Boggy planting - what grows in a bog?

cottagebound

I hope some green fingered folk can give me tips on flowers/plants which like boggy land.

I want to plant an array of flowers and plants but the soil we have is rather boggy.

I know I can buy topsoil, but it's rather pricey to cover all of our land. Does anyone have links or suggestions on what 'grows' well in a bog? flowers and edible plants?

thank you

Paulownia

cottagebound wrote: »

I hope some green fingered folk can give me tips on flowers/plants which like boggy land.

I want to plant an array of flowers and plants but the soil we have is rather boggy.

I know I can buy topsoil, but it's rather pricey to cover all of our land. Does anyone have links or suggestions on what 'grows' well in a bog? flowers and edible plants?

thank you

Probably if you put topsoil on top it would still be wet. I love Gunnera if you have room for it, also Skunk Cabbage if it is wet enough. For colour look at primulas the candelabra type which will naturalise happily if you can keep weeds at bay, you may be able to grow azaleas too.
I grow deciduous azaleas in boggy ground with great success, giving lots of colour.

KAGY

cottagebound wrote: »

I hope some green fingered folk can give me tips on flowers/plants which like boggy land.

I want to plant an array of flowers and plants but the soil we have is rather boggy.

I know I can buy topsoil, but it's rather pricey to cover all of our land. Does anyone have links or suggestions on what 'grows' well in a bog? flowers and edible plants?

thank you

Is it really boggy as in constantly wet and acid? Or is it just poor drainage on clay soil that might dry out and crack?
Off the top of my head assuming the first
Yellow flag iris
Willows or alders if you want trees
Nearly any plant that ends with wort eg masterwork
Sedges (grassy plant easy to grow hard to control)
Edible plants - spearmint

All above are Hardy

cottagebound

thanks for that! I have in my head, a lovely array of poppies and sunflowers but I may have to plant plastic ones. I like willow and alder and will use them for privacy.

Paulownia

If you are planting willows make sure you get interesting ones like nice pussy willows, there is a willow with enormous shiny leaves that is most attractive as well. With many willows you can just cut a branch off a tree and stick it in the ground and it will grow so you are starting with something already several feet high. With pussy willows there are various different kinds including one with black pussies and another with black stems. If you cut them back every year you can keep them small and show off the pussies to advantage. Avoid the ordinary dog willow, it seeds like bejaysus and will drive you mad.
With alder try to get a cutleaf alder, they are very beautiful compared to the ordinary one. future forests in Cork sell them and they grow fast too. If you are in the Dublin area I could give you some pussy willow branches and indeed Gunnera if you fancy you could PM me.

Morag

Hazel trees they will do well and soak up a lot of the water.

pwurple

How wet is it? Are we talking puddles?

Gunnera manicata is one of my favourite plants as well. Looks like a jungle plant! We had one in our last garden, alas doesn't suit here. Husband used to call it The Triffid!


There are some fantastic plants which grow in bogs, natice to ireland. Bog orchids might be hard to source, but are stunning.


The candelabra primula is a great suggestion above as well.


Zantedeschia aethiopica (one of the lilies) loves wet ground.


Astilbe - the whole family love damp.


Iris - Try Iris ensata



Adding ligularia... as a substitute for your yellow sunflowers, this tall yellow plant may work instead. Loves wet too.



For trees I'd think about a liquidamber. Stunning in autumn, likes those conditions.

Paulownia

with me ligularia tends to be eaten by snails, as for Gunnera, you would be surprised by how it can still grow in relatively dry places. Children are fascinated by it, if you like it you should try it again

cottagebound

No Gunnera ! it's viral. One plant could populate a whole bog in years. If you can contain it and be careful the seeds don't populate, maybe but not out in the country (farmers will hate you).

Thank you all for the great ideas especially the willow ideas. I did not know it would grow from a branch. I already have weeping willow and I love it.

pwurple

cottagebound wrote: »

No Gunnera ! it's viral. One plant could populate a whole bog in years. If you can contain it and be careful the seeds don't populate, maybe but not out in the country (farmers will hate you).

Thank you all for the great ideas especially the willow ideas. I did not know it would grow from a branch. I already have weeping willow and I love it.

I think you're mixing up gunnera tinctoria (invasive species) with gunnera manicata (decorative). Same family, different behaviour.

pwurple

Paulownia wrote: »

with me ligularia tends to be eaten by snails, as for Gunnera, you would be surprised by how it can still grow in relatively dry places. Children are fascinated by it, if you like it you should try it again

I tried it (transplanted a division from last place). it was very sad, leaves kept lying down. Spent time emptying my rainwater onto it. I'm on a stony outcrop, no moisture for me. Gave it to someone with a better spot for it before it keeled over completely.

Paulownia

cottagebound wrote: »

No Gunnera ! it's viral. One plant could populate a whole bog in years. If you can contain it and be careful the seeds don't populate, maybe but not out in the country (farmers will hate you).

Thank you all for the great ideas especially the willow ideas. I did not know it would grow from a branch. I already have weeping willow and I love it.

As someone else has already pointed out gunnera manicata is not the invasive species, have had it for years and it has never seeded, but it will spread. We saw bits off and give them away when they get too big.
With regard to willows, a weeping willow is not one you can grow from a branch, you can but it will weep, it needs to be grafted to give it height and even then you need to support the leader with a bamboo to encourage it to grow taller.

cottagebound

thanks for that info Paulownia. I will get right on it. (willow)

macraignil

Blue berries and cranberries are grown on boggy ground. Birds may get to your crop before you, as happened to me this year. I have seen ericas with nice colours growing well on bog land and if you are planting some shelter with trees you might be able to use some nice coloured rhododendrons and azaleas. It might help to put in a few drains where you are planting as many plants don't like their roots submerged in water completely for too long.