How to Create a Bog Garden

Bog marshes provide the perfect enviroment for beautiful wetland flowers.

Bringing a water feature into the garden opens a realm of planting possibilites. Marshy bog gardens work well with water features helping to create a natural setting, but allowing you to grow a wider variety of plants and flowers. Bog gardens are areas of permanently wet soil that are suitable for growing marginal and wetland plants. The are particularly effective in dry areas of the garden when created by using a pond liner, marginal plants, and a water feature to transform a barren area into a mini oasis.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Pond Liner
• Water
• Marginal plants
• Rocks
• String
• Sand

How to Create a Bog Garden

1. Survey the area. A bog garden is simple to create. Use string or a flexible garden hose to map out the area and shape for the garden.

2. Dig the marsh. Shovel out an area about 8-10 inches deep with straight sides and a flat base. Do not slope edges because later the sides will be slick and lead to accidents. Don't make the area to small as it will dry out quickly, but the area should be no more than 6 feet across at the widest part, so that you can easily reach the plants in the middle. Line the area with sand, as you would a pond, and then cover with a flexible liner. If you are building a pond at the same time, build a barrier of mesh or fabric and rocks to keep the soil from washing into the pond.

3. Choose bog plants. The bog is a perfect area to experiment with unusual moisture loving plants. Some good choices are aruncus, astibe, iris caltha, or marsh marigold, ligularia, cardamine, lysichito, filipendula, lobella (Check the variety), hardy ferns, primula (Check the variety), zantedeschia. Ligularia and astilbe are shade plants and marsh mairgolds like direct sunlight. It is unlikely they will do well in the same bog garden. Hostas are not traditional a bog plant, but adapt well to marginal planting. Consult gardening text or ask for assitance from gardening center staff to determine plant suitability.

4. Plant a bog plant. Adjust the position of the bog plants while they are still in their pots until you are satisfied with the arrangement. Water each container well and allow them to drain before planting. Plant the center of the bog first. Make a planting hole slightly larger than the container and plant at the same depth. Firm the soil carefully around each plant. Level the soil over the bog garden after planting is complete and cover the surface with a layer of loose organic mulch to help prevent moisture loss. Take care not to pile the mulch against the stems of the plant.

5. Propagate bog seeds. Fill the base of a seed tray with stones for drainage, then fill with aquatic compost. Firmly pack the compost, using another tray if needed. The compost should be firmly packed, but not so compressed as to hinder growth. Moisten the compost by standing the tray in shallow water for a couple of hours until the surface of the compost darkens with moisture. Scatter the seeds thinly and cover with compost. Spray regularly to keep the compost moist. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, divide and plant them in the bog.

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent weed growth, put down plastic liner around the area and cover the it with weed repellent mulch.

• The bog may attract wildlife, so watch for poisonous snakes and spiders.