For shrubs I recommend Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' (Virginia sweetspire), white blooms in spring, garnet colored foliage in autumn.
There are a number of iris that will work including Louisiana iris. Yellow flag iris will do well but is very aggressive in a situation where the soil stays damp. Deciduous hollies have brilliant red berries all winter and will thrive in this spot.
Pitcher plants come to mind. We used to have a swampy area in my dads back yard and there were a lot of pitcher plants growing in that swampy soil. They help you out too because they consume bugs as part of their diet and don't just live on the soil.
Erica as usual excellent suggestions! You could also add (depending on space considerations zone, and sunlight available ) Trees- Little Gem Magnolia, Pond Cypress, Bald Cypress Riverbirch. Shrubs- Twig Dogwoods(deciduous), Inkberry Holly, Elderberry, Witchhazel (likes SOME moisture). Perennials- Butterfly Weed, Cardinal Flower, Swamp Hibiscus, Joe Pie Weed, Horsetail (be careful with that one - it can get wayyy out of control) Ground cover- Creeping Jenny, Acorus,
Just make sure not to site large trees such as river birch or Bald cypress close to your house or another structure as they can become quite large. The shrubs like Itea, Inkberry holly, and perennials such as Japanese Iris (Iris kaempferi) and Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower) will work well.
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I forgot to mention a native shrub called Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).
Another great shrub for a wet site is red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea), whose branches take on brilliant color as the weather turns colder. They make a beautiful show in winter when planted in drifts of mixed color (from yellow to peach to bright red depending on the cultivar). Cut the oldest stems to the ground each year to keep the color coming as it is most vibrant on young branches.
There are a number of iris that will work including Louisiana iris. Yellow flag iris will do well but is very aggressive in a situation where the soil stays damp. Deciduous hollies have brilliant red berries all winter and will thrive in this spot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kew.garden... ...»
You can get some good information on them via this link.
Just make sure not to site large trees such as river birch or Bald cypress close to your house or another structure as they can become quite large. The shrubs like Itea, Inkberry holly, and perennials such as Japanese Iris (Iris kaempferi) and Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower) will work well. ...»
I forgot to mention a native shrub called Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).