Hi everyone! Just linked to this thread for someone looking for "wet area" plants, and it was interesting to read through it again. I've been working on this garden, and it is coming along - slowly, lol. I wanted to once again thank everyone who contributed every idea in this thread, because every idea was investigated and researched and they all helped me - and they are *still* helping me, as I plant this area. I've planted two Winter Red ilexes on either side of the shed, with a male pollinator stuck in there temporarily till I find it's permanent spot. I've planted two each of clethra Ruby Spice, itea Henry's Garnet, cornus alba Ivory Halo, with one more of each to be added. Also, two cimicifuga White Pearl (although I'm suspicious that one is not a White Pearl!), a buttonbush, a viburnum Winterthur, marsh marigold (loving these!), lobelia cardinalis (gorgeous color!) and siphilitica, and lots of irises - Japanese, Siberian, and Lousiana. I've even started a bit on the left side, planting two salix that were generously given to me by fellow gardeners here on the forums, and sticking some siberian irises there after dividing a huge clump that was existing in the right-side garden. Oh, and some ligularia Brit Marie seedlings that were donated. :) I've also noticed some wild purple asters on the left side, which I will mark for future use, as well as some kind of eupatorium which will be moved to the left side. So, it is coming along nicely if slowly, and I have you all to thank for it. I will post some pictures either at the end of the season or next season to show you all your handiwork, lol! THANKS! :) Dee

