Re: Bog gardens

Jeffrey Michael Stein (steinjef@student.msu.edu)
Sat, 18 Jun 1994 00:50:01 -0400 (EDT)

>
> My questions are:
>
> What is the furthest North (lowest Zone #) that some one has a bog
> garden in operation? I'm in Zone 5 (border of 5a/5b).
>
I'm here in Michigan (zone 5) and I have a -few- plants that I leave outside
during the winter. Some CP can take it VERY cold, _S. purpurea purpurea_, _D.
capillaris, rotundifolia, intermedia, linearis (?) can be found in zone 5, and
_P. vulgaris_ can be found here and in arctic climates. Not to mention several
Utrics (B. Meyers-Rice seems to be the resident expert and could probably tell
you what spp you have native to you area).

I've even had _S. purpurea venosa_ survive the winter if ALOT of mulch is
added.

> What type of CP's could I expect to grow here, given I can operate
> one?

I prefer pitcher plants because of their physical hardiness. The sundews I
usually dig-up and bring in for the winter (stick 'em in my fridge). The
non-hardy Sarrs are kept in pots which are dug into the ground, they are
brought in during the winter and stuck in the coldest part of my basement. For
the outdoor bed, I put 6" or so of leaves and pine needles on top of the bog to
help protect the plants.

I should also mention that my bog is placed in a shady spot and therefor rarely
needs to be watered. It's between two trees and is protected from the wind and
so forth. The trees also supply most of the mulch.

>
> I'll ask though I'll probably find out when I look in a real bog; what
> other plants, besides CP's, would be nice or should be in there as
> well?
>
Some of the local plants will probably find their way into you bog. Some are
quite annoying (i.e. the rushes and grasses).