When we moved here 25 yrs ago, I didn’t know much about gardening, it has been a very steep learning curve and I’m still learning. We discovered that part of the garden never dries out, even in the summer when we occasionally have a drought. I soon learnt from talking to people in the village, that the farmers field, that is now our garden, was very wet in one corner.The farmer wouldn’t risk his new tractor there, so out came the horse and plough instead. So many people told me to drain the land before planting, but I tend to take the easy way out. Thank goodness I bought Beth Chatto’s books about her garden, there was all the information I needed, how to plant a bog garden.
Ferns and hostas
Hosta and Primulas
All the information I could ever want was there, which plants to buy for flowers and which plants to buy for foliage, then of course they have to be planted up to make an harmonious group! It appears that we have an underground stream in this part of the garden, so there is always moisture, but the water is passing through and therefore never becomes stagnant. All we had to do was add some compost to open the soil and since we planted it up, the plants have revelled in it.
Rogersia
I think my favourite foliage plant has to be the Rogersia, even though it is now changing its colour already, turning green. After that, it has to be the hostas, some of them are making sizeable clumps now and stand out from the divided foliage of the astilbes and the ferns.
Candelabra primulas
The candelabra primulas are providing most of the colour at the moment, some have still to flower. A few of them need splitting already, so I can fill any gaps with them when they have finished flowering.
Primula Inverewe
Primula Inverewe is one that I saw on holiday in Scotland, we couldn’t find one to buy at Inverewe Garden, but managed to find one in a Devon nursery up on Dartmoor! This one is now ready to be split, it is sterile so doesn’t set seed, so next years clump should be a nice size.
Candelabra primulas
I have sown my own seed for a few years now and have some lovely colours emerging, I really like this peachy one. The yellow/orange flower at the back is Primula bulleyana and top left is a new flower of Zantedeschia aethiopica.
Candelabra primulas
My camera doesn’t seem to like this magenta primula, Primula Millers Crimson, the colour never reproduces properly. My hosta behind has had a huge chunk taken out of a leaf, has the pheasant been around? I think I’ll have to move the hosta as its being swamped by primulas and it doesn’t have enough room to expand. In the background are the flowering stems of Euphorbia palustris, yes, there is a Euphorbia that likes damp soil!
Primula candelabra Apple Blossom.
I have grown quite a few of Primula Apple Blossom from seed and put them in the woodland, they have yet to flower.
Primula candelabra Postford White
Primula Postford White contrasts with the blue of Hosta Halcyon. This hosta is now a lovely huge clump, this used to be where the path came through the border, I decided to move the path as I didn’t want to disturb the hosta! Later, when the astilbes are flowering, they are joined by the hosta flowers.
Iris Sibirica
Iris Sibirica forms nice verticals behind all the other flowers, I must get some more colours and plant them at the back of the bog.
Zantedeschia aethiopica
I think the most beautiful flower in the bog at the moment, for its sheer classiness and understated beauty, is the Zantedeschia aethiopica which is just starting to open. It has architechturally beautiful leaves, they are quite huge, and the most gorgeously elegant, pristine white flowers. You might have guessed that I like it rather a lot!
Bog garden
Bog garden.
There are lots more plants still to flower, the Astilbes to start with and Iris Ensata which flower in July. I have just bought a new pink ensata iris which can join the blue and white ones that I already have. Thanks must go to the undergardener for weeding 90% of this border while I was dealing with the makeover of the sunset border, there are only a few weeds for me to remove now.
If any of you have a piece of garden which is soggy, boggy all the time, do not despair, you never know,it could become the prettiest, most colourful part of your garden. It is just the matter of finding the right plants for it, there are so many plants that like their feet in permanently wet soil, the list is so long, I doubt if anyone has the room to plant them all !
This is so pretty and skilfully planted. I really love primulas – especially the candelabra type and you have so many wonderful varieties. On incredibly sandy soils, I would have to artificially create a bog area in my own garden….so I will just enjoy yours!
Thanks Matt, very kind of you. I too love the primula family, there are so many different sorts and in so many different colours too. We used to live on what was originally a sand dune in the NW of England, this garden is so different from my last one! I think we all have to just go with the conditions we inherit with our houses, there is always a plant that likes whatever we have.
