Bog Garden

bog garden

THE BOG GARDEN

In our bog garden, we attempt to replicate the conditions found in northern sphagnum bogs. Bogs are very acidic, very wet, low in nutrients and devoid of mineral soil. The top several inches of a bog is dominated by living sphagnum moss which is underlaid with a deep bed of soggy, partially decomposed, peat. In our bog garden, the peat layer has been replaced by fine sand which is contained by a thick rubber liner.

The bog garden is home to many carnivorous plants including pitcher plants, sundews and butterworts. Many members of the heath family also thrive here, especially wild cranberries, bog laurel and Labrador tea. At the edge of the bog we have established a large colony of the rare climbing fern, Lygodium palmatum.