If I recall, you asked about plants for other areas of you sister's yard a year or two ago. If you have started her plantings, would you be willing to post some photos? Adding organic matter to the bed will help even out moisture as will mulch to make this a more successful garden. Here are some plants (some of which are natives so should be relatively easy) that are happy in a damp area. Many of these Dee mentioned, but here are comments based on my experience growing them. Shrubs: - Rhododendron viscosum (swamp azalea) has white to pink early summer flowers (just fading now) which are vanilla scented. This will only flower if it gets at least some sun. It gets some fall color also. Native - Clethra alnifolia (Sweet pepperbush or summersweet) has spikes of white to pink late summer flowers and clear yellow fall color. Some of the selections of the species are better than others for impact: Ruby Spice has pink flowers or Anne Bidwell sports clusters of white spikes or Sixteen Candles is compact with large white spikes. Flowers better in more sun, but tolerant of sun, shade, wet or dry. Some varieties will sucker. Native - Ilex verticillata (winterberry deciduous holly) has showstopping fall to early winter scarlet berries on bare branches, but needs at least half day sun to flower and berry well. Winter Red holds the berries the longest, according to research I've read and is the variety I grow, though only now getting large enough to berry. They may sucker some. Be sure to plant the appropriate male in an unobtrusive place in order to get berries. Native - High bush blueberries like some extra moisture, but not standing water, so could be planted in the less wet areas. Spring flowers, berries, fall color. Native - I think any of the shrubby dogwoods are pretty tolerant of wet feet and you can find them with various shades of red or gold twigs for winter interest as well as with variegated foliage. some native, some not, but all easy. Some will sucker. - There are various dwarf (4-12 feet rather than 30 feet) forms of Thuja occidentalis, eastern white cedar AKA arborvitae which grows in swamps if you want some evergreen interest. Deer like this if you have many of them . I haven't had any issues with them being eaten by deer. Native - Andromeda polifolia (bog rosemary) is a lovely low-growing evergreen, but can be fussy if it doesn't get even moisture and organic, acid soil. It is fine with part sun and has pink bells in spring and narrow, bluish foliage. Native - Ledum groenlandicum AKA Rhododendron groenlandicum (Laborador tea) is a low-growing plant with leathery leaves and clusters of small white flowers in spring. Native - Rosa palustris is a native wetland rose with single pink flowers in early summer and nice scent. The hips are decorative also. Native Perennials: - Caltha palustris (marsh marigold) has bright yellow spring flowers in wet areas, and the foliage will die back in summer if it's dry. It seems to do well in some shade since it grows and blooms largely before the trees leaf out. Native - Osmunda cinnamonea & O. clatoniana (cinnamon & interrupted ferns) both provide statuesque foliage for shade to part sun. They tolerate wet soil, but are happy if the soil is normal moisture also as long as it doesn't get both sunny and very dry. Native - Osmunda regalis (royal fern) is a tall lacy wetland fern with beautiful clear yellow fall foliage and requires wet soil all the time. Native - Veratrum viride (false hellebore) has large, pleated foliage that would make a good hosta substitute and needs to be in a wet area. Everywhere I know that this grows is in the shade. I've never seen it at a regular nursery, but you might find it at a wetland mitigation nursery or specialist nursery for wetland plants. Native - Camassia is a PNW native that likes moisture and has blue spring flowers. It can be purchased through good bulb suppliers like Brent and Becky's Bulbs www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/ For late summer bloom, there are several large statuesque plants, including Eupatoriums and Veronias, but all need at least half day sun and are happiest in full sun. all native Eupatorium purpureum (now renamed by botanists as Eupatoriadelphus maculatus, common name joe pye weed) has clusters of mauvy purple fringy flowers in late summer. Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset) has similar clusters of white flowers in August. Veronia has deeper purple flowers. Vernonia fasciculata (prairie ironweed) is tolerant of moist and dry conditions as is V. noveboracensis (New York ironweed.) - Iris versicolor (blueflag iris) is a native iris that I've seen blooming in full shade. It will bloom better in some sun. (As a side note, don't plant Iris pseudacorus, yellow flag, as it is an non-native that is invasive in wetlands.) Japanese and Siberian irises are happy with wet soil and will be fully hardy for you since I can grow them about an hour north of you. I'm not sure if Louisiana iris is hardy enough since I've seen various assessments of hardiness, but not grown them. - Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) is a native that grows along streams and river banks, but will also grow in ordinary garden soil. I'd avoid Lobelia syphilitica (great blue lobelia) because IME it is a rampant self-seeder unless one always deadheads; ten or so years ago I removed them from by garden, but I am still finding volunteers in the garden, the lawn, the gravel drive, etc. - Clematis viriginiana grows along the steam on the floodplain in wet soil here, so should be fine for you. It will bloom less in less than full sun, but as long as it has more than 5 hours of sun should be fine. It has lots of tiny white flowers in late summer, sort of like sweet autumn clematis. - Clematis crispa is also native to swampy areas and has smaller bell-shaped flowers in shades of white and light lavender and mauve. - Clematis glaucophylla has pink and cream bells and also is native to lowlands along streams. Here is a site that will give you information about some of these native (though not all to NH) clematis: http://www.clematisviorna.info/ and here is a place that often carries some of these clematis http://www.gardenvines.com/. (You can request to be informed via email when they are back in stock since they are all currently out.) I tend to grow these small-flowered clematis near large shrubs so they can climb and ramble around whatever is nearby. They seem to play well with others as long as I let the shrubs get well-established first, so I tend to plant my clematis after the shrubs are 2 or 3 years old. They will also grow on a traditional obelisk or trellis. All want to get cut to about a foot sometime during the non-growing season, though they will do fine if not cut back, just will bloom higher on the plant. My favorite ground cover for average to wet garden soil and full shade to full sun is common cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon. It is another native, with tiny evergreen leaves, equally tiny pink flowers, and startlingly large red berries which persist until spring. It weaves well among other plants and never get taller than about 4 inches, though it may spread 2 or 3 feet in all directions, rooting as it spreads. It doesn't smother other plants, so it's a great groundcover to plant, though it will need mulch to prevent weeds coming up through it. It is denser in more sun.

Gottagarden, I have to dig them up yet. I was hesitant with some of the heat and dryness we've had. I've got some that are a mystery, the bed is mostly light pink short, but has a few multi mckana's giant in it; the backyard has three or four different shorter purples, any of which might have multiplied. I've got a couple barlow bordeaux that I have to see if they seeded (still want the parents) and some black barlow that it will hurt to bring because I have a really strong liking for them and limited amount, but could do if you wanted one. I have purple or white grannys bonnet varieties in a bed by the driveway, not sure if there are more of those and can't identify which color it would be. I'll definitely bring a couple different ones now that I know there's some interest!

They will grow to full size quickly once they start growing, but when it gets really hot they start to brown & crisp up around the edges. Tall bearded iris can look pretty rough in July & August, their dormant period, & then green up again in the fall. Again, a few varieties of bearded iris can look pretty good even in the heat, others can look downright awful. Of course, I'm talking about what I see here in KY. I think you are much farther north than me so they may all look much nicer in the summer. Siberian & Louisiana iris look pretty good all season, I don't get as much bloom from those though.