THE BOG GARDEN. 



In the bog garden many of our most beautiful plants, which in a summer like 

 that of 1895 have been languishing for moisture in the borders, may be grown to 

 perfection surpassing in beauty all our former impressions of them. Of primary 

 importance, of course, is the position, and where this is naturally of a moist, 

 boggy or swampy character, matters will be much simplified. We will assume there 

 is such a spot at disposal, a swampy, treacherous, and, as we are wont to regard 

 it, useless piece of land, under water the greater part of the year. Such a spot 

 will be sure of its crop of naturally water-loving plants, such as Rushes, Sedges, 

 or the like, and the first care must be to root them out one and all. In doing 

 so, be careful that 12 inches or so of the margin be overhauled, as in all probabihty 

 there will be here roots and seeds of all these wildlings. According to the 

 nature of the boggy piece and also the depth of the water, it may be necessary for 

 cleansing the ground to cut a deep trench and allow the water to pass away, as, 

 without the moisture, the whole is much more convenient for preparation, and 

 roots are more readily eradicated. The ground thoroughly cleansed at the outset, 

 attention should next be directed to the soil. This may be variable, according to 

 the variety of plants it is intended to introduce. For instance, strong growing 

 subjects like the Astilbes and Meadow Sweets are all at home in a fairly stiff and 

 moist soil. On the other hand. Iris Ktempferi, Trilliums, Cypripediums, Lilium 

 pardalinum, L. superbum, and other such things have a decided preference for 

 soil of a vegetable character, such as peat, leaves, and the like. These latter, 

 again, have a preference for the drier parts of the bed, while such as the Calthas 

 and Menyanthes trifoliata revel in wet mud. To meet the varied degrees of 

 moisture which the plants prefer will be quite an easy matter in an artificially 

 constructed bog by the adoption of an undulating surface throughout. Slightly 

 raised mounds are by far the most convenient, and certainly the most economical, 

 way of providing for the greatest number of plants. 



Formation. — The shape, of course, should be irregular, and, unless a depression 

 of the whole exists, let this receive the next attention, and in such a way that the 

 highest part will be 9 inches below the average surrounding soil. The paths should 

 next be dealt with, excavating these nearly a foot deep in the central parts and 

 gradually rising at the entrances. The soil taken from the paths may, if good, 

 be used to form the raised beds for the planting of moisture-loving plants, such 

 as are content if their roots only reach water. The sides of these beds may 

 need rough support, such as rude sandstone blocks, to keep the soil in its place. 

 These, or similar things, may also form stepping-stones in the wetter parts, as by 

 this means the plants may be viewed without inconvenience. Beds of various 

 sizes will be needed in proportion to the kind of plants that shall hereafter occupy 

 them. For instance, the sloping banks at the edge, which may also take the 

 form of a slightly projecting mound, would constitute excellent positions for some 

 of the hardy Bamboos. Similar opportunities may occur at intervals throughout 

 the margin for planting with such things as Acanthus, Yuccas, Eulalias, Astilbe 

 rivularis, Spirosa Aruncus, Bocconia cordata, and others of similar proportions, 

 while the lower slopes and depressions between these would make excellent 

 places for Osmunda regalis, Lilium giganteum, L. pardalinum, L. canadense, and 

 L. superbum in peaty beds. The latter three of these are really swamp-loving 

 by nature, and it is scarcely possible to see them in anything approaching 

 perfection elsewhere. In the moisture so close at hand such things simply 

 revel, and the owner of them may for years see them towering far above his 

 head in their day of flowering — a picture of health and beauty. With such things 

 it should always be borne in mind that constant saturation is not absolutely 

 essential, though, indeed, they receive it more or less in their native habitats. 



