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Bog garden
Guernsey Donkey2
Posts: 6,713
in Plants
I have started planting in my bog garden, and have bought 2 or 3 plants, the others I have moved from other parts of the garden or grown from seed. I have an upright Astilbe, some Carex grasses, flag iris and a pendula Carex, bunny tail and quaking grass, hosta, Ache.....Mollis?, Ligularia The Rocket and geums Cooky and Rivale. Which do you think will thrive in the damp conditions and which will struggle.
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Flag iris will take over your bog garden if you let it! What else you can grow depends on how wet your bog is. Astilbe, hosta, ligularia and geum rivale like it pretty damp, but only certain plants enjoy having their roots totally waterlogged.
Yes, we have flag iris around our small pond and they have spread pretty well - but this time I have contained them in a large pot sunk into the bog. I think it is going to be a case of trial and error Liri. We have sunk a perforated hose into the bog garden which can be topped up as necessary. As long as half of the plants cope with the bog conditions then I can always take cuttings or collect the seeds. I hope to have some photos of the bog in a week or two once the camera comes back from it's repairs.....
watch the Carex pendula, that will flourish in a big way.
Not the quaking grass, that's not a bog plant
In the sticks near Peterborough
I wasn't sure about the Q. grass nut - I grew it from seed, it has shot up very quickly and I know it spreads easily. (too easily). The Carex was a seedling I found growing in another part of the garden, I have sunk that one in the bog in a pot too - although I remember reading here that it is the seeds that I should be concerned about. If it grows, it will be overhanging concrete paving on one side which may help to contain any dropped seeds. Do you know if Knapweed will grow in boggy areas?
I too would be wary of the Carex pendula.A friend of mine has it in her garden and it is the bane of her life!!
It seeds everywhere,in the lawn,in pots,in cracks in paving.
Difficult to get rid of once it takes a hold.
I have Carex elata which is a lovely plant.
I think knapweed is more a plant of meadows and roadside verges, GD.
I've planted Carex pendula in woodland, on a steep damp bank behind my house (technically it's the park, but it's too steep for them to maintain). It's doing ok and looking beautiful, but hasn't taken over because it's too shady, I think.
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is a lovely plant for a bog. There's a more dwarf pink version called 'Robert' sold in garden centres, if that's too big for you.
And of course marsh marigold, Caltha palustris, likes it wet too.
Thanks for all the ideas, hints and advice. I have ordered Gratiola Officinalis and Lychnis flos cuculi from the garden centre for the bog garden and hopefully will be buying some more Hostas if the one I have likes this situation. I will look for Lythrum salicaria next time we are at the GC.
I have knapweed growing in the wild flower area, it really thrives there - we grew it from seed a couple of years ago - the bees love it (and so do I).