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Waterplants - Flowering Marginal Plants
Marginal plants are those that love shallow water or thrive in boggy ground. They are wonderful for creating a natural edge to your pond and these flowering varieties will attract all sorts of pollinators.
Learn more about choosing and growing water plants in a wildlife pond in our advice section and find even more information in our resources.
Availability and planting | April to August
The best time of year for planting water lilies and other water plants is April to August, while they are in full growth. If you would like to learn more about choosing and growing water plants, have a look at our advice page.
Aquatic Pot
Aquatic Pot
€1.20
Aquatic Pot Mesh pot for aquatic plants.
Eupatorium cannabinum
Eupatorium cannabinum
€3.00
Hemp Agrimony (Cnáib uisce) Eupatorium cannabinum must be one of the most popular among bees and butterflies. Native throughout Ireland and found by ponds, rivers, on seacliffs and indeed in ditches, this is a big plant, with nice upright and reddish, branched stems carrying racemes of wide flat flowerheads with tiny pink flowers from July to S...
Geum rivale - Water Avens
€4.75
Water Avens An attractive native plant, Geum rivale is a medium-sized, rather slow-growing, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial which thrives in wet meadows and as a marginal plant beside streams. The soft green basal leaves are rounded and lobed, and the leaves on the deep-red stems are tripartite. From May to September, the plant bears delicate,...
Iris ensata
Iris ensata
€4.75
Japanese clematis Iris, Iris kaempferi Also known as Iris kaempferi, Iris ensata produces varying coloured, clematis type flowers - ranging from dark blue to bright purple flowers in summer. The flowers are often boldly marked with yellow. Iris ensata forms clump of broad-bladed, erect leaves. It prefers moist to boggy soil. As with all iris the...
Iris pseudacorus - Yellow Flag
€3.50
Yellow Flag Iris Commonly known as the yellow flag Iris, Iris pseudacorus is often seen in boggy areas or growing in shallow water at the edge of a pond. Planted out in boggy ground, this plant colonises rapidly to form large clumps with long, erect strap shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers in summer. As with all Iris, the tubers are harmful...
Iris sibirica Snow Queen
Iris sibirica Snow Queen
€0.00
Siberian Iris Snow Queen A beautiful beardless iris for moist soil, Iris sibirica Snow Queen is a clump-forming, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial with branching stems and narrow, rather grass-like, grey-green, sword-shaped leaves up to 18”/45cm long. In May and June, beautiful, typical iris flowers in pure white, sometimes flushed purple, with ...
Iris versicolor - Blue Flag Iris
€4.75
Blue Flag Iris versicolor will produce narrow, erect foliage and branched stems bearing several bluish-purple flower with spotted yellow throat. This moisture loving Blue Flag makes a handsome addition to boggy areas and the shallow margins of ponds. Over time, Iris versicolor will form dense clumps of narrow, strappy foliage that provide good c...
Lychnis flos-cuculi - Ragged Robin
€3.00
Ragged Robin (Nóinín mór) This native wildflower is abundant throughout Ireland, usually seen in marshes and damp meadows where it is one of the prettiest to inhabit these type of areas. Linear to oblong leaves on slender, upright stalks bear deep rose-pink flowers, the petals modified into delicately fringed blossoms to make it withstand the wi...
Lythrum salicaria - Purple loosestrife
€3.00
Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria is a stunning plant for a medium to large pond or lake. The tall pink blooms can be seen from some distance, it is free flowering over a long period in summer. Commonly known as Purple loosestrife. Very attractive to bees and native. Position: Full SunPlanting depth: Damp soil to 5cm (2’’) below water level.G...
Mimulus luteus
Mimulus luteus
€4.75
Blood-drop-emlets Also known as monkey musk, Mimulus luteus is an attractive, deciduous, herbaceous perennial, with a spreading, self-sowing habit. The small, ovate leaves are mid-green. Two-lipped, bright yellow flowers with red or purple spots on the petals are borne in late spring and early summer. This little plant is ideal for a difficult,...
