In my horticulture class I'd thought about doing a bog garden design for my final project, but one of the requirements was to have "all season" interest. At the time, I couldn't think of anything to provide winter interest to the bog garden so I chose another project (I must admit, I didn't spend too many brain cells on it trying either)

Anyway, I think these photos do a good job of detailing winter interest in a bog garden; although I must admit that my own white tops don't look as good as that right now...

Lonnie

Are your Venus's flytraps frozen under there? What do you do about mulching?

Once again, I did not finish my bog. For those of you keeping track at home, I started digging the hole in April of 2004. The exact date is seared into my wife's brain. Actually, all of the peat, sand and pine needles are in, I just need to do the edging and put the plants in. They are hanging out in the garage this winter.
Bob

"Are your Venus's flytraps frozen under there? What do you do about mulching? "

Yes they're under there, they have been freed as of this morning. 55º expected today and almost 2 inches of rain last night. Very strange weather!

These plants have seen worse in previous winters although not this early in the season. As for mulch the burlap tarp goes on this weekend and gets covered with pine needles. I tried some plione this year and intended to invert plastic pots over them, mulch heavily and cross fingers but.... oh well, I'm sure those babies have had it. I usually wait 'til after christmas and use the christmas tree branches and garlands my wife gets so things don't get matted down. W/ the cold temps early this season I think I better get a move on.

Sal, get that bog done man! Sounds like you're 3/4 of the way there. Bogs are way more fun when full of plants;o)

Down here, I just use pine needles to cover my flytraps.

KWoods, So you've tried the pliones too? Here in virginia I've not had any luck out doors, but they make a nice potted plant and the flowers are incredible.

I think the temperature extremes do them in. I think in zone 7 on the west coast they'd do just fine, but here they haven't a chance. That said, I'd love to hear from someone who can prove me wrong... (and how they did it)

BTW, there is a new book out (and on my christmas list) about growing hardy orchids printed by Timber Press. I suspect it'll become an important book for lots of us bog gardeners, since I've not seen anything else out there adequately dealing with the topic.

The Tullock book is very good. I think the Mathis book is very, very, very good.

Plione flowered and got HUGE this summer so it liked it's spot. 13º ? At least there was snow cover but... yeah, I think it's deader than a doornail.... we'll see come spring. Guess in retrospect I should have popped off some of those new keikos(? I think they are called or is that just epiphytes?) it kicked out and potted them up in a cool protected spot. I'll probably try again next spring anyway and this time stick to my winter mulching plan, or maybe we won't have way below average temps this early next year.

Thanks, I just looked up the Mathis book. Hmmm, well if I don't get the other for Christmas then I'll know what buy myself... In your opinion what made the Mathis book a better resource?

BTW, where did you get the pleones, and what species did you use? Mine perished via voles (who evidently find them quite tasty) and I'd love to get some more this spring, but the company I'd used before is closed (Red's). I'll also be especially interested to see if yours survive. It would be an awesome flower to succeed with outdoors. How were yours grown? (PH, light, etc.)

I just think the Mathis book is more of a concise, practical manual. Just 100 pages but packed w/ info. The Tullock book is very good also. No reason not to treat yourself to both ;o)

The Pleione was/is formosana. I remember trying to find an inexpensive source so it may have been from somewhere as pedestrian as Parks. I picked up other things from a few places that carry them so not quite sure. I hesitate to check my reciepts from this past spring, might scare me. Used a 50/20/30 mix of peat/perlite/sand. I hate seeing the perlite so I always top off w/ a bit of peat/sand/uncut sphagnum. I remember using a bit of left over pine bark fines and charcoal in that mix too. Part shade, neutral ph, well drained. Seemed to not mind the soil drying out a bit between waterings w/ 1/2 strength fertlizer, watered it only sparingly. Flowered, kicked out new pseudo bulbs and a couple baby/bulbil/rooty things on top. I'll miss it if it's gone but.... oh well, just gotta keep experimenting. Maybe a mini cold frame would work..... I think a dry dorancy might be real important w/ this one, as is true w/ so many things. Good Luck!

Those photos really make me anxious to get back home (recouping from surgery downstate). I have seen the same plant in my woodland edges. I'm wondering if they are up yet...I had always seen them after a thaw. I don't remember seeing them with snow on the ground.

Now I can hardley wait to go home and check the area I saw them in the past. Spring fever is really getting to me now. So far it seems my surgery will help lighten the back/neck pain. I really am excited to see what gardening I can do now that I couldn't before!!!!

Love your photos!!!

Nancy,

I think you might be mixing these plants up with Jack in the Pulpit. It is a common mistake. The real big difference is that in pitcher plants the pitcher is actually a leaf while for Jack In The Pulpit, the "pitchers" are actually flowers. See below:

Also, you shouldn't see this flower until mid spring, so you probably wouldn't have seen them with snow on the ground (or at least that'd be true in Virginia).

Not meaning to correct you Yarthkin but just because I think it is interesting the Jack's inflorescence is made up of spathe and spadix and is not technically a flower. The spathe is the leaf covering and the spadix is the spike. The spadix is covered in a mass of tiny "flowers" which, if the plant decides to be female that year, will turn into bright red berries.

Hah! Well, I suppose I stand corrected. Okay, I suppose I should have said inflorescense.

Incidentally, I grow Amorphophallus titanium which has one of the largest inflorescenes in the world. (Kinda stinky too!) Looks a bit like a really HUGE Jack in the Pulpit.

Lonnie

Very cool Lonnie!

I grow A. dunni, bulbifer, konjac, asterostigmatus, variabilis and a couple others. Good luck with the titanum! How long have you had it?

It's only a seedling. That said, seedlings are about the same size as an adult of another species! Actually I got it from Rob Sacillato (Botanique) when visiting his nursery one day. He just gave it to me! (What a cool guy!)

Anyway, I suspect I have about fifteen more years to go. Maybe my grandkids will get to see it bloom! It's still a nifty plant though, even if it never get to blooming size.

I have a few other species too. I believe one of my A. konjacs is going to bloom this year.

I've seen them both in different areas of my property. They look nothing alike to me. I have such a micro-habitat in my "woods". The "woods" part is actually only the transistion from the peaty/wet area to the "field" and is a thin line. Behind the line of trees/bushes it is open black peaty soil with moss growing over. Trees that fell years ago when I was a kid are still slowly being covered by the mossy carpet. That is where the wildflower plants are!

My appologies, many people confuse pitcherplants with Jack-in-the-pulpit so I tend to be sceptical.

It was paticularly your comment that you didn't know if they were "up yet" which made me think they weren't pitcher plants. In Michigan, the only species you have natively, Sarracenia purpurea, usually holds its leaves all winter long (although they can become somewhat tattered looking) and it doesn't make new leaves until late spring after the flowers bloom. Also you described them as being on the edge of the woods when usually they'd be in full sun. In addition, you said you had the "same plant", which could only be literally true if someone planted it, since that particular species comes only from the very far south.

If you do have purple pitcher plants, then they do indeed look very different from Jack-In-The-Pulpit. If they are in part sun, I'd actually recommend the you selectively cut a few trees and shrubs to give them more light; otherwise there is a chance they will decline and die over time.