Marginal Plants

Acorus calamus Varieagatus – Variegated Dwarf Rush

Semi-evergreen, reasonably tall upright perennial marginal water plant. Tangerine scented leaves with cream variegation. Leaves become flushed rose pink in Spring.

0-15cm planting depth
Still to medium water flow

Acorus gramineus Variegatus – Variegated Dwarf Rush

Planting depth: 0-10cm (0-4in)

Height: to 30cm (12in)

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. Plant in a medium container using aquatic soil covered with pea gravel.

 

Alisma plantago – Water Plantain

Flower: Pink or white

Flowering time: July to August

Planting depth: 0-30cm (0-12in)

Height: to 60cm (24in)

Water plantain produces strong clumps of large stalked leaves with panicles of small, delicate pink-white flowers born above the leaves. Plant in medium container using aquatic soil, covering with pea gravel. Trim decaying foliage in Autumn.

 

 

Aponogeton distachyos – Water Hawthorn

Flower: White

Flowering time: Any month except July

Planting depth: 22-90cm (9-36in) of water

Growth spread: 30-75cm (12-30in)

Moderate growth. Green oval leaves. Plant in medium container using aquatic soil, covering with pea gravel. Trim decaying foliage in Autumn.

Caltha palustris – Marsh Marigold

Deciduous perennial marginal with rounded dark green leaves. Bears clusters of cup shaped bright yellow flowers in early spring.

0 – 10cm planting depth
Still to slow water flow
Full sun to flower well.

 

 

 

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 palustris Polypetala – Giant Marsh Marigold

Flower: Yellow

Flowering time: March to May, August-October

Planting Depth: 0-10cm (0-4in) of water

Height: to 23cm (9in)

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.

 

Cyperus eragrostis – Pale Gallingale

Medium tall, invasive perennial sedge like water grass. Will happily naturalize in either the bog garden or deeper marginal areas. Stout verdant green finely serrated leaves. feathery bron flowers are borne central to trifoliate umbrella like swathes.

0 – 15cm planting depth
Still to fast flow
Sun or shade

 

Gunnera manicata

Wonderful foliage plant with large, lush, prickly leaves, and spikes of green and red flowers in summer. Ideal for edges of streams, ponds and bog gardens.

Height and spread: 240cm x 360cm (8ft x 12ft)

Position: Requires humus-rich, permanently moist soil in sun or partial shade.

Plant care: Protect with dry mulch in winter.

 

Houttuynia cordata Plena – Chameleon Plant

Flower: White

Flowering time: July to August

Planting depth: 0-5cm (12in)

Height: to 30cm (12in)

Green heart-shaped leaves with white flower. Plant in medium container using aquatic soil covered with pea gravel.

 

 

Houttuynia cordata Variegata – Variegated Chameleon plant

Flower: White

Flowering time: July to August

Planting depth: 0-5cm (12in)

Height: to 30cm (12in)

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.

 

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. The plants grow to 45 cm high.

 

 

 

Iris pseudoacorus- Yellow Flag Iris

Tall perennial iris with bright yellow flowers borne on tall stems. Good for boggy areas or partial submersion. 0 – 20cm planting depth Still to medium water flow Full sun to flower well

 

Iris versicolor

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

 

Lychnis flos Cuculi – Ragged Robin

Ragged Robin likes damp area with some shade. Produces good shell pink flowers on long stems.

Flower: Pink

Flowering time: May to June

Planting Depth: Moist conditions only.

Height: 75cm (30in)

 

Menyanthes trifoliata – Bog Bean

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

Nymphoides peltata – Fringed Lily

Fringed yellow flowers with floating, lily-like leaves

Rounded bright green mottled leaves, with long stalked bright yellow flowers. Trim decaying foliage in Autumn.
Flower: Bright yellow.
Height: up to 10cm

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. only available in larger baskets as these plants require lots of root space.

5 – 25cm planting depth
Still to medium water flow
20cm Aquatic Basket

Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta’

Igourous spreading grass, with varieagated leaf swords of heights up to 1m. Blushed with reds and pinks in late spring. Will grow happily in the border or the pond itself.

0 – 20cm planting depth
Still to medium water flow

 

 

 

 

 

Pontederia cordata – Pickeral Weed

Upright, fleshy, blue flowering perennial. vivid dark green lance shaped leaves. Flowers late Summer.

0 – 15cm planting depth
Still to slow moving water
Sunny position

Pontederia lanceolata – Pickeral Rush

Tall upright perennial marginal water plant. Deep blue flower spikes born on long stems. Requires full sun. Remove faded flowers regularly.

5 – 30cm planting depth
Still to medium 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 – Lizard’s 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 zebrinus – Zebra Rush

Evergreen, spreading perennial grass with tall leafless stems striped horizontally.

Height: 1.5m.

Will spread rapidly if naturalized, susceptible to reversion and loss of stripes if not cut back hard every Autumn.

0 – 25cm planting depth

Still to medium water flow

Sun or shade

Typha angustofolia – Small Reed Mace

long, arching, linear leaves, with cylindrical brown flower-spikes on erect stems in summer

Typha minima – Miniature Bullrush

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