I am in the planning stages but anxious to plunge. I have a 6 year old cement trough approximately 3 ft deep, 3 ft wide and 7 ft long. Will the inevitable leaching of lime from the concrete affect plants in the middle or just those along the edges? (I've read that most of the smaller bog plants only need a foot or two of bog.) I'm thinking I could plant those more tolerant of basic conditions around the periphery. Or, must I put a liner in the trough?

I gather that well-water too might be overloaded with nutrients, however, I'm thinking we get enough rain water to easily saturate my bog in one winter then I'll plant in the spring.

Snow can insulate plants but we're subject to ice and the freeze/thaw cycle that frustrates plants as well as plant growers--does this mean I simply have to be careful with my choice of plants or does winter dormancy in bog plants protect them from ice at the crown? Does one ever mulch a bog garden for crown protection?