Alisma plantago-aquatica - Water Plantain
€4.75
Water Plantain A native plant that is frequently found growing on the margins of canals, ponds and in other shallow, wet places in Ireland. Also known as devil’s spoons, Alisma plantago-aquatica is a small, rhizomatous perennial plant which forms basal, grey-green rosettes of 1’/30cm leaves. In spring, water plantain bears tall panicles of white...
Anagallis tenella - Bog pimpernel
€4.75
Bog pimpernel Commonly known as bog pimpernel, Anagallis tenella forms a dense carpet of tiny evergreen leaves, mixed with numerous rosy pink flowers from late spring to early summer. This spreading, native plant is ideal in a bog garden or very shallow water. Position: Full sunPlanting depth: Grow in the damp margin to level with the water surf...
Butomus umbellatus - Flowering Rush
€4.75
Flowering Rush A pretty aquatic plant for shallow water or wet pond margins, Butomus umbellatus is a herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial, possibly native to Co Clare, otherwise introduced. The upright, twisted leaves emerge red, turning green, and provide a grassy accent round a pond. From July to August, pretty umbels, ¾”/2cm wide, of pink flower...
Butomus Umbellatus Schneeweisschen - Flowering Rush
€4.75
Flowering Rush Schneeweisschen A very attractive cultivar of the possibly native flowering rush, Butomus umbellatus Schneeweisschen (Snow-White) is a fast-growing, herbaceous, marginal plant of still water with a creeping, rhizomatous habit. The green leaves are narrow and grass-like. In June and July, tall stems carry open umbels of pure white ...
Caltha palustris - Marsh Marigold
€3.00
King cup or Marsh marigold (Lus buí Bealtaine) Once established, Caltha palustris or commonly known as the King cup or Marsh marigold produces a mass of bright yellow flowers very early in the spring. After flowering in March and April most foliage will gradually die back as the flowers fade, but sometimes it has a second flowering later in the ...
Cardamine pratensis - Cuckoo flower
€4.75
Cuckoo flower or Lady’s Smock Mounds of pale green ferny foliage with pale lilac blooms in late spring & early summer. The Cuckoo Flower is noted for attracting wildlife, it is one of the main food plants of the Orange Tip butterfly. Cardamine pratensis is best grown in large drifts in damp woodland, meadows or as a marginal plant in the moi...
Eupatorium maculatum Atropurpureum
€4.00
Joe-Pye Weed This plant sports rosy-purple heads of flowers, which are extremely attractive to butterflies and other beneficial pollinators, in late Summer. The umbrella-shaped flower clusters are followed by fluffy seedheads which continue into winter, providing food for birds. Forming a huge clump of dark green leaves with burgundy stems, Eup...
Hypericum elodes - Marsh St John's-wort
€4.75
Hypericum elodes This is a very pretty member of the St John’s-wort family, a native but not very widespread in Ireland. Hyperiocum elodes has downy, heart shaped leaves and clusters of pale yellow flowers in summer. Creeping habit, with stolon-like node-rooting runners and erect stems. Provides good habitat for pond creatures. Position: Full su...
Iris chrysographes Black Form
€4.50
Iris Chrysographes Black Form From marshy sites in China and Myanmar, Iris chrysographes Black Form is a small, deciduous, rhizomatous perennial with particularly dark flowers. Slender, sword-like, grey-green leaves make an attractive foil to the velvety, exceptionally dark, violet-black flowers, which have a delicate golden streak on the falls....
Iris louisiana Black Gamecock
€6.00
Louisiana Iris Black Gamecock Stunning, giant, deep purple, near black blooms adorn this beautiful Iris. As with all louisiana Iris, ‘Black Gamecock’ is ideal for the pond as it loves plenty of moisture. This Iris is excellent for cut flowers. The tubers are harmful if eaten. Position: Full sun to part shadePlanting depth: Damp soil to 20cm (8’...