Marginal Pond Plants

Marginal pond plants are planted at pond edges, with submerged roots and emerging stems and foliage, otherwise known as emergent aquatic plants. These plants usually have their roots and crown underwater, so are perfect for shallow water or pond planting shelves. Pond perennials pair well with rocks, gravel, and taller pond plants. Floating plants positioned at your pond edge can be easily moved or divided into container ponds while deep-water marginals such as bulrush and reed plants create a scenic backdrop.

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Pond plants (157) Water irises (20)Water lilies (44)Ferns (34)Pond grasses (16)Oxygenating pond plants (13)
  • Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria

    Eyecatching magenta blooms

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grows best in full sun
    • Flowers from July to September
    • Spectacular tall pink blooms

    6 options available

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  • Marsh Marigold Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Marsh Marigold

    Heart shaped leaves, loved by bees

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grows best in full sun to partial shade
    • Flowers during March and April
    • A native plant which is highly attractive to pollinators

    2 options available

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  • Iris pseudacorus Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Yellow Flag Iris | Iris pseudacorus

    The UK native flag iris

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to July
    • Grow in shallow water, beds or borders

    3 options available

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  • Arum Lily 'Crowborough' Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Arum Lily 'Crowborough'

    Magnificent blooms for weeks

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in full sun to partial shade
    • Huge flowers from May to August
    • A spectacular pondside plant

    3 options available

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  • Lesser Bulrush | Typha angustifolia Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Lesser Bulrush | Typha angustifolia

    Classic UK native bulrush

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in a position with full sun
    • A native plant to attract wildlife to your pond
    • Ideal for large ponds or growing in containers

    2 options available

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  • Rough Horsetail | Equisetum hyemale Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Rough Horsetail | Equisetum hyemale

    THE vertical accent plant

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Thrives in full sun or partial shade
    • Evergreen for interest all year round
    • Extrememely hardy native plant to give height to pond edges

    6 options available

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  • Orange Peel Plant | Houttuynia cordata 'Plena' Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Orange Peel Plant | Houttuynia cordata 'Plena'

    Citrus scented with cotton white blooms

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Plant in full sun to partial shade
    • Flowers from May to September
    • Prolific flowers for pond margins

    5 options available

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  • Iris louisiana 'Black Gamecock' Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Iris louisiana 'Black Gamecock'

    Giant flowers in deepest purple

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to July
    • Moisture loving plant perfect for pond margins

    4 options available

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  • White Robin Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    White Robin

    Star shaped snow white flowers

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Happy in full sun or partial shade
    • Spring-Summer flowering from May to August
    • A low maintenance plant ideal for wildlife gardens

    3 options available

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  • Common Bulrush | Typha latifolia Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Common Bulrush | Typha latifolia

    A haven for wildlife

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in a position with full sun
    • Tall, fast growing and graceful bulrush
    • The best choice for large lakes

    4 options available

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  • Slender-tufted sedge Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Slender-tufted sedge

    The ideal perch for dragonflies

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Thrives in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to August
    • A native plant ideally suited to ponds and streams

    3 options available

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  • Soft Rush | Juncus effusus Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Soft Rush | Juncus effusus

    Fans of tall emerald green

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Best grown in full sun
    • Arching fans of emerald green stems
    • Makes an ideal perch for dragonflies

    5 options available

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  • Ragged Robin Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Ragged Robin

    Tall stems of rose-pink pompoms

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Thrives in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to August
    • A native plant attractive to bees and butterflies

    5 options available

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  • Water Plantain | Alisma plantago aquaticum Pond Plants
    From £23
    From £23

    Water Plantain | Alisma plantago-aquaticum

    Tall stems of light, fragrant flowers

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to August
    • Brings height and interest to pond margins and water gardens

    1 option available

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  • Mimulus cupreus | Red Emperor Pond Plants
    From £23
    From £23

    Mimulus cupreus | Red Emperor

    Brilliant red trumpet-shaped flowers

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grows best in full sun
    • Summer flowering from June to August
    • A compact, colourful plant to attract pollinators

    1 option available

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  • Cotula coronopifolia | Brass Buttons Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Cotula coronopifolia | Brass Buttons

    Dozens of little button-shaped flowers

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Thrives in full sun
    • Long flowering season from May to October
    • A colourful, low maintenance plant for pond margins

    3 options available

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  • Variegated Slender Sweet Flag | Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Variegated Slender Sweet Flag | Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus'

    Easy care, vibrant and versatile

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Narrow, sword shaped leaves outlined in creamy yellow
    • Compact and perfect for pots
    • Best colours are produced in full sun

    2 options available

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  • Geum rivale | Water Avens Pond Plants
    From £23
    From £23

    Geum rivale | Water Avens

    Long-flowering rosewood bells

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grows best in full sun or partial shade
    • Long flowering from May to September
    • A native plant to attract bees and butterflies

    3 options available

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  • Pendulous sedge Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Pendulous sedge

    A graceful, native sedge

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Thrives in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from July to August
    • A native plant perfect for ponds and wildlife gardens

    2 options available

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  • Chinese Marshflower | Mazus Reptans Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Chinese Marshflower | Mazus reptans

    Brilliant green foliage dotted with blue

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grows in partial or full shade
    • Flowers from May to August
    • Hundreds of pale lilac-blue flowers

