Soggy foggy

Once the rains start everything just stays wet.  When it is foggy even the air is soggy.  I moved a few plants and the ground is a soggy mess, especially where there is a cover of leaves.  Ew, two or three inches of gooshy partially decayed leaves!  Anyway, the way the ground holds water in winter, and never has a chance to dry out, means plants that come tagged 'need good drainage' probably are not a good bet here.  I am trying some of them in pots, hoping they might get better drainage.  I currently have a chocolate cosmos snugged up against the house to keep it from getting too cold.  It did just fine over the hot summer, in a bit of shade, but I have lost several in winter.  Hopefully the pot is the answer.  Next I think I will try bleeding heart.  The sun is shining through the fog this morning; it looks like a good day for farmer's market and working in the garden.