Marginal Pond Plants

Iris 'Kimboshi' is sold as a tough yellow iris for wet ground and pond margins. Many plants in this group are linked with Iris pseudacorus, so you ...

Mimulus cardinalis is scarlet monkey flower, a moisture-loving plant with bright tubular blooms. It’s a good pick for bog edges where soil stays da...

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...

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 ...

Iris ensata 'Emotion' is a Japanese iris grown for large early summer flowers and neat fans of leaves. You may also see Japanese iris listed as Iri...

Houttuynia cordata 'Flore Pleno' is a vigorous ground cover for wet soil, grown for heart-shaped leaves and double white flowers. It’s sometimes so...

Lysimachia thyrsiflora is tufted loosestrife, a wetland plant with yellow flower clusters that sit along upright stems. It’s a good summer bloomer ...

Petasites hybridus is common butterbur, also called umbrella plant in garden talk. It’s a UK native that loves wet ground and makes very large leav...

Littorella uniflora is shoreweed, a low plant for shallow water and wet sandy margins. It’s used in natural ponds and wildlife setups where you wan...

Pontederia lanceolata is giant pickerel weed, a taller, chunkier cousin of standard pickerel weed. It’s grown for upright leaf clumps and long blue...

Peltandra undulata is green arrow arum, a North American marginal with glossy arrow-shaped leaves. It’s grown mainly for foliage, and it gives you ...

Lycopus europaeus is gypsywort, a UK native for wet ground. It’s a quiet plant that does a good job in wildlife bog gardens, especially where you w...

Lysichiton camtschatcensis is Asian skunk cabbage, grown for huge leaves and early spring white spathes. It’s a plant for people who want bold foli...

Iris ensata 'Harlequinesque' is a Japanese iris grown for large early summer flowers. You may also see Japanese iris sold under the older name Iris...

Lilaeopsis brasilensis is Brazilian micro sword, a low, grass-like marginal that can form a short carpet. It is often used to edge ponds and soften...

Iris ensata 'Activity' is a Japanese iris for bog gardens and pond margins. It’s grown for large early summer flowers and upright foliage. Japanese...

Ligularia przewalskii is Przewalski's golden ray, grown for tall flower spikes and bold foliage. It likes moisture and it works well on the damp ed...

Lysimachia punctata is dotted loosestrife, a tough perennial with yellow flowers along upright stems. It is not a true marginal, but it likes moist...

Phragmites australis is common reed, a tall UK native grass for wetlands and pond margins. It is useful for screening and wildlife cover, but it ne...

Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander' is a variegated dotted loosestrife with yellow flowers and cream-edged leaves. It’s a useful plant when you want su...

Cyperus 'King Tut' is an umbrella sedge grown for tall stems topped with big green umbrella heads. It’s often sold as a patio marginal for tubs and...

Physostegia virginiana is obedient plant, a late summer bloomer for damp soil. It gets its name because you can gently move the flowers on the spik...

Lychnis flos-cuculi is ragged robin, a classic damp meadow plant with airy pink flowers. It is ideal for natural bog gardens and damp meadow edges ...

Phalaris arundinacea var. picta is ribbon grass, also called gardener’s garters. It’s a wetland grass with striped leaves and a strong spreading ha...