.
I wonder if it's the device you're using - sometimes people have trouble doing photos if it's a phone or a tablet. When you click on it, it should bring up your photo library.
Sounds like you have a mainly sunny site then. You can still use Astilbes, as they will be fine in some sun if they have a bit of dampness. You can always use other planting to help create a little more shade anyway. A wildlife pond sounds great - many of us here have them, so you'll get plenty of help with that if you need it.
I have Chrysographes Irises, which are ideal for pondside/damp areas. They don't flower for long, but are very beautiful
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks fairygirl that's Great, I love the photo of the iris, I'd love to get some in my garden. You mentioned Ligularias, I've never heard of these?? Are they easy to get hold of in a regular garden centre or mostly just order online?
Most GCs should have Ligularias of some kind. There are a few different varieties. I have L.Marie Britt Crawford which has large leaves of dark plum with olive undersides. The flowers are daisy like, and several on each stem. The most common one is L. The Rocket, which is more upright with spikes of flowers.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Dryopteris erythrosora would be a good choice of fern for such a spot, as it will tolerate full sun as long as the soil never dries out. I have both the species and the cultivar 'Brilliance' in my garden and they're both stunning and reliable.
As Fairygirl as already suggested, Astilbe would grow well, as would Aruncus dioicus, which looks like a taller, chunkier version of Astilbe.
Filipendula ulmaria (meadowsweet) would also be a good choice.
Astrantia would thrive too - and there is such a wide range available. I have both A. major 'Rubra' and A. major 'Florence' and they're lovely.
Persicaria (bistort) is another option - there is P. amplexicaulis and its cultivars, available in lovely shades of red, pink-purple and white; also P. bistorta and its cultivars, which come in shades of paler pink. Also, these retain some foliage in winter, so keep the garden green.
Lysimachia clethroides would also be suitable, but it can be a bit invasive, so you need to be ruthless with it when it starts to stray!
Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker' is nice too, with lovely purple-tinted foliage and is less invasive.
Eupatorium cannabinum (hemp agrimony) is another reliable perennial - again it can be a bit invasive though.
Primula Candelabra hybrids, are wonderful and would be a good choice, as Yarrow has said. They would also be good if you do choose to make a pond to plant around the edges. Also the Harlow Car hybrids, which come in beautiful colours.
Caltha palustris (marsh marigold) and its many forms,varieties and cultivars are also good, as marignal plants.
A lovely example of a bog garden is Westonbury Mill Water Gardens in Herefordshire.
Have a look at their website for some ideas http://westonburymillwatergardens.com/
I'd not grow DRYopteris in boggy soil.
You've all forgotten Hostas.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/25899/Dryopteris-erythrosora/Details
Remember that thread recently about breaking the rules?
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/the-potting-shed/breaking-the-rules/995731.html
My Dryopteris erythrosora do well in wet soil - however, other Dryopteris species don't do so well in wet environments.
Matteuccia and Osmunda would be more conventional choices of fern for wet sites, I know, but the D. erythrosora is very beautiful.
Hostas are of course very suitable - but we thought we'd leave it to you to mention those!