Marginal Pond Plants

Pontederia cordata 'Alba' is white pickerel weed, a marginal plant with the same sturdy leaves as standard pickerel weed but with white flower spik...

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...

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...

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 ...

Gratiola officinalis is hedge hyssop, a low perennial for wet ground and pond edges. It produces small pale flowers and suits natural-style bog pla...

Eleocharis acicularis is dwarf hairgrass, a fine-textured marginal often used to soften pond edges. It forms low grassy mats in shallow water and 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...

Eriophorum russeolum is bronze cotton grass, grown for warm-toned cottony seed heads. It suits acidic bog gardens and looks best where the soil sta...

Caltha leptosepala is white marsh marigold, a relative of the yellow species but with pale flowers. It blooms in spring in wet ground. Appearance I...

Carex muskingumensis is palm sedge, sometimes sold as musk sedge. It’s grown for its layered leaves that stack along the stems and give a crisp, up...

Caltha palustris 'Plena' is double marsh marigold. It keeps the same love of wet soil, but the flowers are fuller and more ruffled in early spring....

Anemopsis californica is yerba mansa, sometimes sold as Apache beads. It’s a wetland plant from western North America that spreads into a low patch...

Alisma lanceolatum is narrow-leaved water plantain, sometimes called mad-dog weed in older texts. It’s similar to Alisma plantago-aquatica but with...

Iris ensata 'Variegata' is a variegated Japanese iris grown for striped foliage and large summer flowers. It’s useful if you want interest even bef...

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

Iris ensata 'Fortune' is a Japanese iris with large early-summer flowers and strong clump growth. It suits bog gardens where the soil stays wet and...

Iris louisiana 'Ann Chowning' is a Louisiana iris known for bold flowers and strong garden performance. It handles wetter soils than many irises an...

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...

Isolepis cernua is the plant most people know as fibre optic plant. You may still see the old name Scirpus cernuus on labels. It’s a small marginal...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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...