Aquatic Marginal Plants

We’ve had our first drop of marginal plants ready to spruce up your pond for the Spring.

From oxygenators, water iris and marsh marigolds, to waterlilies and hawthorns, we have a lovely range of marginal plants to brighten up your pond. Here are just some of the selection we have in store for you. 

Grass-like Marginals for Decorative Foliage 

Acorus Gramineus

• Commonly known as grass-leaf sweet flag, dwarf sedge, Japanese rush, and Japanese sweet flag.
• It is a botanical species native to Japan and Korea in eastern Asia.
• It usually grows in wetlands and shallow water.
• Brightly striped with green and pale cream forming pretty foliage.
• Plant in a medium container using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Plant in a depth of 1-2″ and it will spread up to 20″.
• This is grown for it’s decorative foliage only and works great with other marginals.

Cyperus alternifolius

• Common names of umbrella papyrus, umbrella sedge or umbrella palm.
• It is native to Madagascar, one of the western Indian Ocean islands.
• Pale green foliage fanned out like the spiked of an inverted umbrella.
• Equally happy in or out of water (plant in 0-13cm of water)
• Seeds freely to form new plants.
• Flowering time is from July to September and spreads up to 60cm. 

Juncus Effusus Spiralis – Corkscrew Rush

• Green spiralling stems which intertwine with eachother.
• Perennial plant.
• Planting in quite shallow water, from 0-10cm.
• Will spread around 60cm.

Typha Minima – Dwarf Bulrush

• Common name dwarf bulrush or miniature cattail.
• Perennial herbaceous plant.
• Fine, erect leaves with a small brown poker.
• Plant in small to medium containers using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Place on the marginal shelf, around 0-15cm deep and watch it spread up to 60cm.
• Flowers form July to September.

Equisetum Hyemale – Rough Horsetail

• Perennial herb in the fern family.
• It is a native plant found in North America, Europe, and northern Asia.
• A large horsetail that has furrowed, hollow stems.
• Green and black bands give in a bamboo-like appearance.
• Plant in a medium container using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Plant from 10-20cm and it will spread up to 150cm.
• This is for decorative foliage only. 

Glyceria Maxima Variegata – Reed Sweet Grass

• Striking pinkish-red striped foliage in the Spring, changing to yellow-green-cream stripes later in the year.
• A native British plant which provides excellent shelter for wildfowl and aquatic life at pond margins.
• Planting depth from 0-30cm and will spread around 120-180cm. 

Scirpus Zebrinus 

• Very attractive ornamental variegated bulrush.
• Tall green stems and creamy-white bands resembling porcupine quills.
• It doesn’t flower as such, but produces clusters of brown spikelets at the tips.
• Flowering time from July – August and will spread around 90cm. 

Flowering Marginal’s for a Pop of Colour

Caltha Palusris – Marsh Marigold

• Known as marsh-marigold and King-Cup.
• Small to medium size perennial, herbaceous plant of the buttercup family.
• Native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland.
• Found in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
• Erect stems with round serrated foliage.
• Plant in a medium sized container using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Place on marginal shelf (planting depth is 0-15cm of water)
• Trim decaying foliage in the Autumn.
• Flowering time is March to May producing bright yellow flowers and they spread up to 60cm. 

Iris Versicolour – Northern Blue Flag

• Commonly known as the blue flag, harlequin blue-flag, larger blue flag, and more.
• In Britain and Ireland, it is known as Purple Iris.
• It is a species of Iris native to North America, in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada.
• Broad Iris foliage with erect flowers.
• Plant in a medium container using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Place on the marginal shelf and plant from 5-15cm of water.
• Trim the decaying foliage in the Autumn.
• Flowering from July with rich mauve flowers with a white throat.
• Spreads up to 60cm. 

