Plants for damp gardens with wet soil
Plenty of plants thrive in damp or waterlogged soils, so it’s perfectly possible to create a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions
Quick facts
- Wet soil suits streamside plants perfectly
- Permanently wet soil lends itself to making a bog garden
- Creating raised mounds can enable some individual plants to be planted above the water level
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The planting plan
This planting design provides a range of plants that, once established, will thrive in damp soil to provide a variety of interest throughout the year. A simple planting plan helps to create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.
Plants for very damp soil
Choosing plants for damp or waterlogged soils
Damp soils are great for plants that would otherwise need frequent watering to grow well. Many streamside and pondside plants will thrive, especially if you are able to make a small pool feature.
The Cornus provides some winter stem colour, and the Sambucus some year-round height. The Primula provide some groundcover and will help suppress weed growth.
1 - Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ‘Gerda’
2 - Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’
3 - Ligularia ‘Gregynog Gold’
4 - Primula denticulata
5 - Zantedeschia aethiopica
6 - Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’
2 - Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is a deciduous shrub producing dense cone-shaped clusters of flowers, which open pale lime green, gradually change to white and finally age to pink. Later in the summer, all three colours can be seen at once.
3 - Ligularia ‘Gregynog Gold’ is a herbaceous perennial with large, toothed, heart-shaped leaves and in late summer, tall spikes of deep yellow flowers on contrasting black stems.
4 - Primula denticulata is a low-growing perennial with drumstick-like round flowerheads of purple florets with yellow eyes on upright stems in late spring.
5 - Zantedeschia aethiopica is a herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennial with sturdy, rich green, arrow-shaped leaves and pure white funnel-shaped flowers with a prominent yellow centre.
6 - Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ has clusters of small white flowers in late spring and green leaves that turn orange and red in autumn. The leafless stems are a bright yellow-green in winter.
About damp soils
The challenge of growing in damp soil
Why choose a sustainable planting combination?
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