DIY Network

Mini Bog Garden Mini Bog Garden From "Ask DIY Anything" episode DADA-207

Q: When I moved into my home there was an area where a pond had once been, but was no longer there. The area around it is very pretty. What can I do with this old pond to make it a focal point in the garden?

A: (from gardening expert Walter Reeves) What a great question! I have a great idea for that area! Since it was once a pond, take advantage of the situation and make a mini-bog. I’ll show you the steps for turning the area into a real focal point in your garden by adding a few bog plants and using a little ingenuity!

Lets get started!

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Mini-bog

1. First thing you do to get started is look at the area that you have. Is there still a pond liner there? If not, you may need to add one back in. If you do add one back in, you may want to consider putting a hole or two in it to re-create the slow drainage that would naturally occur in a bog.

2. Next, you want to add in your sand and peat moss. I recommend putting two to three inches of moist sand on the bottom. Then, fill with three parts peat moss to one part sand dampened. Then, add your plants.

3. Finally, you add water...and you need to keep it moist, not necessarily wet.

Bog plants

Water lily
Water lettuce
Caladium
Flat leaved rush
Scouring rush