Plants for Wet and Boggy Areas
Some gardens have heavy clay soil and areas which are waterlogged, especially after rain. If that sounds like your backyard and you’re wondering what to do, don’t worry, quite a few plants actually thrive in those conditions. Here is Don’s list of plants for wet, boggy areas; obviously they won’t all grow well in every part of Australia, but you can put together a similar list with the help of the horticulturists at your local nursery.
Exotic plants
- Acanthus (Acanthus mollis)
- Calla lily (Zantedeschia sp.)
- Canna lily (Canna x generalis)
- Evergreen alder (Alnus acuminata)
- New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax)
- Norfolk Island tree fern (Cyathea brownii)
- Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus)
- Rushes (Juncus sp.)
- Sedges (Carex sp.)
- Venus fly-trap (Dionaea muscipula)
Australian native plants
- Blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus)
- Bottlebrushes (Callistemon sp.)
- Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe)
- Native violet (Viola hederacea)
- Paperbarks (Melaleuca sp.)
- Swamp banksia (Banksia robur)
- Swamp lily (Crinum pedunculatum)
- Tree ferns (Cyathea australis, C. cooperi, Diksonia antarctica)
Getting started
We filmed our segment at Tim’s Garden Centre, Campbelltown, NSW. Phone: (02) 4626 7022. Your local nursery will advise on plants that will do well in wet conditions, and are suitable for your climate.
