Re: [SG] "bog" garden/astilbes

Thanks all for your answers. I think I will try to see how my astilbes do
with the flooding. Clyde, I don't understand why your astilbes aren't doing
well in partial shade. I have some in virtually full shade that do fine (in
zone 6). It must depend a lot on the cultivar. I largely stay away  from the
Arendsii hybrids because they seem to need a lot of light and water.
Nancy


 >Nancy,
>
>I really don't know as this is a first class experiment on my part.  Even
>the one other small bed I have in the Circle Garden that I can keep damp
>drains very well.  I note that Lillian and Anne's plants get periodic
>flooding...so just might be worth taking a chance.  Nothing ventured,
>nothing gained and half of gardening is experimenting on pushing the
>envelope, IMO.  Some you win and some you lose.
>
>I did plant my Astilbes rather high around the edge in the hopes that the
>crowns would drain while the roots stayed wet.  Although they seem to have
>made it through the winter, I need to have a whole season (preferably a
>"normal" rain one) with them to see if it's too wet for them.  They suffer
>so in the rest of my garden, especially when we have drought summers -
>seems more often than not recently.
>
>My "bog/damp" bed has two sheets of overlapping plastic covering the
>bottom.  I did not poke holes in it on the theory that water would find its
>way out through the join, which is not sealed.  We shall see what happens -
>I'm just delighted to find that the things I put in are greening up and not
>just moldy lumps of rotted vegetation...so far anyway!
>
>Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>mtalt@clark.net
>Editor:  Gardening in Shade
>current article: Hellebores - Part 2
>http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
>All garden topics welcome page:
>http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/3425#top5
>
>----------
>> From: Nancy Stedman <stedman@INTERPORT.NET>
>> Date: Wednesday, April 07, 1999 8:06 AM
>>
>> Marge: After reading about your "damp/bog" garden, I'm wondering if the
>> implication is that astilbes will stand periodic flooding. I need to put
>> something in front of a drainage hole in a retaining wall that will flood
>> whenever it rains really hard.
>> Nancy
>>
>>
>>
>> >That should work for you.  My "damp/bog" bed is essentially that, only
>> >rather larger and lined with 6 mil plastic.  I am thrilled to see the
>> >Primulas showing - wasn't sure for a while if they would return after
>late
>> >fall planting and really soggy winter soil.  And, the Astilbes are
>leafing
>> >out - thought for sure I'd killed those with wet!!!  If the deer don't
>eat
>> >everything, it may amount to something yet!
>> >
>> >What you might do, to hedge your bets, is build up the part where you
>want
>> >to put the Ligularia so that it mounds up above the surface of the rest
>of
>> >the "bog" bed, keeping the plant's crown a bit drier while allowing the
>> >roots to stay soggy.  In hot climates, they will droop even with water,
>> >just from the heat, so don't be alarmed - they revive when it cools
>down.
>> >
>> >Interestingly enough, when I was doing the article on Primrose Path
>> >nursery, I chatted with owner, Martha Oliver, about my Primula problems
>and
>> >she told me they grow all of theirs in wet sand beds.  I was intrigued
>as I
>> >had recently put in a sand bed for *dry* loving plants!
>> >
>> >She sent me the instructions, which I put up on a related page to the
>> >article...seems quite easy to do and I mean to try this one day.  Here's
>> >the URL to that page FYI.
>> >
>> >http://suite101.com/topic_page.cfm/222/266
>> >
>> >Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>> >mtalt@clark.net
>> >Editor:  Gardening in Shade
>> >current article: Hellebores - Part 2
>> >http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
>> >All garden topics welcome page:
>> >http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/3425#top5
>> >----------
>> >> From: M R W <mrwill1@JUNO.COM>
>> >> Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 5:40 PM
>> >>
>> >> Thanks, Marge. That sounds hopeful.
>> >>
>> >> My plan was to adapt something someone (was it you, Gene?) said last
>fall
>> >> on using a buried child's wading pool to make a moisture bed for
>growing
>> >> primulas. I only have room for one ligularia so was hoping to dig a
>nice
>> >> big hole and line it with plastic to retain moisture rather than
>having
>> >> it drain away, since I know I won't water enough to make it happy
>> >> otherwise.
>> >>
>> >> A bonus to this, I hope, would be to create damp edges around this for
>> >> other plants that like extra moisture but not as much as the
>ligularia.
>> >>
>> >>                 Mary
>> >>                 zone 6
>> >>
>> >> >Well, I've been waiting for someone who actually knew the answer to
>> >> >your
>> >> >question to reply, but if they've done it - I've missed it.  So,
>> >> >FWIW...
>> >> >
>> >> >'The Rocket' will grow in average garden soil as long as you keep it
>> >> >moist.
>> >> > It will droop like mad when it gets hot, no matter how much you
>> >> >water, but
>> >> >it's a lovely plant, nonetheless.
>> >> >
>> >> >I don't know how it would do in a bog.  I moved my 'Desdemona' to my
>> >> >new
>> >> >"bog" (really more of a damp) garden last fall and see two leaves
>> >> >emerging,
>> >> >so it stood really wet soil over winter.
>> >> >
>> >> >Both are ligularias, but different species, so I don't know if they
>> >> >would
>> >> >respond the same to lack of good drainage.  Christopher Lloyd seems
>> >> >to
>> >> >think the entire genus does well "on any soil or site, well drained
>or
>> >> >not"
>> >> >(The Well-Tempered Garden)...so maybe it will.
>> >> >
>> >> >Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>> >> >mtalt@clark.net
>> >> >Editor:  Gardening in Shade
>> >> >current article: Hellebores - Part 1
>> >> >http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
>> >> >All garden topics welcome page:
>> >> >http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/3425#top5
>> >> >
>> >> >----------
>> >> >> From: M R W <mrwill1@JUNO.COM>
>> >> >> Date: Monday, March 29, 1999 5:48 PM
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I've been looking at Ligularia "The Rocket" for quite a while now
>> >> >and
>> >> >> just took the plunge and ordered it. My question: I know it needs
>> >> >> moisture; is it "moist and well-drained soil" that it needs, or can
>> >> >it
>> >> >> take ground that's soggy, especially in winter?
>> >> >>
>> >> >>                 Thanks--
>> >> >>                 Mary
>> >> >>                 MO, zone 6
>> >>
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