By Tammy Sons
Bog gardening is the form of gardening done in bog or marshy area that is moist and wet throughout the year. Plants that need a lot of moisture and grow in the swampy land can be planted in your bog garden. Bog garden should be prepared in such a manner that it naturally collects and retains water.
The ground needs to be dug at least 2- 3 feet and filled with layers of clay or loamy soil, stones, and rubble with coarse soil on top. This will help the bog retain the maximum amount of water and provide excellent growth conditions for swamp plants. There are a wide variety of plants that can use for bog gardening. It is essential to know plants that can survive in such a habitat as not all plants can grow in swamps and marshy area. You should also see the growth pattern and height of plants attained on maturity as it will help you to decide where to plant which variety. A planned bog garden will look neat and appealing. The plants should be planted by their flowering season. Different varieties have different time of flowering. Plants like Bamboo, Pitcher plant, Great reed, Marsh marigold, Willowherb, Plantain Lily, Japanese Iris, Knot-grass, Periwinkle, Prickly Rhubarb, etc. can thrive well in a bog garden.
The key to maintaining a beautiful bog garden is to maintain moisture in the soil. It is not important to water the plants regularly; the soil should be good enough to retain water for longer time periods. Healthy growth conditions can be maintained by removing all dead or decayed leaves on a regular basis. Keep a regular check on the stem and roots of a plant and remove if you find any signs of decay so that it does not spread to the surrounding plants.