Garden Design 5: The Bog Garden - Displayed by Botanical Name in Ascending Order

An outstanding specimen plant for the partially shaded garden. Looking much like a very large white astilbe, Goat’s Beard has similar foliage and feathery, creamy white flower plumes up to 1 ft. long.

Sparkling white flowers on wide, bright green feathery plumes. Blooms early- to mid-summer.

Dense, poker-like plumes emerge a rich violet-red, then lighten up as they age. Blooms in midsummer. Bold, dark green foliage with a coarse texture. Has a unique look; makes a strong color statement in the garden.

Rich coral-rose, arching plumes are very large, open, and drooping; very different than typical astilbe flowers. Blooms are presented on tall stems above the glaucous foliage. Absolutely magnificent when full grown, especially near a water feature.

Lush foliage changes color as temperatures drop; pink blooms in spring

Short spikes of rosy-pink flowers that look like a turtle’s head with its mouth open delight children and other passersby in late summer and early fall. This is the kind of plant that makes a great backdrop for shorter plants in the garden.

A new cool season, graceful, mostly evergreen grass with narrow, gold variegated blades. Loose, airy panicles tipped in pink appear in spring, then fade to creamy white. Tufted Hairgrass is a natural companion for Ferns and Hosta.

Beautiful when covered with dew in the morning, this native “Tufted Hair Grass” is a superb ornamental. It’s much valued for its neat, dark, evergreen foliage & for the cloud-like quality of its flowering stalks.

A vigorous ground cover for partially shaded, moist areas with slightly acidic soil. Tiny, white, star-shaped flowers appear in late spring above a carpet of green foliage. The bright green leaves are fragrant when crushed and are finely cut.

Siberian irises are haled for their elegant, delicate flowers and disease resistance. They perform admirably in the sunny to partially shady garden, but need plenty of water throughout the season to continue looking their best.

The most striking feature of ‘Desdemona’ is the foliage. In spring, the new leaves emerge beet-red, fade to greenish-bronze on top, and remain purple on the undersides. In late summer, golden yellow, daisy-like flowers are produced.

Huge 18 to 24 inch long bottlebrush spikes of yellow flowers are produced in abundance in late summer. Light green, triangular leaves with coarse teeth around the entire margins are supported by purplish-black stems and can be up to 1 foot long.

Striking flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Ideal for perennial, herb or cutting gardens and natural plantings. Fragrant leaves make a delicious tea.

White-striped foliage blushed with pink. Loses its pink tint by early summer. Showy, soft white flowers rise 6 to 12” above the foliage. After the first frost has turned the foliage and flowers a warm beige, their beauty remains throughout the winter.

Triangular, concord grape blossoms with sulphur yellow stamens. Each flower only lasts for one day, but the plants have lots of buds, extending the bloom time up to eight weeks. The flowers are self-cleaning, so deadheading is not necessary.

A striking and colorful element for the garden. ‘Golden Queen’ produces 2-3 inch wide, golden-orange, bowl-shaped flowers from late spring into midsummer. They stand in stark contrast against the dark green foliage.