Marsh/bog

ooooooooooooh this is wonderful.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

If ever you come come in my neck of the woods, you are more than welcome to come for a tour, and tea/coffee on the decK

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

excellent

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Okay … I’m feeling left out … here in the USA …. hahahaha!!!! No tea for me :-)

Seriously though Eklectic that is a beautiful bog with those Iris’ and I would think a good question for Syb about the Bog drying up.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

get that passport ready!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I love it

-- Central northish Ontario

Thanks for all the compliments, but I really need some help here!!

Ideas pleeeeease!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Sorry, I got nothin’. Not sure how to handle a bog, outside of building a raised walkway with maybe some hanging pots or windowbox style planters on it.

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit

re: surviving… do you mean in the bog area or in your elevated area?

I think I’d go with “the bog” and plant what is natural for such areas and let Mother Nature do her thing.
I might also, if you are raising an area around it, again plant things that natural grown in the region – designing the layout and Letting Mother nature take over.
That’s my idea.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

It is “flooded” until July, then bone dry until the rain starts in the fall!
In some parts of it, we can have up to one foot of water while in other parts it is just stagnant!
It is mosquito heaven, so not very healthy for either humans or four legged beings as it is right next to the house, about 25 feet away!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

ah I see…. so you need some plants that will survive and flourish in the dry spell.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Yes, as well as the flooding!
Been thinking of putting some willows? As well as wild lilies (the ones that grow along side the roads) and moving some wild irises that grow in the paths.

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

that’s what I would do—don’t fight it; join it… willow .. etc, all seem to be perfect for the location

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

hi there.
Just judging from the amount of trees I’m seeing alone it will be way to shady for most carnivores. They also want it moist year round. Can take a bit of drying but I don’t think bone dry is in their vocabulary hehe.
You do have abunch of choices based on acidity and what not… Red osier dogwood, blueberries, columbine, birch, some vibernums, Ostrich fern and sensitive fern just to give you some ideas. You’ve just got to decide what you’re looking for then visit the approprieate nurseries and start small. A plant might not like it on one side of the puddle but be thrilled on the other… just takes time.
Sib ;)

It is actually the part of the property that has sun from early morning till 3 pm. I followed your advice and went to a nursery. They were quite helpful and they recommended the same plants you did.

As well, rather than bringing some new soil, I think we will try the straw bale growing for squashes, gourds and other vine type plants. We are talking about building some rustic trellises so they will not have to learn to swim if we have heavy rain fall! That area being full of water , we can let the bales soak for the recommended period without watering and later, after the growing season, as the straw decomposes it will composts and we can build the soil that way.
Should be interesting to see if it works!! Should be fun as well!
Should make for an interesting “picture”.

The neighbors are going to start driving by to see what “she is up to” again!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

lol … ”the neighbors are going to start driving by to see what she is up to again”. They are just jealous of everything you are doing …

Seriously though, it looks like you have a good idea where to begin now, I am sure it will be beautiful when you are done, like the rest of your yard!!

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

that’s a great idea. I really like the “creating compost” at the same time.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

There are some beautiful native plants for this area even though it has dry spells. False Helebore (large leaves), skunk cabbage, marsh marigold (yellow), cardinal flower (awesome red color), great blue lobelia (purple), cattails, I could give you more of a list if you desire. Let me know. As for the mosquitoes….there is a small donut sold in USA that contains a bacteria that kills the larvae and isn’t harmful to the environment. It is a must have where I live. I carry a few in my pocket on walks and deposit in standing water in the neighborhood. If it were to have water all year you could use gambusia fish to eat the larvae. Let me know if you need more plants.

-- wjl - 5a Indiana

Thank you!
And yes please if you could give me the name of a few more plants, that would be appreciated.
As far as the donut, we get a bunch every year and here Home Hardware caries a granule form of the product. At least they did the last few years.

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Keep using those granules….1st thing in spring or even right before spring. Then intermittantly throughout the spring, summer and fall. You won’t have skeeters that way.

What are your plans with the area? Plant it all out or what. I think digging deeper in the middle will allow for a longer wet season maybe a pond that you could decorate…just a thought. I am jealous I don’t have a bog area for all the wonderful plants that can be grown there.

Try: helenium, swamp sunflower (helianthus angustifolius), red osier dogwood, amsonia, goats beard, monkey flower, swamp milkweed, turtlehead, joe pye weed, bergamont, obedient plant, anise hyssop, ironweed, button bush, swamp rose, and vervain.

I hope this list with the prior one gives you enough to work with. Good luck and send pictures.

-- wjl - 5a Indiana

I almost forgot about the carnivores. Pitcher plant will work here and help eat bugs for you.

-- wjl - 5a Indiana

Beautiful! That’s all I can think of after looking at these wonderful pictures!

Wow!

-- One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade; Chinese Proverb - Zone 5B

Thank you Nativeplantsrules,
I have checked and I have quite a few of the plants that you suggested growing on other parts of the property.

As far as digging for a pond, we have ought about it but a) would destroy a lot of plants and gardens to even get there and B)$$$ all of that because it cannot be done by hand. We have not completely dismissed the idea, we are still dreaming of it with an island and a bridge and….

As well, we have a second spot further away from the house, where we had mallards last summer, that might be of easier access for heavy machinery. But here even more: NATURE???

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

how wonderful. right in your own backyard. I’m so jealous

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

We have been soooo lucky since we moved here!
I just hope our luck holds and that we see old and new friends this year.
One good reason to try to keep it as natural as we can!!!!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

I can see alot of beautiful native plants in your pictures. Really love the ferns. Won’t take much to group some plants and make a wonderful display.
Have fun with it. If you need something identified just post it and I will look into it.

wendy

-- wjl - 5a Indiana

Thanks. I have a book on Ontario’s native plants, one on trees and they both are missing a lot of plants/trees that I have here!!
I will probably take you up on this offer! Hope you do not regret making it:)

As far as ferns, we have,I think, at least 5 different sorts if not more.

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

How wonderful and fortunate you are “E” ... what a gorgeous spot …

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

a small BobCat (small excavator) runs about $300/day. They come on tracks and have a very small footprint so its unlikely to damage your lawn and gardens.

I would dig it out and put in a liner.

I have a similar situation here but have other priorities,like the driveway and closing in the shed of my barn but some day. last year I managed to dig a few swalls to drain two fields in to the back natural pond. Like you, mine is about 4’ deep in the spring, spring peepers are loud. We get ducks, had two swans check it out last year but they didnt stay…......oh well. I do like watching the ducks land becuse they come straight down and I can hear the PLOP.

Iris are nice, I like cat tails and ferns. Cedars love it, and weeping willows too.

-- Central northish Ontario

Update:
We have decided on a pond.
Hubby wanted to go to 50’diametre but talked him down to 30’
Took Scott advice and will be going 8’ deep. GT,Had a contractor over this week end, and he figures we have to go with the “Big Guns” to dig. small bobcat will not do!
We have to wait for it to be drier: the next door farmer came with some manure for the new vegetable garden
and was having problem and that was on the “dry part”!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Glad you have got some permanent plans in place now … how exciting!!!! Upward and onward now!!!! :-) Can’t wait to see photos of the project …

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b