Thread: Bog gardens
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Old 20-01-2004, 12:32 AM
Charles
 
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Default Bog gardens

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:11:44 -0600, "FrankS"
wrote:

I'm thinking of creating a bog garden this year but haven't been able to
find much info on how to do it. Basically, I'm thinking of digging a
shallow depression about 10 ft in diameter and 10 to 12 inches deep and
refilling with about 6 inches of topsoil. I have a natural slope to my yard
so keeping it wet shouldn't be a major problem for me. I would like to
create as much a natural environment as possible with cattail, bulrushes,
horsetails and any other bog type plant I can find. I have about 4 to 6
inches of topsoil over a thick bed of clay. I live in the extreme north of
zone 4 so winters are long and brutal while the summers can be hot as hell.
I want this to be a low maintenance area and I'm not interested in
attracting any wildlife although, if it works, I imagine frogs and garter
snakes may show up.

Does anyone have any experience or info to share with me?

thanks frank



I would be wary of the cattails and horsetail, both can be very
invasive. If I were doing it I would include iris, but not
pseudoacorous, it gets out of hand as well.

If you fill it enough to have standing water all the time I would add
some mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis.


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- Charles
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-does not play well with others