Carnivorous Bog

[Subrosa]

I finally got around to completing (well almost!) a garden project I started last spring. It's a 6' x 4' bog garden for my Sarracenia pitcher plants. Basically it's a 2' deep hole lined with a tarp into which I cut a few holes to allow some drainage. Then I backfilled with a mix of sand and peat. My delay cost me several of my plants which didn't survive the winter in an above ground barrel, but I have a few that I transplanted in including a Venus Fly Trap, a couple Sarracenia, an Iris and some Cranberry. Here are a few pics:

[RosieC]

Cool, hope it does well for you!

[Leafmite]

That looks really great! I look forward to seeing pictures later this summer when the plants begin their expansion!

[Orchidgirl83]

Very cool idea! I hope they do well for you

[Paphluvr]

Good looking bog garden. Looks like you have plenty of room for future additions. Any thoughts on adding live sphagnum moss?

[Subrosa]

The Cranberry is what I'm shooting for to act as a ground cover, but there are a couple types of sphagnum on the root balls of the plants, so I expect it will spread. I already have a half barrel that's predominately live sphagnum with some Sundews that hitchhiked in. I also put a few Sarracenia seedlings in there, so I'll have to remove the Dews so I can start fertilizing. Sundews are WAY more sensitive to over fertilization than any orchid. If they're kept outside the bugs they catch are all they need. So you're from the "thumb" Paph......the sphagnum and the hitch hiker Sundews I have are from the "fingers"!

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

The Cranberry is what I'm shooting for to act as a ground cover, but there are a couple types of sphagnum on the root balls of the plants, so I expect it will spread. I already have a half barrel that's predominately live sphagnum with some Sundews that hitchhiked in. I also put a few Sarracenia seedlings in there, so I'll have to remove the Dews so I can start fertilizing. Sundews are WAY more sensitive to over fertilization than any orchid. If they're kept outside the bugs they catch are all they need. So you're from the "thumb" Paph......the sphagnum and the hitch hiker Sundews I have are from the "fingers"!

When I lived west of Detroit many years ago I used to take a lot of photos at Proud Lake State Recreation Area. One of the quaking bogs there had pitcher plants and sundews along with the many orchids that grew there. Rose pogonias grew right alongside the sundews very close to open water. Also on the quaking bog we're grass pinks (Calopogon sp.) and Spiranthes.