    5 options available

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  • Mimulus guttatus | Yellow Monkey Flower Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Mimulus guttatus | Yellow Monkey Flower

    Golden yellow snapdragon-shaped flowers

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Needs a position in full sun
    • Flowers all summer from June to August
    • Perfect for a wet, sunny spot in your garden

    5 options available

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  • Giant Marsh Marigold | Caltha Palustris Polypetala Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Giant Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris polypetala

    Masses of giant buttercups

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in full sun or partial shade
    • Spring flowering right from March to May
    • Attracts pollinators to your pond

    2 options available

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  • White Chinese Marshflower | Mazus Reptans alba Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    White Chinese Marshflower | Mazus reptans 'Alba'

    Clusters of snowdrop white

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grows in partial or full shade
    • Flowers from May to August
    • Covered in snow white flowers every summer

    5 options available

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  • Houttuynia cordata 'Boo Boo' Pond Plants
    From £23
    From £23

    Houttuynia cordata 'Boo Boo'

    Delicate blooms and citrus aromas

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Equally happy in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to September
    • Excellent groundcover for wet areas

    3 options available

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  • Lobelia fulgens 'Queen Victoria' Pond Plants
    From £15
    From £15

    Lobelia fulgens 'Queen Victoria'

    Bright crimson blooms on purple stems

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Happy in full sun or partial shade
    • Late summer flowering from August to September
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

    3 options available

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  • Bloodwort Wood Dock | Rumex sanguineus Pond Plants
    From £23
    From £23

    Wood Dock | Rumex sanguineus

    Striking red-veined foliage

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Best in full sun but also grows in partial shade
    • Flowering from June to August
    • A native marginal plant with striking red veined foliage

    1 option available

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  • Iris pseudacorus 'Variegata' 3L Pot Pond Plants
    From £30
    From £30

    Variegated Flag Iris | Iris pseudacorus 'Variegata'

    RHS award winning yellow flag

    • Zone 2 - Pond Edges
    • Grow in full sun or partial shade
    • Flowers from May to July
    • Stunning in borders, beds, ponds and bog gardens

    2 options available

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Enfield

Meet Caroline

A deep dive into sustainable gardening

Nestled amongst wildlife meadows and resident ducks, Caroline’s award winning pond plant nursery in Enfield has been making a splash since 1965, when they invented the (recycled, obvs) aquatic basket. Sixty years and multiple RHS gold medals later, they’re still surprising us with new varieties every year!

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What are marginal pond plants?

What are marginal pond plants?

Pondside (or marginal) plants are those that sit in that boggy limbo between pond and land. A liminal space where beauty flourishes at every turn. These plants thrive in wet conditions – either permanently moist soil at the edge of the pond, or more often, submerged in the shallows of the pond itself, or on a pond’s shelf. There are both spectacular flowering marginals as well as steadfast foliage plants ready to add structure, texture and contrast.

Our favourite marginal pond plants

Our favourite marginal pond plants

It’s hard to look past irises when it comes to the conversation of marginals. Yellow flag irises (Iris pseudacorus), Louisiana irises (Iris louisiana) and Japanese water irises (Iris ensata) all thrive in shallow water, their distinctive fan-shaped flowers and blade-like foliage adding regal elegance wherever they’re found. For something with a bit more spread or bushiness, opt for the mat-forming bog pimpernel (Anagallis tenella) or the tufted water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquaticum).

Caring for marginal pond plants

Caring for marginal pond plants

Marginal pond plants are nice and easy to care for; for easier maintenance we’d recommend you plant your marginals in aquatic baskets. Plant in loamy soil, amended with some aquatic compost if necessary. Scatter a shallow top-dressing of pea gravel to keep soil within the basket and to reduce the risk of fish from agitating or accidentally uprooting the plant. Routinely trim any dead or diseased plant material, and divide your plants if they’re becoming overly vigorous. If growth seems poor, then consider adding a bit of slow-release aquatic fertiliser during spring.

Happy plants make happy customers

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Ornamental Colour Collection Pond Plants
five star rating on Trustpilot

Plants arrived in great condition and very promptly. Well established - much better than the ones I got at my local garden centre.

Monica Spence

| 24 May
Star Jasmine | Trachelospermum jasminoides Climbing Plants
five star rating on Trustpilot

Yet again this company delivered good healthy plants, exactly as shown in photos, well packaged and within delivery time quoted. Recommend!

Jacqueline Burgess

| 2 Jun
five star rating on Trustpilot

I continue to be so impressed with Roots. Their customer care, knowledge of their subject: from planting hedges to pruning roses and more, has been a great support.

Judy Lane

| 23 Oct
E 'Black Hamburgh' Indoor Grape Vine Soft Fruit
five star rating on Trustpilot

The plant arrived looking vigorously healthy, which brings a smile to your face, extremely well protected in its packaging.

Martyn Hill

| 5 Jul
E 'Braeburn Hillwell' Apple Tree Fruit Trees
five star rating on Trustpilot

As a non-gardener, I found my whole experience brilliant. Great information & advice available on the website, great range of products & prices are brilliant.

John-Paul

| 22 May
five star rating on Trustpilot

Wonderful plants and great customer service... really surprised to find that the plants are better than those you would get at your local garden centre.

Gavin Wilcock

| 8 Nov

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