With the alternate rain and sunshine that we have been having during May, the plants in the bog garden have shot up and I have been working hard to keep up with them. Back on 3.5.22 this is how it looked when I was telling you that the Acorus just had to go as it was taking over and strangling everything in its path!
The Acorus just doesn’t know when to stop, I can’t have it smothering all my precious plants, it has to go!
I used to have such a nice hosta at the front of the bed, that has disappeared along with candelabra primulas that were with it.
By the 12.5.22 the Acorus had vanished and a good load of leaf mould was added to the soil, plenty of room now to move seedlings.
Lots of little seedlings that had spent the winter months almost under water, certainly sitting with their roots in permanent water when this border was flooded, now ready to be moved.
At the other end of the border there is a group of 9 peach coloured candelabra primulas, but they are all almost ready to flower, so will have to be split when flowering is over for this year.
Little seedlings moved to their new home.
It didn’t take long to fill the spaces, the leaves will grow quite big so I’ve left plenty of room round them!
Just showing how everything is growing, there wasn’t much showing at the start of the month.
Hostas Krossa Regal and sieboldii elegans are growing at a fast and furious rate. The fern which is at both ends of the border is Matteuccia struthiopteris.
This little candelabra primula is P. chungensis. It is quite a bit smaller than the primula japonicas that are in front of it and it had increased nicely, but will need splitting later in the year to make more for further down the border.
Another plant that can be split after it has finished flowering is Euphorbia palustris at the back of the border. This has divided itself into a front half and a back half so I’ve decided that the back half can be split into 2 and these can be planted either side to make even more of a splash at the back.
This photo shows Primula japonicas Millers Crimson, Apple Blossom and Postford White as well as Hosta Patriot and Iris pseudacorus variegata.
This is the cluster of peachy coloured primulas which are now definitely too far on to split at the moment, it would be a shame to disturb them.
The Rodgersia is growing at a rate of knots, the bottom leaf is about 12 inches across and Hosta Snowden, behind, has leaves about twice the size!
Another primula has just popped up, this time Primula aurantiaca, although it can hardly be seen as it is now under the huge leaves of hosta Snowden, it’s time to move, in spite of the fact that it is flowering!
Primula aurantiaca is one of my favourites, so I must have it where it can be seen, such a beautiful flower.
Putting it next to much smaller Hosta Hadspen Blue it should be quite safe and the yellow links up with P. chungensis on the other side.
I must sow seed of white foxgloves as I think they would look nice at the back of the border where the soil is a lot drier, although some have seeded right at the front of the really boggy bits so I don’t think they are too fussy about their soil. Soon all the astilbes will be flowering which will make a lot more pink, red and white, then the iris ensata will start flowering, more blue and white, followed by the white zantedeschia and so it will go on for another couple of months, no doubt I will be doing a few more Boggy Updates!
There was a lot of excitement here when I noticed that there are some more seedlings at the front of the border which have sat in water all winter and are sending up flowers that are unlike any primulas that I have already. The stems are holding a cluster of purple flower buds that will obviously become a candelabra primula, but the cluster is very whiskery, non of my others are and the stems are bright red, but only P. aurantiaca has stems here that are red, obviously the bees have been busy!
I think it has the colours of a beautiful sunset, what do you think?
I will be photographing it when it has developed further so no doubt you will see it in future posts!
Thank goodness there are lots of plants that are quite happy with all our rain and can take periodic flooding, in fact some seem to really like sitting in the wet all winter, not my idea of fun, but I’m glad that my primulas seem to enjoy it!
This was a really interesting read, Pauline, following the progress of this border – and evidence of how much wetter it is for you down in the SW – and was intrigued at how much your acorus has spread, as mine has only ever been a very small clump! Exciting developments with your primulas too!
This border has an underground stream running below it Cathy, it never dries out, even in the hottest summer. I’m so glad to get rid of the acorus, it really was takking over, soon it would have been the only survivor in the border! I will be keeping an eye on all my primulas , waiting to see what else will turn up!
It does look so much better since the acorus has been removed. So many lovely plants, especially the hostas and that glorious sunset primula.xxx
Yes, Dina, the acorus just had to go, it will be far better once the seedling primulas have grown. The hostas certainly like all the moisture from the underground stream and my sunset primula is still the best out of all the new seedlings!x