Marginal Plants
All our marginal plants are naturally grown at our nursery and are perfect for adding vibrancy to your pond.
Acorus calamus Variegatus - Variegated Sweet Flag
A semi-evergreen, upright perennial marginal water plant with slender erect foliage. Tangerine scented leaves with cream variegation.
Flower: Green burr
Flowering time: June to July
Planting depth: 0-12cm ( 0-5in)
Height: Up to 60cm (24in)
Acorus gramineus Variegatus - Variegated Dwarf Rush
A pretty foliage plant, the leaves are brightly striped with green and pale cream. Leaves grow out in attractive fan shapes, contrasting nicely with other marginals.
Planting depth: 0-10cm (0-4in)
Height: Up to 30cm (12in)
Alisma parviflorum - American Water Plantain
Sprays of tall white flowers compliment the strong oval leaves of this compact variety of water plantain.
Flower: Rose-white
Flowering time: July to August
Planting depth: 6-13cm (3-5in)
Height: Up to 45cm (18in)
Alisma plantago - Water Plantain
This native water plantain produces strong clumps of large stalked leaves with panicles of small delicate pink-white flowers borne above the leaves.
Flower: Pink or white
Flowering time: July to August
Planting depth: 0-30cm (0-12in)
Height: to 60cm (24in)
Butomus umbellatus - Flowering Rush
A British native plant with upright grassy leaves with stems bearing fragrant pink flowers in late summer.
Flower: Pink
Flowering time: Late summer
Height: Up to 1.5 metres
Spread: Up to 0.5 metres
Caltha palustris - Marsh Marigold
Native to Britain, this deciduous perennial marginal plant has rounded dark leaves and clusters of cup-shaped, bright yellow flowers in early spring.
Flower: Yellow
Flowering time: Early spring
Planting depth: 0-10cm
Caltha palustris Alba - White Marsh Marigold
Deciduos perennial marginal water plant with heart shaped dark green leaves and buttercup like white flowers in spring.
0-5cm planting depth
Still to slow water flow
Prefers full sun
Caltha polypetala - Giant Marsh Marigold
Erect stems with serrated leaves. Plant in medium container, using aquatic soil, covering with pea gravel. Place on marginal shelf. Trim decaying foliage in Autumn.
Flower: Yellow
Flowering time: March to May, August to October
Planting depth: 0-10cm (0-4in) of water
Height: Up to 23cm (9in)
Cyperus alternifolius - Umbrella Plant
Large umbels of leaves and sprays of brown seeds on tall stems.
Flower: brown seed-like
Flowering time: July to September
Height: Up to 1 metre
Equisetum japonica - Barred Horsetail
Tall, upright hollow stems jointed with black bands. A native British evergreen perennial suited to boggy areas or in up to 10cm of water.
Height: up to 2.5 metres
Spread: up to 1 metre
Equisetum scirpoides - Horsetail
Slender jointed reed-like stems forming in clumps. An evergreen perennial best suited in bogs or shallow margins of a pond.
Height: up to 50cm
Spread: up to 1 metre
Houttuynia cordata - Chameleon Plant
Green heart-shaped leaves with white flower. Plant in medium container using aquatic soil covered with pea gravel.
Flower: White
Flowering time: July to August
Planting depth: 0-5cm (0-2in)
Height: Up to 30cm (12in)
Houttuynia cordata Variegata - Variegated Chameleon Plant
The wonderful variegations of colour in the foliage make this a most attractive plant throughout the growing season. The heart shaped leaves are green splashed with yellow, pink and red. Plant in medium container using aquatic soil covered with pea gravel.
Flower: White
Flowering time: July to August
Planting depth: 0-5cm (12in)
Height: Up to 30cm (12in)
Iris pseudacorus - Yellow Flag Iris
Tall perennial iris with bright yellow flowers borne on tall stems. Good for boggy areas or partial submersion.
Flower: Yellow
Flowering time: Summer
Height: Up to 1.5 metres
Spread: Up to 1.5 metres
Planting depth: 0 – 20cm
Still to medium water flow. Full sun to flower well
Iris pseudacorus Variegata - Variegated Yellow Flag Iris
Tall perennial iris with bright yellow flowers borne on tall stems and long leaves striped with yellow. Good for boggy areas or partial submersion.
Flower: Yellow
Flowering time: Summer
Height: Up to 1.5 metres
Spread: Up to 1.5 metres
Planting depth: 0 – 20cm
Still to medium water flow. Full sun to flower well
Iris versicolor - Blue Flag Iris
Robust beardless iris. Branched stems produce 3-5 or sometimes more, purple blue flowers in spring and early summer. 0 – 5cm planting depth. Still to medium water flow. Will grow in partial shade or sun.
Flower: Purple-blue
Flowering time: Spring - Early Summer
Height: Up to 80cm
Spread: Up to 50cm
Iris versicolor Kermisina - Iris Kermesina
Beardless purple flowers with yellow and white veining borne on branched stems. Leaves are slender and upright.
Flower: Purple
Flowering time: Summer
Height: Up to 1 metre
Spread: Up to 50cm
Juncus ensifolius - Swordleaf Rush
Round, bright green stems in arching fans all year round. Small green/brown flowers in late spring and summer.
