Build a Bog Garden

Bog gardens make a beautiful, fascinating and curious garden addition.
Building and gardening a successful bog garden comes with understanding natural bogs.

Bogs have 4 main characteristics

• Abundant clean freshwater
• Nutrient poor soil
• Abundant sunlight
• Abundant sphagnum moss

So for a successful Bog Garden keep these characteristics in mind

• Open sunny location
• Wet all of the time
• Mineral-free water
• Mineral-free soil
• Abundant sphagnum moss

Plan Ahead

• Site
• Size
• Plants
• Design
• Planting density
• Time of year
• Watering
• Care
• Pests
• Costs
• Help
• Sequencing

Site Selection

• Open Sunny
• Some shade OK
• Neighboring trees
• Shade & fall leaves
• Pool or Pond Margin
• Level
• Runoff
• Flooding during downpours
• South Viewing Area
• Wind & Animal Protection

Water Source

• Cistern
• Downspout
• Condensation line
• Emergency Tap water
• Size
• Arm’s Reach
• Bigger is more stable
• Dirt Removal

Materials

• Supplies
• Sphagnum Peat Moss
• Clean Sand
• Heavy Duty Plastic Sheeting
• 1/4” Hardware Cloth
• Lawn Edging
• Tools
• Wheel barrow
• Shovel
• Trowel
• Utility Knife
• Rope or hose

Preparing the Bog

     

• Outline shape
• Dig to Depth 12-24” w/ nearly straight sides
• Protect lawn w/ tarp
• Line with hardware cloth (optional rodent problem)
• Position sheeting-allow for extra
• Poke drainage holes
• Perforated vertical standpipe-optional
• Fill with CP soil
• peat : sand = 1 : 1
• sand bottom optional
• mix in place
• moisten as you go
• Insure liner fits contours
• Allow for settling
• Trim excess liner
• Add lawn edging
• Create runoff
• Soak well
• Let settle

Planting

• Tall plants in north side
• middle/back
• Small in front
• mixed with tall
• Work from back to front
  • or middle to front for round bog
• Spacing
  • 6-12 plants/sq. ft.
  • Allow for growth
  • Plants normally grow close

Other Considerations

• Bog companions (orchids, flowers, lycopodium …)
• Work with clean plants
• Remove weeds/disease
• Moss top dressing
• Seeding
• Natural vs. symmetry
• Avoid accents of limestone/marble

Care

• Constantly moist, not necessarily saturated
• Gentle hand watering
• Watering schedule typical 4-day interval
• Tap water OK in a pinch
• Weeding
• Cutting nearby grass to avoid invasive weeds
• Trim dead/brown, leave digesting traps
• No fertilizer
• Feeding not necessary

Winter Protection

• Critical temperature is 24°F.
• How fast it gets cold is more significant that how cold it gets.
• Mulch
• Netting first
• 6” pine needles
• Top with pine boughs
• Avoid oak or other leaves than tend to pack layers
• Frost heaving - replant immediately
• Trim & clean before mulching
• Winter fabric
• Winter rodent damage