Topic: Bog gardens

[hopalong]

Does anyone out there have a bog garden?  If so, I'd be interested in ideas on plants and plant combinations (and pictures if possible). I am planning to create a smallish one, about 10 ft by 5 ft, close to my pond, so I won't be growing huge gunnera. It will also be in in partial shade - dark at the back with a fair amount of sunlight at the front.

I'll be making a hole about 2 ft deep with sloping sides, lining the hole with black plastic with holes in it and filling it with grit at the bottom and enriched compost and leaf mould on top of that. I'll try and arrange it so that overflow from my pond seeps into it.  Does that sound all right?

[valmarg]

Oh dear hopalong, I think your question (following the recent monsoon) should be is there anyone out there that hasn't got a bog garden. ??? ;D

Joking aside, my suggestions would be astilbe (we have the tall varieties, and the miniature chinensis) hostas, candelabra primulas.  There are some varieties of iris which thrive in damp conditions (but I can't remember which).  We also have caltha palustris flora plena, which is a double flowered, what we used to call molly blob.  We also have a dactylarhizoma (which I understand is a bog orchid).  We also have a miniature hosta that we were given.

If you fancy any of the above let me know.  Sorry no pics, havn't mastered the art.

valmarg

[hopalong]

Oh dear hopalong, I think your question (following the recent monsoon) should be is there anyone out there that hasn't got a bog garden. ??? ;D

Joking aside, my suggestions would be astilbe (we have the tall varieties, and the miniature chinensis) hostas, candelabra primulas.  There are some varieties of iris which thrive in damp conditions (but I can't remember which).  We also have caltha palustris flora plena, which is a double flowered, what we used to call molly blob.  We also have a dactylarhizoma (which I understand is a bog orchid).  We also have a miniature hosta that we were given.

If you fancy any of the above let me know.  Sorry no pics, havn't mastered the art.

valmarg

Thanks valmarg, that's helpful. I like the sound of the dactylarhizoma - a shade loving plant, I think, so exactly what I'm looking for. I have a couple of astilbes in too dry positions, so I'll try moving them. I'd also like to try some hostas and see if I can keep the slugs away. Isn't caltha palustris a marsh marigold and isn't that a marginal pond plant?

If you could manage to post photos (£10 to Dan will do it) that would be great.

Paul

[valmarg]

Sorry, hopalong the only snaps I have taken are of the caltha.  Whilst it is classed as a marginal pond plant, ours is quite happy in the surrounding soil.  It likes damp moist conditions, it does not have to be in water.

I don't have any snaps of the dactylarhrizoma.  Sorry, didn't take any when they were in flower. ;D ;D

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

Dactylorhiza (you don't mention the species) is the same genus as our common marsh orchids. The native species usually grow in damp pasture. The moisture requirement may well vary, but I've never seen any of the native ones in really wet ground.

[hopalong]

I was grateful for A4A members' suggestions for my bog garden, which I planted up last autumn.  It has sprung to life in the past month or two. The rheums are tending to smother other things (I didn't think they'd be quite so big!), but hostas, ferns and astilbes are holding their own and cowslips did very well during March and April.  It is sited in deep shade near my pond, under trees and near a fence.  There is a gravel garden in front of it.  A short slide show can be accessed by clicking on the picture below.

[hopalong]

I was grateful for A4A members' suggestions for my bog garden, which I planted up last autumn.  It has sprung to life in the past month or two. The rheums are tending to smother other things (I didn't think they'd be quite so big!), but hostas, ferns and astilbes are holding their own and cowslips did very well during March and April.  It is sited in deep shade near my pond, under trees and near a fence.  There is a gravel garden in front of it.  A short slide show can be accessed by clicking on the picture below.

Slideshow didn't seem to be working properly, so I've had another go.