Series 2 of Great British Garden Revival has had many enjoyable episodes, and for me, the most inspiring was the one on last night (21st January) with Joe Swift encouraging us to include a Bog Garden in our gardens.
By accident I've ended up with a boggy area in my garden, which I've mentioned in May 2014, and my end of year review in December 2014. I've been trying to decide whether I want a boggy garden area or not, and last nights episode rather convinced me I should give it a go. So Joe Swift, you've got at least one person supporting your revival.
After the show ended, I re-watched and caught the names of the plants that I was interested in. I also sent a tweet to Fibrex Nurseries, knowing that one of their specialities is Ferns, and asked them for suggestions for a boggy shady area. As you can see below, quite a lot. I appreciate their suggestions; I've bought Pelargoniums from them too, another speciality, and along with their frequent helpful advice on Twitter, I recommend them to you.
So this is the list of plants for boggy shade that the Garden Revival and Fibrex Nurseries have suggested. I won't be getting them all; I wish I had a garden big enough! But it's a really great start from which I can investigate further and then decide what I think will work for my garden.
Plant suggestions from the Great British Garden Revival
Candelabra primulas
Dicksonia Antartica possibly too big for my garden, but one can dream
Astilbes
Cimicifuga 'Brunette', which I know as Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Brunette' and in fact already have near the boggy area. So 1 point to me :)
Kirengeshoma palmata a plant I've been admiring in other gardens for some time. Not sure if it might be too big for mine, so I will investigate further.
Ragged Robin Another plant I love and have, but not in the boggy area. So more seed of this possibly.
Actually, I should stop calling it the 'boggy area'. Henceforth. it will be the 'small boggy border'. Suggestions of better names appreciated!
Plant suggestions from Fibrex Nurseries
Matteuccia struthopteris (shuttlecock fern, ostrich feather fern)
Osmunda (esp regalia Purpurescens-Gorgeous). Another I already have but in a different part of the garden. I've been thinking about moving it, as I cannot admire it's purple stems enough where it is. So it's going into the small boggy border.
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern, bead fern) red form
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern, bead fern) green form
Dryopteris wallichiana
Athyriums in general, including the following that I liked from their pictures:
Athyrium filix-femina
Athyrium nipponicum pictum (Japanese Painted Fern)
Athyrium otophorum
Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern)
Thelypteris decursive-pinnata
Woodwardia was suggested, but Fibrex Nurersies advised they might get too big, so I need to research this one carefully
Woodwardia fimbriata (Giant Chain Fern)
Woodwardia radicans (European Chain Fern)
Dryopteris dilitata (Broad Buckler)
This episode of Great British Garden Revival will be available to UK viewers until c. mid February on BBC iPlayer: Bog gardens and soft fruit.
By accident I've ended up with a boggy area in my garden, which I've mentioned in May 2014, and my end of year review in December 2014. I've been trying to decide whether I want a boggy garden area or not, and last nights episode rather convinced me I should give it a go. So Joe Swift, you've got at least one person supporting your revival.
After the show ended, I re-watched and caught the names of the plants that I was interested in. I also sent a tweet to Fibrex Nurseries, knowing that one of their specialities is Ferns, and asked them for suggestions for a boggy shady area. As you can see below, quite a lot. I appreciate their suggestions; I've bought Pelargoniums from them too, another speciality, and along with their frequent helpful advice on Twitter, I recommend them to you.
So this is the list of plants for boggy shade that the Garden Revival and Fibrex Nurseries have suggested. I won't be getting them all; I wish I had a garden big enough! But it's a really great start from which I can investigate further and then decide what I think will work for my garden.
Plant suggestions from the Great British Garden Revival
Candelabra primulas
Dicksonia Antartica possibly too big for my garden, but one can dream
Astilbes
Cimicifuga 'Brunette', which I know as Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Brunette' and in fact already have near the boggy area. So 1 point to me :)
Kirengeshoma palmata a plant I've been admiring in other gardens for some time. Not sure if it might be too big for mine, so I will investigate further.
Ragged Robin Another plant I love and have, but not in the boggy area. So more seed of this possibly.
Actually, I should stop calling it the 'boggy area'. Henceforth. it will be the 'small boggy border'. Suggestions of better names appreciated!
Matteuccia struthopteris (shuttlecock fern, ostrich feather fern)
Osmunda (esp regalia Purpurescens-Gorgeous). Another I already have but in a different part of the garden. I've been thinking about moving it, as I cannot admire it's purple stems enough where it is. So it's going into the small boggy border.
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern, bead fern) red form
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern, bead fern) green form
Dryopteris wallichiana
Athyriums in general, including the following that I liked from their pictures:
Athyrium filix-femina
Athyrium nipponicum pictum (Japanese Painted Fern)
Athyrium otophorum
Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern)
Thelypteris decursive-pinnata
Woodwardia was suggested, but Fibrex Nurersies advised they might get too big, so I need to research this one carefully
Woodwardia fimbriata (Giant Chain Fern)
Woodwardia radicans (European Chain Fern)
Dryopteris dilitata (Broad Buckler)
That's a rather good list there. Note: I've listed the boggy-shady plants that I was particularly interested in and that would suit my garden. There are many more to suit all tastes and situations. Let the bog garden revival begin.
This episode of Great British Garden Revival will be available to UK viewers until c. mid February on BBC iPlayer: Bog gardens and soft fruit.
