Bog gardens

Do any of you have any experience with bog gardening? I've always had plants beside my pond (which really isn't very boggy at all because of the pond liner), but I'm thinking about creating a real bog garden this year because I love some of the unusual carnivorous plants that will grow in them.

One idea that I'm thinking of is a "floating island". I saw this in one of my gardening magazines...it
holds soil and plants and will float on the surface of your pond. I liked the idea (and I think my frogs will love this type of thing too!), but it was pretty pricey so I'm going to try to make my own. I thought I'd try to hollow out a piece of thick styrofoam and then fill it with dirt, and then put some sheet moss around it so you couldn't see the styrofoam.

I'd like to hear of any of your experiences and/or recommendations for bog gardening and the plants to put in them.

 

Hi there KL, great to see you.
I apologize for answering your posting and not having anything to offer, but I just wanted to say hello, and let you know that your idea sounds really intriguing. Your plan sounds a good one and I for one, can't wait to see how it turns out.
About all I can offer here is moral support.

 

Hi to you too Sjoerd! I tend to spend more time putzing in the yard and less time at the computer at this time of year, so I may not be posting too much during the summer months. I'm online tonight, though, because we received another 4" of snow last night so I got shooed back inside.

 

Please post picts when you get this finished. It sounds interesting. Anyway thanks for the heads up about spending more time outdoors. Alot of us will probably be able to get out more now that spring is here. But we don't like to worry if its not necessary when one of our own just drops away. Its going to be nice that many of us can finally get outdoors and play in the dirt. Sorry I don't have anything to offer on the bog gardening. Hope to see picts though at the end of your summer.

 

Hi Kasey,,I don't really know anything about bogs,, but we do have a marsh here at the far end of the farm. I would have to wait until its all thawed to go take some pics for you, because its just not safe right now, the marshes here some little water holes have no bottoms. but the only things that grows on the marshes are berries, reindeer mosses, wild flowers and lots of moss of all kinds. don't know if that would help, but it sure is beautiful to look at.

 

I love your idea for making the floating planters - I haven't any pond myself, but I've always enjoyed them. How do you keep it from becoming a mosquito-haven?

Best of luck with the bog-planting, I'd love to see how it comes out.

 

My pond has a waterfall with constantly moving water and I've never had a mosquito problem. Plus it's home to many frogs, and bewteen the frogs and the carnivorous plants I plan to plant in my "island" (I love pitcher plants), I should have the bugs under control!

 

I realize this thread is a bit old, but I was just curious how the homemade floating islands turned out. I love the ones I have seen for sale - but yes, as you said, pricey! Your idea for making one out of Styrofoam was great. Just checking to see how it turned out!

 

It worked out great, and I'll try to post some pictures when I get a chance. I planted 2 aquatic grasses along with 2 varieties of carnivorous pitcher plants. All are thriving and making a great perch for the many frogs living in my pond.

Almost time to start thinking about getting it ready for winter though...not ready for that yet!

 

Great to hear! Yes please do post some pics ... would love to see how it turned out!! Do you have to do anything special with the pitcher plants for winter i.e bring them inside. The ones I have seen in the past don't seem to tolerate the cold at all. Just curious, as I don't know too much about caring for them.

 

Here's a picture from early summer after I installed the plants...one of my frog friends found it right away and made himself at home! I plan to bring the pitcher plants inside over the winter. I've never grown them before, so is anyone out there has any suggestions please let me know. I know they're picky about fertilizing and watering. The only bugs I have inside over the winter are those darn Asian beetles, and I don't know if the pitcher plants are able to consume those nasty things.

 

That looks great! Cute frog too! Thanks for sharing the pic! I'm excited do one for next summer! I have one very tiny pitcher plant in a small terrarium indoors, but am relatively clueless about their over all care, aside from not letting them dry out. I have read that it is best to water them with distilled water and that its best not to give them fertilizer. But that's about the extent of my knowledge, like I said, I know very little about their care.

 

Your island is lovely kaseylib! The frog looks like he's very comfortable there.

 

The island was a favorite spot for my resident frogs throughout the summer. I know that the pitcher plants attract insects to them, and I think the frogs were hoping to get to bugs first!