Marginal Pond Plants

Primula japonica 'Apple Blossom' is a candelabra primrose for damp soil and light shade. It flowers in tidy tiers and fills that gap between spring...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

Persicaria bistorta is common bistort, also known as adderwort. It’s a clump-forming perennial for damp soils with pink flower spikes in early summ...

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 ...

Juncus effusus var. spiralis is corkscrew rush, grown for its twisted stems. It’s a strong marginal for pond shelves and bog gardens, and it gives ...

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...

Filipendula ulmaria is meadowsweet, a native plant for damp ground with creamy flower heads and a strong scent in warm weather. It’s a solid pick f...

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

Iris pseudacorus 'Variegata' is a variegated yellow flag iris with cream-striped leaves. It gives strong foliage colour from spring onwards and han...

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...

Lythrum salicaria 'Rosey Gem' is a compact purple loosestrife for pond edges and wet borders. It brings a long run of pink flowers in summer and it...

Pontederia cordata 'Pink' is a pickerel weed with pink flower spikes in mid to late summer. It’s a proper pond-margin plant and it gives you flower...

Iris ensata 'Angel Mountain' is a Japanese water iris with large summer flowers. It’s a good pick when you want pale blooms that still read well fr...

Iris louisiana 'Heather Stream' is a Louisiana iris bred for wet ground and bold flowers. It suits pond edges, bog gardens, and any spot with relia...

Iris laevigata 'Mottled Blue' is a Japanese water iris for wet soil and pond margins. It’s a good choice if you want a true marginal iris that cope...

Petasites japonicus var. giganteus is giant Japanese butterbur. It’s grown for huge leaves that give instant cover in damp ground. It’s ideal when ...

Lobelia cardinalis is cardinal flower, known for tall spikes of scarlet blooms in late summer. It likes wet ground and brings colour when many bog ...