While many plants succumb to rotten roots in soil that rarely dries out, others are very well suited to it. The key to converting a problem wet spot (e.g., ditch, pond margin, or soggy patch of lawn) into a beautiful oasis is selecting the right plants.
The following perennials adapt well to consistently damp sites because their natural habitats include moist meadows and wetland margins:
Arrowhead (Sagittaria)*
Astilbe
Astilboides
Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon)
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)
Burnet (Sanguisorba)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)
Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia)
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia)
Darmera
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus, Iris versicolor)
Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis)
Globe Flower (Trollius)
Gold Alexanders (Zizia)
Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos)
Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana)
Ironweed (Vernonia)
Japanese Iris (Iris ensata)
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium)
Leopard’s Bane (Doronicum)
Ligularia
Lizard’s Tail (Saururus cernuus) *
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) *
Meadow Rue (Thalictrum)
Meadowsweet (Filipendula)
Monk's Hood (Aconitum)
Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) *
Pigsqueak (Bergenia)
Primrose (Primula)
Rodger's Flower (Rodgersia)
Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
Rush (Juncus)
Sedge (Carex)
Siberian Iris (Iris sibiricus)
Spiderwort (Tradescantia)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Sweet Flag (Acorus)
Turtlehead (Chelone)
*These plants are suitable for planting in standing water and are available seasonally in the pond supply section of our greenhouse.