Marginal Pond Plants

Ranunculus flammula is lesser spearwort, a UK native buttercup for wet ground and shallow margins. It’s a simple plant that looks right in natural ...

Persicaria amphibia is amphibious bistort. You may also see it listed under the older name Polygonum amphibium. It’s a flexible plant that grows in...

Myosotis scorpioides is water forget-me-not, a classic pond-margin plant with blue flowers. It’s simple, reliable, and great for softening edges wh...

Lythrum salicaria is purple loosestrife, a wetland perennial with tall spikes of magenta-purple flowers in summer. It’s one of the best plants for ...

Lobelia vedrariensis is a bog-loving lobelia grown for purple flowers and a long season in damp soil. It’s a good choice when you want a slimmer, n...

Mentha aquatica is water mint, a UK native that thrives in wet ground. It smells like mint when you brush it, and it produces round clusters of lil...

Lysimachia nummularia is creeping jenny, a fast ground cover for wet soil and pond edges. It’s perfect for trailing over rocks and basket rims, and...

Caltha palustris is marsh marigold, a native marginal that starts the season with bright yellow spring flowers. It’s one of the best early plants f...

Pontederia cordata is pickerel weed, a classic pond-margin plant with upright blue-purple flower spikes in summer. It’s a solid choice when you wan...

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' is golden creeping jenny, a fast ground cover for damp soil and pond edges. It’s often used to trail over rocks and b...

Cyperus alternifolius 'Gracilis' is a slender form of umbrella sedge grown for its fine stems and airy umbrella heads. It adds vertical lines witho...

Butomus umbellatus 'Schneeweisschen' is a white-flowered form of flowering rush. It keeps the same upright habit, but the flowers come out clean wh...

Anagallis tenella is bog pimpernel, now often listed as Lysimachia tenella. It’s a tiny native creeper for acidic, peaty wet ground. Use it when yo...

Menyanthes trifoliata is bogbean, a native plant for pools, ditches, and very wet bog ground. It’s a brilliant choice for pond margins because it f...

Iris ensata is Japanese iris, also commonly sold as Iris kaempferi. It is one of the best irises for bog gardens because it loves rich wet soil and...

Iris louisiana 'Arabian Bayou' is a Louisiana iris selected for bold colouring and strong growth in wet soil. It is well suited to UK bog gardens w...

Equisetum hyemale is rough horsetail, also sold as Dutch rush. It’s a tough marginal that gives clean vertical lines and stays interesting for most...

Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' is a variegated sweet flag with cream-striped leaves. It’s a tidy, grassy marginal that brightens pond edges and rais...

Iris versicolor is blue flag iris, a North American species that thrives in wet soil and shallow water. It flowers in early summer. Appearance It f...

Lobelia siphilitica is a moisture-loving perennial with tall spikes of blue flowers. You will also see it listed as blue lobelia or blue cardinal f...

Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon' is a low, spreading marginal that brings colour even when nothing else is flowering. You might hear it called chamel...

Juncus inflexus is a UK native rush with upright, blue-green stems. It is usually sold as hard rush or blue-green rush. It is one of those plants t...

Oenanthe javanica 'Flamingo' is variegated water celery with pink-tinted new growth. It’s a bright foliage plant for the pond edge and bog gardens,...

Iris laevigata 'Snowdrift' is a Japanese water iris with white flowers for pond margins and wet bog soil. It’s a good pick when you want a lighter ...