I've been wanting to make a Bog Garden for years and came across this baby tub at the thrift store thinking it would be perfect for it. Anyone think otherwise?

After searching ATP I can't find anything specific about Bog Gardens and was wondering if someone could either point me to a thread about the basics or give me pointers!

Thanks!

Hi Anne

My bog is attached to my pond and I use it to help filter the water, so I am not experienced with what you are asking.

If it were me - I would figure out what you want to plant first. Some plants like to have their feet wet - some plants like to be in a couple of inches of water. If you want plants that need to have their feet wet, I would think you would need to have some type of drainage in the tub. If you want plants that are to be in a couple of inches of water above the soil line, then I wouldn't think there should be any drainage at all in tub .

Thoughts?

I was thinking I'd like to grow carnivorous plants like Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants and Sundews .

Anne

I looked up those plants and none of them want to be planted in standing water, but soil that is kept moist. You may want to put some drainage holes into the tub or plant the tub and check it regularly for moisture. Whichever you prefer. Then I would put the soils those plants are particular to into the tub and plant the plants and keep them moist.

I would love to see pictures when you have your tub planted.

Thanks for the info!

Anne, since this is a bathtub with a drain in the end, you could attach a piece of pipe to the the drain, outside the tub. Then add a shutoff valve. This would allow you to fill the tub and flood the plant, then open the valve to drain just enough water so that the plants are wet but not submerged. Periodically you can open the valve and add fresh water to the top, allowing it to replace the old water that has been standing in the tub. Then shut it off and allow the tub to fill again. You would simulate a natural bog, which floods during rainstorms then slowly drain, but never becoming dry.

That's brilliant! Thanks!

You might also want to add some type of screen across the drain (maybe a small diameter hardware cloth) to prevent the dirt from going down into the pipe.

Now why can't I find something like that at our thrift store....Great find !!

I have a bog area I added to my pond. It is not the hard plastic type. I used the rubber liner when I built my pond. It is guaranteed for at least 20 years. Anyway the bog area is sort of a separate area. It is dug low enough that a small amount of the pond water (when really full) can spill over into it. I lined the area with the rubber liner then added pea gravel then my soil. It keeps the soil really wet and the water stands more in the pea gravel underneath. The plants in a bog area usually like really wet soil but not to be standing in water. A lot of the online sites that sell pond plants also carry bog plants. I ordered some on line. It has been 5 or so years ago now but I remember I did order some plants from Pond Megastore https://www.pondmegastore.com/.... I Know I am a little late posting but hope this helps some.

Thanks Cat! I've decided to grow Sundew plants. I like the pea gravel idea.

My bog area is connected to my pond and I have done mine with pond liner and pea gravel. It is great at adding filtration to my pond.

Carolyn22 said:My bog area is connected to my pond and I have done mine with pond liner and pea gravel. It is great at adding filtration to my pond.

Hi, I was wondering if there is somewhere to read about how to do this? I really want a bog garden and a pond. For some reason I can't envision how to set it up so the two share water?

Texas Water Lilies has great plants for all uses. From full on in the water to marginals, and certainly wonderful bog types. The postage is really nominal even to Alaska. I order from them every year.

Meredith - when we were digging the pond, my husband had them dig the shelves and then after the liner was in, he foamed the rocks standing up sideways so that they were a walled off shelf, but with small gaps to allow water to flow freely. So, essentially the water from the bog runs directly into the pond with the pea gravel aiding in the filtration process. We have pumps that dump into the bogs as well as plants that are planted into those areas.

I have pictures before the plant growth so you can see what I am referring to and a photo that was taken 2 weeks ago for comparison

Quite often when people are digging ponds, I have seen where they install plumbing into their bogs so that they have a permanent fixture for the water to filter through their bogs.

I have seen some beautifully planted bogs. The water celery took over my bogs - it is great for filtration, however, quite an invasive plant. If/When I do it again, I would not put in the water celery.


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July

Thank you for the info. So I need to make a shelf, put the liner there then put pea gravel and have a tube / hose to bring the water from the pond into the bog and it finds it's own way back into the pond. Is that right? Do you also have dirt with the pea gravel?

I just realized I have been contemplating a raised sides pond because I love tree frogs. We used to have them in our above ground pool but since adding an inground we don't get them anymore and I miss seeing them. I read up on it a little and I need the sides at least 6" off the ground, more would probably be better. I was thinking of hiding the sides with rocks so it would look more natural. I'd imagine I'd have to make it completely seperate and maybe during large rain storms it would overflow to it. Another idea I have is the raised area could maybe be like a waterfall basin to pour into a ground level area. Not sure if the tree frogs would like water moving though. I'd imagine it would disturb their eggs.

Meredith - I don't have any dirt in with the pea gravel. I have a hose and a pressure filter that circulate through the bog. I don't have tree frogs in my pond, however I do have other frogs. I startled one the other day that was sitting on a lily pad. They are so quick!

Can you grow many plants with just pea gravel I wonder. I love Cardinal Flowers they are the main reason I want a bog. At least that I can think of o the top of my head. I'm sure I would find more if I had a spot for them :)
I didn't think you'd have tree frogs. I found out they won't use ponds other frogs inhabit because they will just become food as will their eggs. That's why they liked the above ground pool, the other frogs can't get in. The tree frogs just climb up the sides unlike frogs that can only jump. I like the looks of in ground ponds much better but I really would love to have a safe habitat for the tree frogs. It would be really cool and my kids would love it.

Meredith - I had gorgeous cardinal flowers until my husband decided to build a boat launch over the cardinal flowers. I haven't found any like what I had before, since then.