I use well rotted manure for mine usually, but also bark. For most of those plants it would be ideal. You can also just use a good layer of decent compost.
Bark is quite attractive as a mulch and would also suit those plants well.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I was pleased to read your reply Fairygirl, as I have just put the finishing touches to my bog garden today. I used wood/bark chip and it certainly does look good. Photo to follow. We dug a huge amount of leaf mould into the soil before planting anything and hope that this will help to retain water too.
We also have Astilbes, primrose/primula a few ferns and grasses, flag iris and geum rivale in the bog garden.
Loving the pond Fairygirl - I could sit for hours watching the birds, dragon and damsel flies, etc. but there is still work to do here, so perhaps next week we will have more time ......!
We bought a mass of oxygenators, fresh start and all that, only for a couple of mallards to gobble them all up! However we have a tiny pond further down the garden with far more curly wurly (well that is what it looks like) weed so we have moved some of that into the new pond.
Yes, you are right the blackbirds do love the wood chip, scattering it everywhere - we have put an old branch between the bog and pond to try to prevent the chip ending up in the pond. I bought my OH a telescopic fishing net for his birthday - fishing could be his new retirement hobby!
Sorry musher, but I just wanted to show how the wood chip looks on our new bog garden which has an Astilbe among other plants. My one regret is that it getsin full sun, I would rather it had been in a shady area of the garden - so it does dry out quickly. I may add more wood chip as this will wear down after a few heavy rain showers. Normally I would try to use between one and two inches thick, so all the ground is hidden plus an extra layer on top .
Glad you're getting so much enjoyment from it GD. Lots of hard work and tension along the way!
If you add plenty of leaf mould or manure after a good watering, or at the end of winter, that will help retain moisture and the sun will be less of an issue. You can then top dress with bark to finish it all off. Most of those plants will be fine with some sun as long as they don't get dried out down below.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes, thanks Fairy, we dug in leaf mould into the soil as we prepared it, to help retain the moisture - (plus we have about 10 big bags of leaf mould to use up!). We have a hose connection which snakes it's way down to the bottom of the bog garden under the soil. The hose has small holes in it, so the water can seep out to keep the bog soil damp for a few days before connecting the hose again. There is a thick layer of gravel at the bottom of the bog and then the liner. We read it all in the RHS water garden booklet. In a year or two the plants will have grown so much that we will have to thin them out.
Thanks Fairy, yes I am sure we have over planted. I have contained a couple of the plants in large plant pots to try to prevent them from spreading too far, or at least they will be easier to remove completely by putting them in large pots. It was fun to do - a joint effort with OH and we are looking forward to the changes over the seasons.
Posts
I use well rotted manure for mine usually, but also bark. For most of those plants it would be ideal. You can also just use a good layer of decent compost.
Bark is quite attractive as a mulch and would also suit those plants well.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I was pleased to read your reply Fairygirl, as I have just put the finishing touches to my bog garden today. I used wood/bark chip and it certainly does look good. Photo to follow. We dug a huge amount of leaf mould into the soil before planting anything and hope that this will help to retain water too.
We also have Astilbes, primrose/primula a few ferns and grasses, flag iris and geum rivale in the bog garden.
Hi GD - how's the pond doing?
The only issue with bark is that the blackbirds like chucking it around, so you'll need to have a little fishing net if it gets into the water
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Loving the pond Fairygirl - I could sit for hours watching the birds, dragon and damsel flies, etc. but there is still work to do here, so perhaps next week we will have more time ......!
We bought a mass of oxygenators, fresh start and all that, only for a couple of mallards to gobble them all up! However we have a tiny pond further down the garden with far more curly wurly (well that is what it looks like) weed so we have moved some of that into the new pond.
Yes, you are right the blackbirds do love the wood chip, scattering it everywhere - we have put an old branch between the bog and pond to try to prevent the chip ending up in the pond. I bought my OH a telescopic fishing net for his birthday - fishing could be his new retirement hobby!
Last edited: 09 June 2017 20:49:56
Glad you're getting so much enjoyment from it GD. Lots of hard work and tension along the way!
If you add plenty of leaf mould or manure after a good watering, or at the end of winter, that will help retain moisture and the sun will be less of an issue. You can then top dress with bark to finish it all off. Most of those plants will be fine with some sun as long as they don't get dried out down below.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes, thanks Fairy, we dug in leaf mould into the soil as we prepared it, to help retain the moisture - (plus we have about 10 big bags of leaf mould to use up!). We have a hose connection which snakes it's way down to the bottom of the bog garden under the soil. The hose has small holes in it, so the water can seep out to keep the bog soil damp for a few days before connecting the hose again. There is a thick layer of gravel at the bottom of the bog and then the liner. We read it all in the RHS water garden booklet. In a year or two the plants will have grown so much that we will have to thin them out.
I think you've got it pretty well covered then GD
It'll look great in a year or two when it all starts to knit together. You're right - you'll probably be hoiking things out before too long!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks Fairy, yes I am sure we have over planted. I have contained a couple of the plants in large plant pots to try to prevent them from spreading too far, or at least they will be easier to remove completely by putting them in large pots. It was fun to do - a joint effort with OH and we are looking forward to the changes over the seasons.