Verdigris Patina

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Bog and Water Gardens

Most people wonder what the big difference is between a pond and a bog garden. Essentially, a pond contains standing water while a bog garden is just water logged ground, so the conditions suit different plants. This means that if your garden is regularly waterlogged in winter or autumn, you might want to think about turning the lowest lying areas of your garden into a "proper" bog garden rather than just a swamp.
Bog gardens typically showcase carpets of velvety moss and lush vegetation. Bog gardens, large or small, can be a beautiful centerpiece to any yard and the perfect backdrop for attracting wildlife. For best effect, group plants in small, irregular clusters of up to five of the same plant types. Vary colors and heights, with large pitcher plants at the back of the bog garden. Pitcher plants such as Sarracenia purpurea, sundew and Venus flytraps are particularly suited to a marshy bog garden environment. Don't over-plant and always leave a space between plant clusters.

On the other hand, patio barrel gardens are the most versatile way for most people to have a water/bog garden.

Pond plants need a low-nutrient environment with as little organic matter as possible, whereas bog plants like quite the reverse, with lots of nutrients and all the organic matter they can get. In addition, bog plants do not like stagnant anaerobic conditions or drying out. This means you need to pick an area to make into the bog, dig down a little to allow water to gather, then lay a liner to hold the water. Unlike a pond, a bog needs to drain, just very slowly, so pierce the liner with a garden fork, every few feet and replace the soil you excavated making sure you remove any perennial weeds and any large or sharp stones. If your soil is rich it will do as it is, but if it is poor, you may want to incorporate well-rotted but aerated garden compost. Now lay some paving slabs or flat rocks so you can get around your bog garden easily, and you can move on to choosing your plants.

Some marsh plants and pitcher plants that thrive well in bog gardens include:
bog orchids
bog gentians
butterworts
ferns
gunnera
hostas
irises
japonica
nightshades
primulas
rheum
rodgersia
sweet flag
yellow skunk cabbage
zebra grass

Bog gardens are relatively low-maintenance, provided that moisture levels are regularly maintained. Use soaker hoses or drip systems, concealed below or around the surface of your bog garden, to ensure that the garden never dries out. Also, avoid using fertilizers for carnivorous bog garden plants.

Posted by kev :: 11:19 PM ::