Backyard Bog Garden

When you start looking into creating a backyard bog garden, a little careful planning will pay dividends in the long run.

A natural bog exists with low oxygen levels which reduces the decaying of dead plant matter. This dead matter forms a thick layer as it builds up, known as peat. Most of the water content in a bog comes from rainfall; this causes it to be very acidic and low in mineral content. Plenty of natural sunlight helps the natural bogs to thrive so if you’re able to mimic these conditions, a backyard bog garden of your own creation should also do well.

Ideally, you should find a low sitting point in your garden that maybe doesn’t drain very well and collects a bit of rainwater. This spot needs to receive a good amount of sunlight and needs to be in an open site away from tall trees. The falling leaves will disturb the organic levels. It needs to receive a good amount of rain water and be fairly undisturbed by activity from people and animals. These factors will give you a pretty good start for a backyard bog garden.

If these conditions aren't available to you, it's still possible to build your own backyard bog garden. You're able to do exactly the same thing by using a suitable garden pot. A bog garden in a garden pot is a among some nice ideas for small gardens too.

Creating a backyard bog garden from the beginning may sound complicated but it’s quite straight forward. Anytime between the autumn and the spring is the best time to start construction. A pretty good size is at least 5ft square. If you put a bog pool in the centre of about 2 feet deep, this will help mimic a natural bog. Around the perimeter of the backyard bog garden, a border of about a foot deep will allow for the marshy environment that exists in natural bogs.

The area will need to be lined with sand and gravel, making sure that any sharp stones and rocks are removed. The hole will also need to be lined. There are several different types of liners on the market; whether butyl rubber or pvc, but these days, many people use a fairly heavyweight polythene sheet which are very easy to get hold of and very inexpensive. If you are going to use polythene sheeting, it’s best to use a double layer to ensure sufficient strength.

It’s a good idea to make a few small holes in the liner; this will allow a very small turnover of water and help prevent the backyard bog garden from becoming too stagnant.

The marshy border will need better drainage than the pool area, so more drainage holes will be needed; however, it’s probably best to start off with fewer and be able to add to them if needed.

With the liner in place, the marsh area needs filling with a mixture of compost and soil. The backyard bog garden pool needs filling with a mixture made up of three parts peat and one part sand. Then the whole thing needs saturating with water.

Of course, you may not need to start your backyard bog garden from scratch. An existing pond is an excellent place to start if you already have one.

If you don’t have much room to create a full sized backyard bog garden, it is possible to make one in a garden pot. It will need to be at last a foot deep and a foot wide. The container backyard bog garden will need filling with the same mixture of peat and sand to ensure the good growth of your bog plants. A larger container will make regulating the moisture levels easier.

Your backyard bog garden needs a bit of peace and quiet and to be as undisturbed as possible. A little path around the outside, possibly made of bricks, gravel or stepping stones will allow visitors to see what’s going on, but allow the backyard bog garden to remain undisturbed. Perhaps a small fence could be erected to keep out little feet and passing animals. Of course, as an idea for small gardens, there may simply not be the room.

Once set up, your backyard bog garden won’t need a lot of maintenance. One of the most important things is to make sure that it stays wet enough. Rainwater would be the first choice for topping up, but water from the tap or a well is fine. Perhaps you could set up a rain-water butt to collect rainwater in wet weather periods and lay a pipe to feed the area directly.

It’s important to keep the area clear of overhanging branches and leaves, and to allow sunlight to the area. There is no need to add any extra fertilization. High levels of nutrients will do more harm than good to your bog garden, and it doesn’t need them to thrive.

This damp but sunny area might be a good spot to place a couple of pots with tropical garden plants for a bit of vertical interest.

Once a year, your backyard bog garden may need a bit of pruning. The best time to do this is in the winter. Simply trim back any overgrowth to allow the site to stay open to the sun.

Most plants that will do well in a backyard bog garden, will need to be planted in the autumn or the spring. Bee Balm, Sundew, Bog Myrtle, Cranberry, Pine Hibiscus, Blazing Star and Cardinal Flower are all plants the do pretty well in a bog garden. Flag iris, Water Horsetail and Water Mint should all thrive in the marshy areas.