Any chance you could fill in the area so that water did not drain in and you could have one thing growing all year long?

I'm a bit surprised that cardinal flower didn't grow well for you there as it grows happily along a river bank here where the water levels fluctuate enough that it is under water in the spring and fairly dry in late summer. I have also seen it blooming in full shade along a steam. Was yours the true native or a garden center variety? What other plants have you tried? Is there some sun in your wet area or is it all day deep shade? Here are some natives that are happy at a wetland edge. I'm giving you shrubs as well as some herbaceous perennials. Be sure you know your soil pH and whether it fulfills the plants' requirements since I live in an area of acid soils, but I don't know your pH. - Rhododendron viscosum (swamp azalea) has white to pink early summer flowers which are vanilla scented. This will only flower if it gets at least some sun. - Clethra alnifolia (Sweet pepperbush or summersweet) has spikes of white to pink late summer flowers. Some of the selections of the species are better than others for impact: 'Ruby Spice' has pink flowers, 'Anne Bidwell' sports clusters of white spikes and 'Sixteen Candles' is compact with large white spikes. Clethra flowers better in more sun, but is tolerant of sun, shade, wet or dry and will flower at least some in all these conditions. - 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 is only now getting large enough to berry. Be sure to plant the appropriate male in an unobtrusive place in order to get berries. - 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. - Osmunda cinnamonea & O. clatoniana (cinnamon & interrupted ferns) both provide statuesque foliage for shade. They tolerate wet soil, but are happy if the soil is normal moisture also. - Osmunda regalis (royal fern) is a tall lacy wetland fern with beautiful clear yellow fall foliage and requires wet soil all the time. I've seen it in sun and shade. - 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. 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. - 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.) There may be others local to you that work well. - 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.) Side note on "bogs" and other wetlands since Ken added comments about this . . . Technically bogs are a year-round wet area with a low pH and virtually no flow, unlike the way this term is often used. They grow plants such as sphagnum moss, pitcher plants, and native cranberries. It is common around here to have seasonally flooded wetlands, either vernal pools which are flooded in spring but dry up in summer, or areas which flood after rainstorms for a few hours or days. Some wetland fringes are underwater in wet times but quite dry in low rain times. Any type of seasonally wet area tends to be difficult growing conditions as there are a limited number of plants which like being submerged at the beginning of the growing season but also are happy if they are bone dry in August.

I have such an area. It does go dry in the mid-summer. There is lawn presently growing on it - weeds included. Really 'mushy' in the spring, sometimes I have to wear my rubber boots or just avoid the area until mid-July. We are being careful about what we plant in this area. So far we have left most of the lawn, but I'm eating it up with gardens a bit at a time. Two small trees/shrubs we have planted are the Rubykins Willow, and the Orange Twigged Willow. The well is close, but it's an artesian well which goes down quite deep. If it was a dug well, those trees would not be there. Also, the trees are about 20 feet from the foundation of the house, but you are right in assuming that the nature of the roots of such shrubs/trees is to stay where the water is. I would steer clear of a weeping willow. My mother once told me that if I ever wish to imagine the root system of a tree, just look at a mature tree above ground and imagine that part being underground. When looking at a mature weeping willow, that's a scary thought although the tree is quite beautiful and majestic. There are lots of smaller willows out there, including pussy willows which are nice. Another tree which likes water is the Poplar - but check it out first, again for the 'root' thing.

Frivolous, that's rough. I feel for you. Impatiens do great in hanging baskets, by the way. I have more shade than I would like and those impatiens baskets are a colorful Godsend. There are some very pretty coleus. They aren't all green leaves, so you might want to check on them. I'm no expert on flowers, but I know there are some irises that do very well indeed in wet conditions. I don't see why you couldn't put them in pots if you think you'll be in your current location for a while. How about some rhodies and azaleas? Plant 'em high. Tulips, grape hyacinths, etc. do well in pots, and the upside is after they die back, you can plant around them. They will take as much sun as you can give them though. Pansies are so hardy and they will take lots of abuse. So colorful and pretty. Terrific in pots. They do pretty well in shade. If you go back to that garden center, you might ask the person on duty about native plants that would do well under your conditions. Perhaps there is a native plant society in your area? Do keep in mind the hanging baskets. If there is any spot that gets even a little sun, (a fence, garden wall, even some area under a tree that gets some sun, you can hang a basket.) Good luck. Mary