Suggestions for planting a 1/2 barrel

[roxann57]

I would like to plant up a 1/2 barrrel with some water plants, the barrel is in full sun (unless I can manage to move it). I was thinking iris or lush foliage. Any suggestions?

[Chuckles]

Nice thread roxanne I have one too that I hope to plant up this year. Will be keeping an eye on this thread

[andy]

Your world is your oyster roxann.

Presuming you will be keeping all the plants in pots to stop them spreading (most marginal and bog plants are fairly if not badly invasive.

I would go for a trio of plants that give both foliage and flower colour.

At the back, i'd plant a Lobelia cardinalis. These grow to about 24" when in flower. The foliage is dark shiney purple and then, in late summer, you get tall spikes of brilliant scarlet flowers

At the side, i'd plant a golden Hosta. This will be a contrast to the purple lobelia and will have lilac flowers spikes.

At the other side, i'd have a Houtynnia (spelling ?). Red, green and brown leaves that are aromatic.

And finally, at the front, i'd plant a minature water lilly.

[andy]

Other suggestions include iris, marsh marigold, Juncus, zantedescha, arrowhead, plantain, pickeral weed, Astilbe and peltophyllum.

You could even plant pockets of golden creeping jenny and have it growing out of the barrel over the sides !!!

[roxann57]

Thanks Andy, this is going to take me some time googling to make up my mind ;D

Do you think its a good idea to "in" fill it with gravel so the pots have a level base to sit on, and what depth of water do I need above the gravel ?

[roxann57]

Well I have been googling and I might have to think very hard with so much choice or get another barrel.

Found this site which sells water plants on line and they look very reasonable. Has anyone used them before?

www.watergardenshop.co.uk/mwg/entrance.asp

[Deleted]

roxann57 said:

Found this site which sells water plants on line and they look very reasonable. Has anyone used them before?

www.watergardenshop.co.uk/mwg/entrance.asp

I haven't used them but I must say it looks a good site, I use this site, plants are supplied bare rooted though.

I would be cautious with Marsh Marigold, as it can be a bit of a thug, and with regard to Astilbe and Lobelia cardinalis they are really better suited to bog gardens or grown as marginal plants in a pond.

You could use bricks to bring plants up to the correct planting level rather than gravel The depth needed above the gravel will vary from plant to plant

[roxann57]

Thanks for that Rita, looks a good site too. Do you think its possible to have a bog garden in a barrel?

[Deleted]

roxann57 said:

Thanks for that Rita, looks a good site too. Do you think its possible to have a bog garden in a barrel?

Oh yes, not a problem at all ;D

If you've got the space why not have a few barrels each with a different planting scheme ;D

[roxann57]

Space might be a problem, but then again I am sure I could find room some where

[andy]

rita said:

I would be cautious with Marsh Marigold, as it can be a bit of a thug, and with regard to Astilbe and Lobelia cardinalis they are really better suited to bog gardens or grown as marginal plants in a pond.

Any reason why they would do well as a marginal in a pond but not as a marginal in a barrel Rita .

There is also a smaller, compact marsh marigold Caltha pulustris 'florie pleno'.....small double flowers and stays quite compact

[Deleted]

andy said:

Any reason why they would do well as a marginal in a pond but not as a marginal in a barrel Rita .

Limited space in a barrel Andy, and IMO it would be quite difficult to replicate the boggy ground found around the edge of a pond in a barrel while still providing the right conditions for a water lily for example

[andy]

rita said:

andy said:

Any reason why they would do well as a marginal in a pond but not as a marginal in a barrel Rita .

Limited space in a barrel Andy, and IMO it would be quite difficult to replicate the boggy ground found around the edge of a pond in a barrel while still providing the right conditions for a water lily for example

That's why i suggested keeping everything in pots Rita. Plus every plant i've named....including astilbe and lobelia has been growing in my pond.....as a marginal with their crowns 4" below water surface, for years. I also have zantedeschia in a pot where the crown is approx 12" below water surface......You'll be amaized what plants will grow where !!!

My experience of bog gardens is, despite them being wet, they also require drainage. If you put a liner down for a bog garden and fill with soil and water, you're supposed to slit the bottom of the liner to allow water to drain away slowly.
Otherwise, you will encounter anaerobic (no oxygen) conditions which will produce hydrogen sulphide (rotten eggs smell) and rot the roots.
If you put a liner in a barrel, fill it with some sort of substrate, fill it with water and plant up, you will get problems with the roots rotting and it will stink !!!!

[roxann57]

Very pleased as I have just realised that I have some Lobelia cardinalis somewhere in the garden, not realising they can be used as marginals - I'm half started already

[andy]

roxann57 said:

Very pleased as I have just realised that I have some Lobelia cardinalis somewhere in the garden, not realising they can be used as marginals - I'm half started already

Yep...they're superb. I just try to make sure the crowns are a couple of inches below the water surface during winter as this gives better protection against frosts.

[Deleted]

Roxann and Chuckles, have you done your barrel yet. My freind has one and is thinking of planting his as a water/bog area. I have some Lobelia cardinalis that I could give him too, the lovely dark red leaved variety with bright red flowers. Any pointers would be good on how you got on. thanks

[Deleted]

The dark red leaf variety is called Lobelia cardinalis Queen Victoria

www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/495.shtml

Unfortunately I didn't have any success growing it in my pond, as it is really a bog plant - I have since moved my plants to a very damp area of my garden where they are now very happy.

[andy]

As i've said, absolutely no problems with Lobelia cardinalis as a marginal.

Sorry no links to give you but i've been using it in my ponds for 20 years....does experience count for anything these days

[Dutchy]

It may take a biginner to grow them but my slugs take care of them before they can flower.
Somehow planting them in boggy watery conditions sounds good.
Slugs do not like swimming.
How sunny is your pond Andy?

[andy]

South facing Dutchy but i'd have no hesitation planting them in north facing pond if i had to....providing the crowns were a good couple of inches below water level during the winter.

[Deleted]

My Lobelia is Saint Elmo's Fire Rita, infact it's looking very lush at the moment, did I really say I would give it to my friend for his Bog/Water Barrel Mmmmm well it does get eaten to death in my little garden, the slugs nibble all the way up the stems, slimey little horrors.

We looked at the barrel over the holiday weekend and the idea is to have water in the base then some kind of shelf, like they do in those rock bubble pools. I think they use a strong rigid wire thingy. Plants can then be sat on the shelf in pots and have there feet in a couple of inches of water. Some sort of smaller pebbles or similar will go between and over the top of the pots. I can see how it will look but getting there is the difficult bit. Some topping up of water is going to be needed on a regular basis I guess.

[madonplants]

I have had quite a few 'barrel' ponds, normally done to save pond plants in. They are nearly always the same. A brick built shelf which has an iris over potted with pebbles on it to allow anything getting in, to get out again. Then either a dwark water lily, (or one I am keeping, like atm), or a Aponogeton Distachyos (spelling?), that does particulary well in containers and some ceratophyllum oxygenating weed. Bit boring but it works. I have seen overplanted ones when there is not enough room for frogs to have a swim about in.
I know I have a proper pond, but the lily I have in the 'plastic' barrel, is probably too big for the deep pond, (and too big for the barrel) so waiting until I build the proper wildlife one this year. If I had a big barrel, I would put a few more in, like Equisetum or Typha Minima. Maybe even something like Zantedeschia Aethiopica, especially Crowborough which is more hardy, but then this may have to be protected in a bad winter. But then like Andy said, most plants are invasive, so regular attention is needed.

Keith