How fascinating to know the history of that part of the original field – and you have done such a good job in creating your bog garden, chocabloc with lovelies! I love the P Apple Blossom and after my success in growing my P Harlow Carr I shall seek out seed and give them a go too
If you would like some seed of Primula Apple Blossom, I can let you have some Cathy. I watched Carol Klein on TV, sowing some seed of primulas while they were still green, so I did the same with my seed and had good germination. The green seeds are very sticky, but it is still possible to sow them. I’ve been and had a look at my plants and the seed pods are there already on the lower flowers. If you can send your address to me I’ll pop some in the post for you.
That would be lovely Pauline – thank you
My seedlings that were planted in the woodland last year, have now eventually flowered. They were all seeds from my white one and they have all flowered either peach or lilac! If you would still like seed, I obviously can’t guarantee what colour they will be as the bees have been doing the pollinating, just send me an e.mail.
lovely flower beds, I think it’s always a matter of finding the right plants for a particular ecosystem. You’ve done brilliantly, Pauline. My camera also doesn’t like that brilliant pink colour. There must be a technique to counter it, but I don’t know what it is.
Thanks Catmint, I agree that we have to go with what our gardens already have, rather than try to adapt it to suit ourselves. Strangely I have problems with planting up my sunny borders, I find shade and damp much easier! In the sunny areas I tend to try Mediterranean plants, but they don’t like my heavy clay, I will get it right eventually!
You’ve done a superb job planting up your boggy area, making the most of what could have been a problem. Our Primulas are nearly done now, and the candleabra ones are favorites of mine, so I very much appreciated seeing all these photos of yours. And Hostas are such workhorses when it comes to stunning foliage. I wish I could grow Calla lilies, yours is beautiful.
Thank you Alison, this area was a problem when we moved in, everything the previous people had planted was dying and I didn’t know why. It was only when I found the ground never dried out, we moved in November, so it was the following summer before I knew there was a problem. By that time I had bought Beth Chatto’s book on boggy planting, so it was a problem no more, thank goodness!
I remember visiting a garden in Italy one holiday, Ninfa, you may have heard of it. They have a stream running through the garden and there were thousands of Zantedeschia flowering, all in the running water, they do like a lot of moisture and seem quite happy where I have planted them. They have morning sun from sunrise at about 5 am until 10 am, then shade for the rest of the day.
How fortunate that you didn’t take the advice of others and drain this part of your garden as you’ve created a stunning bog garden! You’ve combined knowledge of plants and a keen aesthetic sense to bring this to glorious fruition!
We’re so glad that we didn’t drain the border either Peter! We felt it was far better to change the planting into something that needed all the water that was there all of the time. Now that the planting is getting more mature, the plants are filling their space and look good together. It was wonderful that I had books to guide me on my planting journey and that people are so willing to share their knowledge.
Pauline, you have a keen design sense and it really shows in you treatment of this bog area. You’ve created a lovely space. I’m not sure how well primulas do around here. I don’t see them often. They’re striking in your garden.
Thank you Susie for your lovely comments! I’m not sure if you will be too hot for primulas, but there are so many members of the family, there might be one that suits your climate. It was a question of finding what likes the wet soil in shade for most of the day and candelabra primulas were the obvious choice. Growing them from seed now, I’m getting some lovely colour combinations, nature is wonderful!
Beautiful, I love all your bog plants, you are so lucky to have this damp area. These moisture loving plants are so pretty, particularly all your lovely primulas.
Thanks Chloris, I’m rather fond of the primulas too! The ones that I have grown from seed are coming up in some lovely colours, adding to the rainbow effect in that area. We are lucky to have this area in the garden, thank goodness we decided not to follow all the advice which told us to drain it!
It is a beautiful area of your garden and I just wish I had a damp spot here! You have some lovely plants Pauline, I bet you are glad you didn’t take the initial advice and drain it. I am now keen to find more Candelabra Primulas after seeing all yours in various shades. Love that last photo!
We are lucky to have such an area in the garden Cathy and yes, we are glad we didn’t drain it! If you would like some seed of the candelabra primulas, just let me know, as the seeds are forming already.
