Gardening for moist areas is usually taken for granted as most plants tolerate wet soil for short periods of time. As we know, our spring thaw often produces a great deal of moisture in gardens. But, for areas that are like this all year round, certain moisture-loving plant species should be selected for optimal beauty and survival. The information that follows is useful when determining the types of planting you want in your perpetually moist garden.
SHADE TREE
| Red Maple | Acer Rubrum and Cultivars |
| Silver Maple | Acer Saccharinum |
| Alders | Alnus Species |
| River Birch | Betual Nigra |
| Pin Oak | Quercus Palustris |
| Willow | Salix Species |
EVERGREEN TREES
| Weeping False Cypress | Chamaecyparis |
| White Cedar | Thuja Occidentalis |
SHRUBS
| Chokeberry | Aronia Species |
| Button Bush | Cephalanthus |
| Redwig Dogwood | Cornus Sericea |
| Winterberry | Ilex Verticillata |
| Spice Bush | Lindera Benzoin |
| Pussy Willow | Salix |
| Elder | Sambucus Varieties |
| Witherod | Viburnum Cassinoides |
FERNS
| Leather Wood | Dryopteris Margunalis |
| Toothed Wood | Dryopteris Spinulosa |
| Marsh Fern | Dryopteris Thelypteris |
| Ostrich Fern | Matteuccia Struthiopteris |
| Sensitive Fern | Onoclea Sensibilis |
| Cinnamon Fern | Osmunda Cinnamonea |
| Royal Fern | Osmunda Regalis |
| Virginian Chain | Woodwardia Virginica |
HARDY PERENNIALS
The following perennials are all moisture tolerant and provide a better choice for poolside or boggy plantings:
| Monkshood | Aconitum |
| Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Arisaema Triphyllum |
| Wild Ginger | Asarum Canadense |
| Astilbe | Astilbe Varieties |
| Turtle Head | Chelone |
| Lily of the Valley | Convallaria Majalis |
| Foxglove | Digitalis |
| Joe-Pye Weed | Eupatorium Purpureum |
| Meadow Sweet | Filipendula Vulgaris |
| Daylily | Hemerocallis |
| Hollyhock | Hollyhock – Alcea Officinalis |
| St. John’s Wort | Hypericum |
| Lupine | Lupinus ‘Russell Hybrid’ |
| Bee Balm | Monarda Varieties |
| Forget-Me-Not | Myosotis |
| Solomon’s Seal | Polygonatum |
| Foamflower | Tiarella Cordifolia |
