SubRosa
BS Bulldozer
Hi! I'm` in the planning/early construction phase of installing an inground bog garden to upgrade my half barrels. I'm located in SE PA zone 6b, but the area the bog will be located in is a very interesting microclimate. It faces SSE, and is located in the inside corner formed by my blacktop driveway and a black slate patio in front of my house. The house itself is on heated slab which the patio abuts directly to, and is only about 8' to the edge of the bog so it's a very effective windbreak. I have a zone 8 hardy Rosemary bush located at the exact corner which has survived 5 seasons, the last 2 with no mulching. The best I've managed with that plant in other gardens in this region has been to winter one over in a year in which winter practically skipped us. Even in a half barrel sitting on the patio I wintered over a VFT and we had a colder than normal winter. I think an inground could be really interesting, and I just have a few questions for anyone who's completed a similar project. First off, the area I have to work with is approx 4' x 5', and 5 years ago I redid it completely and cultivated it down about 18" deep, so I figure it shouldn't be too hard to take it down that deep for the bog. My first question is in regards to drainage. With my barrels I find I have to remove a lot more water after storms than I have to put in during dry periods, and with an inground setup gravity becomes an enemy rather than a friend in this regard! I was considering just mounding my growing mix a few inches above the natural overflow point, and ringing the area with rocks to hold back the mix. Thoughts on this? Then my second question is in regards to lining the bog. I'd like it to be completely watertight, if nothing else to keep nutrients from leaching in from the surrounding soil. I was wondering whether I actually needed a pond liner, or if a lower cost alternative such as a tarp would be suitable. I plan on using an underlayment of old carpeting, and lining three sides with it as well to protect against punctures and root intrusions. The fourth side presents a bit of a problem as there is a well established Hazelnut trained into a tree there, and Hazelnuts invented the term "suckering". I'm going to be piecing together some scraps of acrylic I have laying around to form an underground wall to keep it out. Thoughts on a liner substitution? And lastly as far as filling, I was considering going with a 6" layer of pure sand on the bottom covered by a 50/50 sand/peat mix. Any thoughts on this mix? Is there anything I can do to improve it? Any guidance or suggestions are more than welcome! TIA!