Plants for wet patches

Q: We are in Langley and have landscaped our front yard without grass. We have a wet patch in one section and are having a hard time finding plants that like it there. We had boxwoods there but eventually we had to replant them since they were not thriving. We are looking for a bush that gets about 2′ tall and has some flowers if possible. Any ideas are welcomed.

Since you are looking for something that stays below 2 feet, I’ve compiled a list of perennials as most shrubs get larger than 2 feet tall. In moist soil, all will thrive in sun or part shade, except as noted. Those with an asterisk (*) tolerate standing water.

Perennials
Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ * golden variegated sweetflag [evergreen]
Adiantum aleuticum western maidenhair fern (part shade or shade)
Anemone nemorosa wood anemone [dormant in summer]
Astilbe (all)* astilbe
Bergenia species and cultivars [evergreen]
Blechnum penna-marina alpine water fern [evergreen]
Blechnum spicant deer fern [evergreen]
Caltha palustris* marsh marigold (sun)
Carex ‘Ice Dance’* variegated sedge [evergreen]
Carex elata ‘Aurea’ bowles’ golden sedge
Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’* variegated japanese sedge [evergreen]
Dryopteris wallichiana wallich’s wood fern
Erythronium revolutum pink fawn lily [dormant in summer]
Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ yellow fawn lily [dormant in summer]
Gunnera manicata giant rhubarb
Hemerocallis daylily
Hosta (all) (‘June’ and ‘Sum and Substance’ are slug resistant)
Iris ensata and cultivars* Japanese iris
Iris laevigata and cultivars Japanese iris
Iris versicolor blue flag
Ligularia dentata* golden groundsel (morning sun, afternoon shade)
Lobelia cardinalis cardinal flower
Luzula nivea snowy woodrush
Luzula sylvatica greater woodrush
Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ * golden creeping jenny  [evergreen]
Matteuccia struthiopteris ostrich fern
Mimulus cardinalis* scarlet monkey flower
Osmunda cinnamomea cinnamon fern
Osmunda regalis and cultivars* royal fern
Polystichum munitum western sword fern [evergreen]
Polystichum polyblepharum Japanese tassel fern [evergereen]
Polysticum setiferum cultivars soft shield fern [evergreen]
Primula beesiana* candelabra primrose
Primula bulleyana* candelabra primrose
Primula denticulata* drumstick primrose
Primula elatior* oxlip
Primula japonica and cultivars* japanese primrose
Rodgersia pinnata* rodgersia
Scrophularia auriculata ‘Variegata’* water figwort
Thalictrum delavayi ‘Hewitt’s Double’ double meadow rue
Viola glabella stream violet
Waldsteinia ternata barren strawberry [evergreen]
Zantedeschia aethiopica  calla lily (sun) [evergreen in mild winters]

If you feel you have room for a larger plant, here are some shrubs.

Aronia arbutifolia red chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa black chokeberry
Aronia × prunifolia purple chokeberry
Calycanthus floridus Carolina allspice
Clethra alnifolia sweet pepperbush
Cornus alba and cultivars* redtwig dogwood
Cornus stolonifera and cultivars* red osier dogwood
Lonicera involucrata black twinberry
Myrica californica california wax myrtle [evergreen]
Physocarpus opulifolius and cultivars ninebark
Salix discolor* pussy willow
Salix purpurea* arctic willow
Sambucus nigra black elderberry
Sambucus racemosa red elderberry
Sorbaria sorbifolia false spirea
Vaccinium corymbosum high bush blueberry