Flower: Green-brown
Flowering time: Late Spring and Summer
Height: Up to 1.5 metres
Spread: Up to 1 metre
Juncus Spiralis - Corkscrew Rush
The corkscrew rush, is a perennial plant with green spiralling stems. It is a cultivar of the soft rush, Juncus effusus.
Flower: Brown
Flowering time: Summer
Height: Up to 45cm
Spread: Up to 50cm
Lychnis flos-cuculi - Ragged Robin
A British native, Ragged Robin likes damp areas with some shade and produces good shell pink flowers on long stems.
Flower: Pink
Flowering time: May to June
Planting Depth: Moist conditions only
Height: 75cm (30in)
Lysichiton camtschatcensis - Skunk Cabbage
A clump-forming herbaceous perennial with fragrant, white flowers and broad oval leaves.
Flower: White
Flowering time: Spring
Height: Up to 1 metre
Spread: Up to 0.5 metre
Lysimachia nummularia - Creeping Jenny
Pairs of green or yellow oval leaves along creeping stems. Yellow flowers in summer. Suited to moist or boggy areas and shallow pond margins.
Height: Up to 0.5 metres
Spread: Up to 0.5 metres
Flower: Yellow
Flowering time: Summer
Marsilea quadrifolia - Water Shamrock
Dark green leaves composed of four triangular leaflets resembling clover. Best suited to shallow water.
Height: Up to 10cm
Spread: Up to 1 metre
Mentha aquatica - Water Mint
A British native plant with dark green fragrant leaves with light purple flowers in the summer.
Height: up to 40cm
Flowers: June to August
Menyanthes trifoliata - Bogbean
Menyanthes is an aquatic, rhizomatous perennial of shallow water, with leaves composed of 3 broadly elliptic or ovate leaflets, and star-shaped flowers with fringed petals.
Mimulus cardinalis - Scarlet Monkey
Spreading, matt forming perennial. Snapdragon like bright orange flowers borne in succession in summer and early autumn.
0 – 5cm planting depth
Prefers full sun
Still water only
Mimulus guttatus - Monkey Musk
Spreading, matt forming perennial. Snapdragon like bright yellow flowers spotted with reddish brown on lower lobes are borne in succession in summer and early autumn.
0 – 5cm planting depth
Still to medium flow Sunny position
Myosotis palustris - Water Forget-Me-Not
Spreading perennial marginal water plant for bogs or shallow water. Narrow mid green leaves form mounds. small blue flowers are borne throughout summer.
0-10cm planting depth
Still to slow flow
Full sun to flower well
Orontium aquaticum - Golden Club
Upright perennial marginal water plant. Leaves are blue green, lance shaped and held erect. The flowers appear in mid summer as white pokers with bright yellow tips.
5 – 25cm planting depth
Still to medium water flow
Preslia cervina - Water Spearmint
A native water mint. A vigorous grower so it is best to plant in baskets to keep under control in semi shade.
Height: 15-60cm
Planting position: Pond marginal shelf up to 30cm deep; or very wet soil.
Ranunculus flammula - Lesser Spearwort
Perennial marginal water plant, U.K. native. Small buttercup like flowers are borne on divided fleshy stems. A good plant for larger ponds due to its creeping and often invasive nature.
0 – 15cm planting depth
Slow to medium water flow
Sunny position
Sagittaria latifolia - Duck Potato
Marginal perennial water plant, producing whorls of tri petalled flowers in Summer. Striking arrow shaped foliage on young leaves, expanding to a rounder shape with age.
0 – 20cm planting depth
Still to medium water flow
Full sun for preference
Saururus cernus - Lizards Tail
Perennial plants that can grow up to 4 feet tall. They have a hairy stem with very few, if any, branches. Leaves are large and heart-shaped.
Scirpus lacustris - Common Club-Rush
Solid round green stems with brown/green flowers in Summer and Autumn. Scirpus lacustris has a very vigorous root system and is suitable for wildlife gardens.
Typha angustifolia - Lesser Bulrush
Long slender dark green leaves with brown cylindrical spikes of flowers in summer. A native plant suited to depths of up to 40cm. Needs careful management as it can spread rapidly, particularly in shallower water.
Height: Up to 1.5 metres
Spread: Up to 4 metres
Flower: Brown spikes
Flowering time: summer
Typha minima - Miniature Bulrush
Medium tall miniature Bull-rush, up to 1m. Erect stems terminating in small golden brown balls in late Summer. Golden brown or silver in the Autumn. Deciduous. Voracious growth when established.
0 – 20cm planting depth
Still to medium flow water
Sun or shade
Veronica beccabunga - Brooklime
Flower: Blue
Flowering time: May to September
Planting depth: 0-15cm (0-6in) of water
Height: to 15cm (6in)
Small round leaves on creeping stem. Ideal for covering edges of containers. Plant with other plants or in small or medium container using aquatic soil, covering with pea gravel. Trim decaying foliage in Autumn.
Zantedeschia aethiopica - Arum Lily
Robust, Summer flowering tuber. Soft arrow shaped leaves and beautifully curled pure white flowers. Happy in moist soils or in still to slow moving water flow.
0 – 5cm planting depth
Still to slow flow
Full sun to flower well
Best removed from the pot