Totally agree on buttonbush—it's been a solid choice in my projects too. A couple extra points from experience:
- Works great as a natural privacy screen without getting invasive.
- Surprisingly low-maintenance; haven't had to fuss over pruning or fertilizing much.
- One minor downside: it can look a bit scraggly in winter, but honestly, the trade-off is worth it.
Wish I'd discovered it sooner myself... would've saved some headaches with stubborn roots and drainage issues.
Buttonbush has definitely been a lifesaver on some of my flood-prone projects too. The scraggly winter look never bothered me much—kind of fits the natural vibe anyway. But speaking of drainage headaches, have you tried pairing it with other moisture-loving plants? I've had decent luck mixing in swamp milkweed and joe-pye weed to add some color and variety. They seem to handle the wet conditions pretty well without competing too aggressively.
One thing I'm still figuring out though is ground cover options that won't drown or rot out in consistently soggy areas. Tried creeping jenny once, but it got a bit too enthusiastic for my liking. Curious if anyone's found something reliable that's not overly invasive...?
Good call on swamp milkweed—I’ve had solid results with that too. A few other ground covers I've found reliable in soggy spots:
- Marsh marigold: brightens things up early spring, handles standing water well.
- Sensitive fern: spreads gently, not invasive, and seems pretty tolerant of flooding.
- Blue flag iris: not exactly a ground cover, but clumps nicely and thrives in wet soils.
Creeping jenny got away from me too...lesson learned there.
Swamp milkweed has been a lifesaver for me too, especially after my own creeping jenny fiasco. That stuff seemed so harmless at first, didn't it? Then suddenly it's everywhere...lesson definitely learned.
Sensitive fern is another great suggestion. I planted some about three years ago near a downspout area that always floods after heavy rain. At first, I wasn't sure it'd make it—looked pretty sad and droopy the first season—but now it's thriving and spreading just enough to fill in without taking over. Marsh marigold sounds tempting too; I've seen it around but never tried it myself. Might have to give it a shot next spring.
One thing I've noticed with flood-prone areas is patience really pays off. Some plants take their sweet time settling in, but once they do, they're usually there for good. Sounds like you're on the right track already.
"Some plants take their sweet time settling in, but once they do, they're usually there for good."
Couldn't agree more. I remember planting blue flag iris near a client's backyard pond—first year was a total dud, barely any blooms. But now? It's gorgeous and handles flooding like a champ. Patience definitely pays off...
