Bushes/plants for wet soil

20 years ago

I just moved into a new house. The backyard borders a tidal marsh. There's about a 10' strip of swamp grass separating the water from the back of my yard. There's a few really large Maple trees back which shade the area almost completely. During high tide, the back 5 feet or so of the property gets damp. (I haven't seen actual standing water, yet) Currently there's just some weeds and moss growing back there which I would like to replace with more attractive and maintenance free ground cover and bushes. I am looking for suggestions on bushes, plants or ground cover that can take the shade and damp soil. I also don't want anything that will grow so tall as to block out the swamp grass. There is some degree of salt in the soil due to the water being runoff from Long Island Sound if that matters to any of the plants. Also I am looking for bird friendly plants. I have nothing in mind so far, so sky's the limit on suggestions. Thanks.

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Comments (6)

nandina
20 years ago
rudy,
Sorry, I cannot think of any plant that will grow in your Zone in a tidal area that is constantly shaded. Belive it or not, roses will grow well in this type of situation if they receive at least half a day's sun.
vbain
20 years ago
See if you can find a natural park nearby which would have some conditionas the same as yours. Then, go and look to see what is growing there. If you grow native, you will have a chance to attract native birds and mammals. I'm sure your state will have a native plant association, and the library should have some books which would be helpful,
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rudysmallfry
Original Author
20 years ago
I'm pretty good with roses, but I thought they didn't like soggy conditions. That's a good idea about checking around town. Since the "soggy" ground is salt water instead of fresh, I'm sure that narrows the list considerably. Thanks
ScottReil_GD
20 years ago
Rudy there is a swamp rose that's native to our area that would work in wet, but roses for shade is a VERY short list. On the other hand, bayberry, arrowood viburnums, shrub dogwood, winterberry, beach plum and a host of others are all tolerant of brackish conditions and feed the birds as well. These may be a bit tall, but you could frame "windows" to the sound with the taller stuff and use low bush blueberry as the "windowsills", sheep laurel would be a good evergreen for the sills, and inkberry for the frames. I grew up in Old Lyme, and still kayak the marshes around the mouth of the Connecticut all the time, and all these plants are regulars there.
casey1gw
20 years ago
I grow lobelias, primulas, rodgersias, arums, petasites and astilbes. Whee I get a little more light I grow yellow flag irises.

Hedy
sunburygirl
20 years ago
I seen people put hostas in the shallow water of ponds. Winterberries, clethra (summersweet), dogwoods, Abelia x grandiflora and Itea virginica Henry's Garnet shrubs all like like damp soil and will like or tolerate some shade. Worth looking at. If you feel like the ground is still too wet, you might build up some beds a foot or so to provide better drainage. Take a look at the link below for a bunch of suggestions. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: shade and moisture loving plants