You have created a wonderful bog garden. I love the Hostas and the Primula Candelabras, especially the Apple Blossom one.
Do you have to put down slug pellets, though? I have a damper, shadier part of my garden, but when I tried to put the Primula candelabra there they were just eaten alive, so I had to move them. They are looking better this year and I am hopeful they will flower. I only have one type though, not a wonderful collection like yourself – I didn’t know there were so many different ones.
Thank you Annette, but no, I never use slug pellets and have never found any damage on my primulas. We have loads of slugs and snails but have lots of blackbirds and thrushes in the garden, always rooting through the leaf litter. We also have a hedgehog who visits regularly, so along with the frogs and toad, I don’t think slugs stand much of a chance! The hostas do get a little damage, but that is usually some time in August. If you would like some primula seed, just let me know.
I can’t wait to start on my boggy bits whenever I look at yours! The trick will be keeping the slugs and snails at bay, like Annette I’ve struggled with candelabra primulas too. I think I will have to get the Beth Chatto book, I already have her woodland garden one and like her style of writing.
Boggy bits are certainly worth the bit of extra effort Jessica, such lush planting to please the eye! I’m sure you have lots of birds and probably a hedgehog or two, I can’t say that we have had any problem in that area, I’ve never felt the need to use slug pellets. It’s good that we have gardening experts to guide us with our planting and share their experience with us, I have all Beth Chatto’s books, they co-inside with all the areas of the garden here, without her books, I wouldn’t have been able to make the garden here.
I often wished I had a bog garden because there are so many plants I like that prefer moist soil. Though my garden is dry, we are just 5 or so feet above the water table (our house is opposite a river). A sump pump runs 24 hours a day to keep the basement dry. One of these days I want to find a way to make use of all the water so close at hand and create some kind of bog garden. For now, I will just admire all the hard work you have done over the last 25 or so years Pauline.
I have one Beth Chatto book and just love the garden she has created and written about.
P.S. That Rogersia is just beautiful. I love that burnt red foliage color.
Oh yes, Jennifer, you must look into harnessing the water your pump extracts from your basement, what an opportunity!
Beth Chatto’s garden is a delight, when our daughter lived in that area, we always paid it a visit when we were staying there. She has a stream running through the garden with some fantastic planting along the sides and round her ponds, yes plural!
Each day the Rogersia is becoming more green, but I still love it!
Mmmmm – I’m wishing that I had a boggy area in the garden Pauline as opposed to just damp. For some strange reason I could not see all your photos using Chrome as my browser but have switched to Safari and can see everything now 🙂
Sorry you have been having trouble Anna, I can’t think why that has happened, glad you’ve sorted it out.
Mmmmm – such a beautiful and colourful area Pauline. I wish that I had a bog garden rather just moist areas.
There are advantages to having a problem area Anna, if you can turn it to your advantage. I tried some primulas in the woodland, but it obviously isn’t damp enough in the area where I put them, they will have to come back to the bog!
What a fabulous bog garden, and to think your garden was once a farmers field, you would never that now! Struth, those hosta’s are to die for, how on earth do you keep the slugs off them, I stared long and hard but not a nibbled leaf in sight! You have me pining for soggy soil, no chance of that here, all sand! The iris are lovely and I do love all those candelabra primulas! xxx
Thanks Dina, we are rather pleased with it! I have lots of blackbirds, a thrush, frogs, a toad and a hedgehog who hoover the slugs and snails, my own little private army helping me! Actually, as the summer goes on, the hostas do get the odd nibble or two, so I just remove those leaves! I’m really pleased at the colours my seedling candelabra primulas are producing, very pretty.
Our last garden was on sand, the sand dunes of Ainsdale near you, it was a steep learning curve when I found we had such heavy clay down here!
Now that is a great idea about your garden. Such moist areas are surely troublesome and very hard to dry. I am impressed how you’ve solved the problem with a bog garden. Great work and it’s so beautiful. 🙂
I’m glad you approve Sven! Thank you for leaving a comment, it is good to hear from someone new. We thought draining the boggy area would be hard work, so we went with the easier option and I’m so glad we did! I must sow more primula seed as there are still places that need filling, hopefully by next year it should be even better.