Parkways, Bits and Pieces
Bogs:A bog garden is an area where the soil is saterlogged either in a natural or artificial manner, creating a suitable environment for growing plants that thrive in moist soil. When creating a bog garden, the object is to provide continuously moist soil conditions for pants - but on a flat surface. One way we can do this is by burying a water- retaining plastic liner and filling it with specially prepared soil. These kinds of gardens represent another kind of native habitat, which one would not easily see on a local garden walk.
While working in this backyard in Beverly, a far southern neighborhood of Chicago, we unexpectedly uncovered an old sunken pool and fountain that had been covered by soil for many years. It was kind of like finding a buried treasure.
The cracked cement bottom would not allow it to hold water for long. We filled it half-way with a special soil mixture and planted it with "bog plants" -- plants that like to stay wet.
Plants like Cinnamon Fern, Cardinal Flower, Meadow Anemone, Marsh Merrigold, Ohio Goldenrod and various sedges and grasses all do well in this generally wet, slightly shaded area. We added the benches, patio and stone edging around the tree -- all from material we found buried on sight.
