Greetings all,
First time on this forum for me. I've been kicking around the idea of some sort of bog garden (not a pond.)
I live Tampabay area of Florida. I don't remember the last time we had a freeze here.
At the local hardware store they have cheap kid's swimming pools. Thought about placing one into the ground--6 footer--with the lip being at ground level. Next placing a pond liner within the "pool." Filling it with a soilless mixture mixed with compost. I would be using organic fertilizers etc.
I have never have tried to have a bog before and I would really like any ideas, suggestions, and/or comments concerning the same. Not even sure yet as to what type of plants to place into the bog.
I will use soaker hoses to maintain the water in the bog.
Any help/ideas would be great!
Much thanks
Olds
This message was edited Oct 6, 2003 5:53 AM
Bog ideas needed
I'm pondering plants and ideas for you, but hav a quick question: why are you using the kiddie pool underneath and also a liner? Is that to keep stuff from puncturing the liner?
Pool for shape and it is very cheap. Liner to insure that if the pool cracks years down the road I don't have a problem. :)
Olds
Your idea is the same as many people have used around here for bogs and it works well.
Plants for you in FL would be easy since you don't freeze. I would try some EE's, Bog Lilies, Carnivorous plants, cattails, and there are many others available.
I will try to write more plants for you later after I have had some sleep. Good luck. Lani
Olds, I did a quick search to find some suggestions for you. Well, umm, there are a bunch of them! LOL Go to google and type in 'bog plant', 'bog gardens', 'marginals', etc. You will be busy for days reading!
DOH! I'm the biggest googler around and I did not do a search! Much thanks! Laughing at my self now.
LOL I love google! I always forget about the PDB here though. geeeee
Olds, if you're just looking for plant ideas, I can help you there! Pretty much my entire pond is bog plants, since it's only ~22 inches deep (otherwise the county regs require that I fence it in as it is considered a public nuisance!) I have the following plants (mostly natives and mostly rescues from construction sites) in my water garden:
Love wet feet (constantly wet):
pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)
yellow canna (Canna flaccida)
swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus)
goldenclub/neverwet (Orontium aquaticum)
pine lily (Lilium catesbaei)
arrowhead/duck potato (Saggitaria sp.)
spider lily or alligator lily (Hymenocallis sp.)
lemon grass or blue hyssop (Bacopa caroliniana)
moderate water needs (can take it very wet or a little drier but still pretty moist):
water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri)--this is a larval food of the White Peacock butterfly
Yellow-eyed grass (Xyris difformis)--this one looks a lot like an dwarf iris plant when not in bloom
Hooded pitcher plant (Sarracenia minor)
St. Peter's Wort (Hypericum tetrapetalum)
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)--this is a great hummer attractant but a hard plant to find in the nurseries!
will tolerate dryer conditions:
water dropwort (Oxypolis filiformis)
Blue Flag Iris (Iris hexagonia)
Thank you!