With our recent winter – the wettest on record – and with the potential of a wetter summer and autumn, the soil has been almost constantly soggy this year. What can we grow in such conditions? Graham Clarke offers up 10 dramatic plant ideas for the damper recesses of the garden
As I sat down to write this feature, forecasters announced they are predicting a summer of persistent rain and wet weather for Britain. In fact, the Met Office has briefed the Government and transport chiefs to prepare for at least 50 days of rain in the next three months, leading to fears of further flooding in the UK, and dashing any hopes of a warm British summer. And all of this, of course, is on top of the winter and spring of 2024, the wettest we’ve had for decades.
The soil in my garden has not been truly dry since last summer! To lift somewhat dampened spirits, it is has been good to see particularly fine rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and many other early-flowering plants this year, which appreciated the swelling of their stems with moisture at just the right time.
Yes, there have been a handful of sunny days in between, but they have certainly not dried the soil in the way we’d normally expect. And while some plants like this, others do not like to languish in wet, claggy soil. Many of the Mediterranean plants, and herbs, and succulents, and silver-foliage plants and…well, let’s just say that a significant number of our staple garden plants do not appreciate such wet conditions.
So, if wet seasons are going to become more frequent, amidst the unpredictable extremes of weather, we should try to cater for this, by growing plants that also enjoy the damp. I’m not talking about growing plants in mud pits that get flooded on a regular basis, but I’m thinking of soil that remains damp throughout the year, but is otherwise free-draining. At certain times it may be damper than at others!
Fortunately, there are plenty of plants that thrive in these conditions. Generally speaking, these are ‘bog plants’, which have had a bad press over the years: they are not usually thought of as being colourful and dramatic. But this is so wrong, as they can be highly colourful and pleasing on the eye! Here are my top 10:
Arum italicum subsp. italicum ‘Marmoratum’
A stupidly long name for such a pretty plant! Attractive marbled leaves last throughout most of the year. In spring, these are accompanied by creamy white aroid flower spikes. Then, in autumn, rich orange-red berries are carried on the same spikes. If you have a semi-shaded spot, you must have this plant. Oh, and it is so good, the RHS have given
