The bog garden that we planted last year has filled out well and looked a picture through late spring and summer with Astilbes and Candelabra Primulas giving plenty of color. Now the seed heads on these plants have turned tawny brown and the whole area is beginning to look autumnal, so I have been cutting back the flower spikes and gently removing any leaves that will pull away easily. Just by spending a couple of hours doing this, the area looks tidier and the drift of Dogwoods that are planted there have come to the fore, ready to give their display of plum and red autumn leaf colours before the deep red bare stems are revealed to give winter interest. The lofty Gunnera manicata is still shading much of the area with its huge leaves so I have left it for now until the weather gets colder. Towards the end of November, I like to cut some of the leaves and cover the crown of the plant to protect it from hard frosts – after all, the plant is from Brazil so a little tender for any very cold weather!
The Candelabra Primulas have already begun to produce seedlings which should flower next summer and are easy to move or dig out if they are in the wrong place. They seed in the most unlikely of places including on a gravel path that can get quite dry through the summer months!
A visit to our local Notcutt’s this week got me thinking about squeezing a few more plants into the bog garden and extending the season. I purchased some Iris suitable for wet soil, which I love for the fresh green leaves as they emerge sword like and upright in the spring, as well as the flowers in summer. Pulmonarias are one of my favorite plants – they flower for such a long time in spring and are a good food plant for bees. Although they do not like to be in wet soil, they appreciate some moisture and a bit of shade through the summer months, so I will plant them on the edge of the border, where they can spread slowly and be admired for months from late winter when they will start to flower if the weather is mild.
One plant which I have not grown before are Rodgersia. These perennials are late to appear in spring, so I covered the crowns with a layer of grit after planting to avoid disturbing them next year. The bronze green leaves are the same shape as those of Horse Chestnuts and the delicate pink flower spikes appear in late summer on wiry stems. The flowers are attractive enough but the leaves are very handsome and I have admired the plant in many gardens – now it is time to try it in my own!
