Question
Hello, I am starting this new adventure.  I have my 2 foot deep, kidney bean shaped, lined hole (almost) filled with washed sand and sphagnum peat moss.  I am going to be getting some sarracenias and vfts. My question is, what would be some companion plants for my, zone 5a garden, with full sun for 3/4ths of the day.  Thank you  Kathy

Answer
Hi Kathy,

Great to see that you're doing a bog garden.  In addition to Sarracenia and flytraps hardy sundews make great companion plants.  Ones such as Drosera filiformis, D. intermedia, D. rotundifolia will do well.  You may also be able to grow some of the fork-leaf sundews also.  I've had the Giant Staghorn (Drosera binata dichotoma) sundew survive potted in  our winters here in Oregon, so they may do well in a bog garden.  Hardy butterworts could also be grown slightly shaded by the larger Sarracenia.  Species such as Pinguicula vulgaris, P. macrocereas, and P. grandiflora.  P. caerulea has also proven to be fairly winter hardy.  Some non-carnivorous companion plants can be fun also such as American cranberry, Bog blueberry, Cinnamon fern and Bog orchids are also nice, but watch these since they can be invasive.  If you have a drip or trickle water source, you may be able to grow the Cobra plant (Darlingtonia californica) also.

Send us some pictures this summer.


Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com