Iris Pseudacorus – Yellow Iris

• Species of flowering plant of the family Iridaceae.
• It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa.
• It is known for it’s leaves veined mid-rib and sword-like shape.
• Tall, broad leaves and rich yellow flowers.
• Plant in a medium-large container using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Place on the marginal shelf either 0-6 inch, or alternatively in a pool up to a depth of 24 inches deep.
• Trim the decaying foliage in the Autumn.
• This will flower from June to August and spreads up to 90cm.

Sisyrinchium Californicum 

• Species of flowering plant in the iris family.
• Known by the common names of golden blue-eyed grass, yellow-eyed-grass, and golden-eyed-grass.
• It is native to the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to central California.
• Grows in moist habitats, often in coastal areas.
• Small yellow flowers are born on top of the miniature iris-type leaves.
• Forms pretty clumps for pond-side or shallow water.
• Planting from 0-5cm deep in medium containers using aquatic soil and covering with pea gravel.
• Flower from June to October and spreads up to 15cm. 

Veronica Beccabunga – Brooklime

• European speedwell or brooklime, is a succulent herb.
• It grows on the margins of brooks and ditches in Europe, North Africa, and north and western Asia.
• Small round leaves on a creeping stem, ideal for covering edges of containers.
• Plant with other marginals in small to medium containers using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Flowers blue from May to September and spreads only to 15cm. 

Oenanthe Javanica 

• A delightful marginal plant, grown for its pretty variegated foliage.
• Brings colour to the pond as early as March.
• It flowers white from May- September and will spread from 10-60cm.

Cotula Coronopifolia – Golden Buttons

• Small marsh flower
• Has the common names brass buttons, golden buttons, and button-weed.
• The flower heads are bright yellow, disc shaped heads that look like thick buttons.
• Mass of fern-like green foliage.
• Plant in medium containers using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Place on the marginal shelf from 0-15cm, flowering from May to October and spreading to 20cm.

Myosotis Plaustris – Southern Blues

• The ‘water forget-me-not’.
• A herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the borage family.
• Delicate blue flowers and bright green foliage make an attractive combination for marginal planting.
• Plant in medium containers using aquatic soil and cover with pea gravel.
• Flowering from May to September and spreading up to 23cm. 

Mimulus Luteus – Seep Monkeyflower

• Has the common names Seep Monkeyflower
• A yellow bee-pollinated annual or perennial plant.
• It was formerly known as Mimulus guttatus. 
• Pretty yellow flowers with red blotches on the throat and petals.
• A delightful plant for pond margins or waterfall pools.
• Fleshy serrated lettuce-like foliage.
• Plant in medium containers on the pond shelf or into the rockery where the soil is moist.
• Flowering time from June to August and spreads to 45cm.

Nymphaea – Water Lilies 

Water lilies are aquatic perennial herbs. The stem is angular and erect. The leaves grow from the rhizome on long petioles (stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem). Floating round leaves of waterlily grow up to 12 inches across. The disc shaped leaves are notched and split to the stem in a V-shape at the centre, and are often purple underneath. Most of them float on the surface of the water. The blades have smooth or spine-toothed edges, and they can be rounded or pointed. The flowers rise out of the water or float on the surface, opening during the day or at night. Each has at least eight petals in shades of white, pink, blue, or yellow.

We have a wide variety of marginals, including different sizes and colours. We have small pots starting at £4.50 each or with a 5 for £20 deal or medium pots at £6.50. Oxygenators are £1.10 per bunch, and Hawthorns are £12.99 Water lilies vary depending on colour, species and size. Prices from £18-22. Our aquatics department have all of the equipment needed to plant up your pond, from basket containers, hessian, compost and pea gravel. Our aquatic team are always available to help you and offer the best advice possible. Call our direct line on 0116 2676121 to speak to our pond experts. In store, we have live fish, from goldfish to tropical and koi. We have everything you could possibly need to set up a pond from scratch and all of the pieces in between. Follow our Instagram page for regular updates and fantastic pictures.  

Prices are correct for March 2020. Subject to change. 

Published March 2nd, 2020 by Grace Brown. Article ref 6995

Tags: aquatic, marginal, plants

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