Need plant suggestions

[ruthcatrin]

Alright peoples, I need ideas.


We're digging up the horseshoe pits that were put in by the former owners, and I'm thinking I want to plant something in those spots.


I want something that flowers (berries or no doesn't matter), but that either isn't fast growing or that will stay less than 10ft in height.


I'd prefer no thorns. But if you show me something that's otherwise perfect I'll tolerate thorns.


It MUST be tolerant down to USDA zone 5 and I'd prefer zone 4 tolerant.


It MUST be tolerant of having "wet feet". We have a very high water-table here, and if I dug a hole a foot deep right now the bottom couple inches would be full of water.

 

[ruthcatrin]

For those if you who aren't familier with the USDA zones that means that the plants MUST be tolerant down to extreme temps of -20(F) or -28.9(C), and I'd prefer tolerant to extreme temps of -30(F) or -34.4(C). Yes, those temps suck, but thats what we experienced last winter, and we did not actually break any records last winter for extreme cold.

 

[Sadies Mom]

How much sun exposure would the plants get?

 

[ruthcatrin]

One is full sun, the other is somewhere between partial and full sun

 

[Sadies Mom]

Siberian or Japanese Iris, Ligularia, Cardinal Flower, Forget-me-not, Japanese Primrose, Spiderwort, Marsh Marigold, Hydrangea and Swamp Milkweed to name a few.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Hmm, hydrangea might work, didn't think of them.....