Same Old Problem

[Mr Grinch]

Hi all,

Im looking for a tough shrub that flowers for a difficult area.

Here goes:

In Winter the area is water logged in periods of rain.
In Summer the area can get water logged in heavy rain but in periods of no rain can get dry. It has a clay fertile soil, sun in the morning and early afternoon.

Can anyone help, im stuck

G

[Amo]

Pyracantha. Almost indestructable, very well behaved, if a little prickly. Evergreen. Showy flowers early and berries from starling yellow to the most vivid scarlet depending on which you chose.

It doesn't mind bad soil but I'd still dig in quite a bit of course grit to help with the drainage anyway.

[Mr Grinch]

Thanks Amo,

White flowers im not keen on. Next door has one of these and whilst its brilliant for birds in Winter, the thorns are huge.

Anything else as indestructable

G

[Dutchy]

Maybe Mahonia? It likes half shade like you describe, doesn't mind wet too much, likes clay wel enough and flowers yellow right now.
Tough blighter but it too has mighty thorns.
I hope this is not a pattern emerging ;D

[Tig]

I have read through my books - and I wouldn't recommend any of the shrubs as they can all become invasive through suckering! The only thing I might have planted was Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) - although this might not provide all year round interest

Personally I would be tempted to make the area a permanent bog garden, and then I could buy a Gunnera and loads of other moisture loving HPs that just would not grow in my garden

x Tig

[beanie]

I was thinking of Hydrangea but there is varying info about the conditions they will grow in. I have a large white one in a dry border and two others in clay that stays wet all year round as we have a high water table.
I googled this site it may be some use to you
www.cloudmountainfarm.com/pdf-guides/PlantsforProblemPlaces_Wet.pdf

[Mr Grinch]

Thanks all for your advice !

Are Viburnam's any good ?

G

[Tig]

I thought you weren't keen on white flowers Mr G - One book says Viburnum opulus will survive in permanently moist soils, don't know how it would fair during your dry patch, and they do like rich, loamy soils

[andy]

What about one of the ericaceous species such as a Rhodo or Japanese maple.

Rhodies are woodland plants and seem to thrive on wet, shady sites. The waterlogging in winter shouldn't be a problem as most plants are dormant and will shut down. In the summer, they will love the extra waterr p[roviding they weren't sitting in it for months.

I agree about the Osmunda and Gunnera....sensitive ferns (Onoclea) will also to well. What about some of the other spectacular bog plants such as Rheums.

[jean]

If you could sort out the drainage in winter and dryness in summer you would have so much more choice Mr G. As Amo said a load of grit to improve drainage in the winter followed by a moisture hugging mulch in summer might just do the trick. There are some very pretty Viburnam's ;D

[jean]

Oops double post

[Mr Grinch]

Thanks all,
No way of improving drainage as where it it wet an old ditch used to run years ago. The ditch ran the whole lengh of the road (250m) so where no way to improve it. I think its a case of going with the flow.
Rhodo's sound interesting. I do have a slighty acidic soil (Magnolia's do well round here) and the flowers on these things can be spectacular. Are you sure they would handle winter wet ??

G

[Amo]

Have a look around at what else is growing locally to you in similar conditions and is doing something when you want it to. I'm sure you'd soon come up with a bit of a list you could whittle down.