Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Tuesday - April 06, 2010
From: Plano, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Container Gardens
Title: Plants for a container bog garden in North Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I live in Plano, just north of Dallas. I've developed a recent interest in water gardens and am considering getting my toes wet with a container bog garden. I have an old galvanized wash tub that I think will be ideal. What native plants would be both small enough and happy in a bog? I've considered Cardinal Flower as it would be a bonus to attract butterflies and hummers to my patio. Any suggestions?ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants doesn't have any "How to Articles" specifically for creating a bog garden; but I do recommend that you read, "Water Gardening" and "How to Create a Water Garden" in our "How to Articles" Both have information that will be useful for your bog garden and although "Water Gardening" addresses a larger project than you are planning, it still has information that will be useful for your smaller project. For more specific information on bog gardens, however, here are a couple of articles—A Bog Garden by C. Colston Burrell from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Build a Simple Bog Garden from Rainy Side Gardeners. We have two plant lists on our Recommended Species page (under "Just for Central Texas") that should be helpful to you for your project—"Pond Plants for Central Texas" and "Wetland Plants for Central Texas". Here are a few suggestions from these lists that should do well attracting butterflies and hummers to your bog garden in the Plano area:
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Equisetum hyemale (scouringrush horsetail) doesn't attract butterflies or hummingbirds, but will serve as an attractive background for your colorful species and also serves as a good perch for dragonflies.
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower) is an excellent choice.
Physostegia intermedia (slender false dragonhead)
Justicia americana (American water-willow)
Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed)
Rhynchospora colorata (starrush whitetop)
These plants are relatively tall but for low plants, you might consider:
Marsilea macropoda (bigfoot waterclover)
Hydrocotyle umbellata (manyflower marshpennywort)
Bacopa monnieri (herb of grace)
Here are photos of the plants from our Image Gallery:
More Container Gardens Questions
Native Plants for North Texas Container
July 12, 2011 - What would you recommend for a large permanent plant for a large container (3' X 3') for Plano, Texas in the sun?
view the full question and answer
Choosing large containers (pots) for plants in Dallas, Texas.
May 24, 2007 - Hi, I was wondering if you could help me pick a plant for a container garden. We live in Dallas, TX. Our soil is very clay, but I thought we could do something fun in containers with sand or something...
view the full question and answer
Salt and wind tolerant plants for small containers in NC
July 28, 2010 - We need two plants that will go in raised planters. Will be in full sun with lots of wind. Salt water nearby. Will have to keep plants sorta short I guess. We cannot find anything, although we see...
view the full question and answer
Chile pequin from Spring Plant Sale in Austin
June 08, 2011 - Re: chile pequin purchased at your Spring 2011 sale: it grows, seems to thrive, but sets no flowers and so bears no fruit. It's in terracotta in Ladybug potting soil, on a shady apartment patio. How ...
view the full question and answer
Growing native vines in pots from Houston
May 28, 2012 - I am writing in regards to your often mentioned issue of plants not doing as well in pots and in the ground.
After last years drought, i moved all the plants I had that were in danger of dying of t...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
