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In most gardens there is a sunless corner where
the soil is dank arid apparently barren, and
where such plants that grow at all are stunted
and unhappy-looking. This is the spot for
the bog garden, one of the most fascinating
gardens of all.
Bog plants, however, require even more
moisture than the shady corner provides, and if
the plants are to look their best it is advisable to
prepare the bog garden properly at the outset.
The area decided on for this garden should
be excavated in the same way as for a pond,
unless one is fortunate in having a stream running through the grounds, or there is a fountain
or waterfall to provide the necessary moisture.
The excavation should be about two feet deep,
and, if possible, puddled with clay ; otherwise,
of course, concrete must be used. Fill in the
excavated part with good leaf mould. A
garden made in this fashion will retain the
water after watering.
When the ordinary pond is being constructed, if a suitable spot for such a garden
lies near by, the water supply can come from
the pond. To effect this, the side of the pond
adjoining the bog garden should be perforated
by placing short lengths of greased broom
handles through the cement whilst it is soft
(Fig. 14).
The water will ooze through the
small holes and so keep the garden moist.
If the cement bed of the bog garden is not
leaky, when once the soil is saturated with
water only a small amount of water will be
absorbed from the pond.
The plants for this type of garden may be
collected from water meadows in the country,
from shady spots if the garden is very shady,
and, of course, if it receives much sun, the
plants must come from a similar situation.
Otherwise the plants, of which there is a surprising variety of foreign species now obtainable, can be purchased from a nursery specializing in this kind of plant. The prices range
from about ninepence per root to a guinea,
according to the size and rarity of the individual
specimen.
Ferns naturally come to the mind and some
species thrive best when an inch or so of water
covers the roots ; the majority of ferns, how-
ever, prefer shade and just moist soil. Osmunda
regalis, the Royal Fern, is perhaps the best of
all bog plants ; the fronds may be as much as
a foot across and grow to a height of four feet
or more.
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