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Suggestions for planting in a sunny, boggy site.

jo4eyesjo4eyes Posts: 2,058

Daughter's new, to her, garden is South facing but very soggy, even in a dry year according to neighbours.There is a clay sub soil apparently & it's slightly acidic.

We assume land drains exist, but the building of more property behind the gardens some yrs ago has made the wet conditions worse.

Since I garden on dry, East facing, part-shade conditions I'm at a loss to know where to start. There are large areas of 'moor grass'/mollina. She doesnt want a pristine lawn, thank goodness.

Once we've (me, probably image) removed unwanted/dying plants & shrubs & attempted to add as much compost etc to any borders, any ideas/suggestions/tips for planting more suited to the site will be gratefully received.

So far I've short-listed Astillbes, Candelabra primulas, Cornus. J.

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    Ornamental rhubarb - rheum, persicarias, hemerocallis, hydrangea paniculata, some hostas, miscanthus zebrinus, iris sibirica, snakeshead fritillaries, salix hakuro nishiki for pretty foliage or Salix Alba Britzensis (Coral Bark Willow) and Salix Daphnoides Aglaia (Violet Willow)  for their colourful winter stems.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • I have  a Gunnera (grown in a pot so as not to get out of control) if you have a big enough garden willow as it will drink up that soggy ground (I had one and it did just that but alas i had to small a garden).

  • Caz WCaz W Posts: 1,353

    Jo - I have similar conditions and I find that Geums do very well.  Most other things I grow have already been mentioned.

  • jo4eyesjo4eyes Posts: 2,058

    Ooh, thxs folks. I'm drooling already. Have noted all your suggestions.

    She may like a frittillary 'meadow' after seeing those in Oxford. The geums- yes Caz, they look so much better on a flood plain we know in Austria than in my patch.

    It's early days yet. I doubt that the advice of leave a 'new' garden for 12mths will happen, but we'll try. image J.

     

     

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