Creating the Bog Garden 
By Arthur Smith, Ohio 
ESTATE owners are fortunate who have a natural 
bog upon their property, but if not, then it is 
very worth while to form one. 
The requirements for a bog; while few and simple, 
are all absolutely necessary. They are : plenty of mois- 
ture at all seasons, means by which surplus water can 
drain away, and at least a foot thick of fibrous peat 
with Sphagnum Moss growing on it. If peat is diffi- 
cult to obtain it can be helped out by leaf mold, in 
which case it should be thicker and have some coarse 
sand mixed with it. Or, a compost may be made of 
fibrous sod that has been piled for several years. Care 
must be taken that there are no live roots of running 
grasses left in, otherwise the}- will cause endless trou- 
ble in the future. To one part of this add three parts 
of leaf mould and one part coarse sand. 
Comparatively few people are aware of the multi- 
tude of charming plants which make their home upon 
peaty bogs. As it is useless attempting to induce 
them to live anywhere else, we must, if we want their 
enjoyable company, create an environment suitable 
for them. 
Those who have seen any of the peat bogs of this 
country (unfortunately there are many who look at 
things without seeing them) must realize the wealth 
of material which exists that is worth bringing into 
our gardens. A bog garden is worth while even alone 
or that interesting example of the existence of brain 
power in plants, the Sun Dew, Droscra, found in bogs 
all over the world. Another example of the same fact, 
the Venus Fly-trap, Dionaca, which Linnaeus called "the 
Miracle of Nature," grows on bogs in North Carolina, 
but unfortunately is not hardy in the northern states. 
Then there is the queen of the peat bog, the beautiful and 
showy Moccasin-flower, Cypripedium spa-labile, which 
would be more frequently found about home surround- 
ings if it were native of some other country and cost sev- 
eral dollars a plant. Curiosities like Sarracenia and the 
lovely Menyanthes with its exquisite waxlike pale pink 
flowers, have their home in bogs; altogether, as Rob- 
inson wrote, "conservatories of beauty" are to be 
found sometimes covering hundreds of acres, in situa- 
tions of this kind. 
Superficially considered there may not appear much 
difference between the requisites for a bog garden and 
a water garden ; there is, however, a specific distinc- 
tion which requires to be emphasized before one can 
thoroughly understand the principles underlying the 
construction of artificial bogs. 
Manv plants known as aquatics will grow in a bog, 
but no true bog plant will thrive as an aquatic. If a 
natural bog is examined it will be found to be invari- 
ably composed of peat which floats upon the surface 
of water more or less deep, and that a portion of the 
peat in which the plants are growing is raised above 
the water. Thus, while some of the routs of bog plants 
may reach the water below, nearly all the plant itself is 
gft iwing above, not in, the water ; and if the water rises 
the peat rises with it. Therefore while the plant is al- 
ways living under a condition of perennial moisture, it 
is never in stagnant water. This marks the distinction 
between a true bog plant and a water plant. Natural 
bogs have of course been many hundreds of years 
reaching their present condition and it is unnecessary 
to eo into the causes which bring about their existence 
* A chapter from Flower Gardening With Hardy Plants, 
Arthur Smith, shortly to he published. 
book by 
and the presence of a floating mass of vegetable mat- 
ter, suffice it to say that their being where they are 
presupposes a stratum underneath impervious to 
water, therefore in constructing an artificial bog a 
water-tight bottom must be secured. 
The excavation should be made two feet deep, which 
will be sufficient to allow fur a water-tight bottom of 
six inches. Puddled clay is the best material for the 
bottom and it should be puddled two inches at a time. 
The sides must be sloped and the clay extended up 
them nine inches above the surface of the clay at the 
bottom. Provision must be made for the ingress and 
egress of water in such a manner that both can be 
regulated. The egress of water should be so placed 
as to normally keep the water six inches deep. If clay 
cannot be obtained concrete or paving stones laid in 
cement may be used instead. When completed, a 
water-tight basin capable of containing always six 
inches of water should result. The remaining part of 
the excavation should then be filled with peat or com- 
post as previously stated. Irregularly shaped mounds 
or ridges should be formed about the surface, rising a 
foot or more above the level. These will afford situa- 
tions for plants requiring a few inches of soil over 
their crowns when dormant; that prefer less moisture 
than others, Cypripediums for instance ; the mounds 
give a larger planting surface from a given excavation, 
and not the least advantage from them is that the bog 
garden will thereby have a more natural and pleasing 
contour. As capillary attraction works readily in peat 
or leaf mould there will be no difficulty in keeping the 
tops of the mounds sufficiently moist. Rocks to act 
as stepping stones should be placed at convenient in- 
tervals to enable one to walk about it, and see and at- 
tend to the plants. 
A bog garden may form an adjunct to the water 
garden, and also can be combined with a rock garden 
where the latter is at all extensive and water is avail- 
able. If a bog garden is to be made over a consider- 
able area it is not absolutely necessary to make the 
whole of it water-tight. A channel of water may be 
led to and fro and branched along the depressed parts. 
Care should be taken in constructing to have the least 
possible fall so that the water trickles slowly, and it is 
also absolutely necessary to guard against any possi- 
bility of a rush of storm water. 
When a piece of naturally swampy ground is chosen 
for a bog garden it will be sure to have a crop of water 
loving plants, such as Rushes, Sedges and the like, 
growing on it. The first thing is to thoroughly root 
these out, as, although they would be suitable for the 
margin of a water garden, they would only work harm 
among bog plants. This is more easily done if a tem- 
porary trench is dug so as to drain the swamp, as 
without the water the position is much more con- 
venient for preparation and the roots of the undesir- 
able plants more easily eradicated. 
If the area of bog is extensive it will of course af- 
ford room for a greater variety of plants and some of 
the less rampant subjects that delight in a moist situa- 
tion, but which are not properly speaking bog plants, 
may be used ; such as Japan Iris, Astilbe, Eulalias and 
Lilies. As other aspects of hardy gardening the possi- 
bilities for effective planting and grouping are legion. 
Like all other special features of country home sur- 
roundings, the bog garden should be artistically tied 
to the general landscape. 
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