Mail Order Catalogue 2008

Water Plants and Marginals     A-E     F-O     P-Z 

Unfortunately the majority of water plants sold today are native plants whose vigour makes them totally unsuitable for the small pond, and dangerous in many other garden situations. DEFRA is currently compiling a list of plants which it will soon be illegal to sell, as they are becoming such a menace to our waterways.  We have found most recommendations for plantings, were they to be applied to, say, herbaceous borders, to be along the lines of "put in plenty of nettles, five specimen docks, and underplant with ground elder"! 

This is why we are trying to get the gardening back into water gardening.

For  planting advice please see "Planting your pond and other matters" Pgs 6-8. The planting depths (PD) we recommend are measurements from the crown of the plant to the water surface; and are approximate. Most plants are reasonably flexible in this respect.  Plants we consider to need continuous control in order to overcome their invasiveness are marked with "*". Marginals are actually wet bog plants!

Also see 'Planting your pond and other matters'

ACORUS. Marginals. Rush-Iike plants for damp soil or water.  (Did you know they are really arums?)
   -   calamus.  (Sweet Flag)  Green sword shaped scented leaves.  2 ½ ft.  PD  8 ins.  D
   -   -   Argenteostriatus  (variegatus)  Similar but bold green and cream striped leaf.  2 ½ ft.  PD 8 ins.  D

ALISMA. * (Water Plantain). Marginal
   -   plantago.  Pretty whitish or off pink flowers carried on a tall and large yet dainty spike in Summer, they are excellent for drying.  Very good lush foliage. Seeds freely.  4 ft.  PD 8 ins.  D

APONOGETON. (Water Hawthorn)
   -   distachyos.  Oblong leaves lie flat on the water surface in a two foot circle. Waxy white, black anthered flowers, highly scented of Hawthorn are carried above the water. Can flower nearly all the year round. 
PD 1 ½ ft.  E

AZOLLA.  (Fairy Moss)
   -   caroliniana.  Tiny floating fern which can increase rapidly to cover all the water surface, but it is easily removed and makes excellent compost!  A fresh emerald green it turns red and maroon in sunlight. Please keep under control as it is a menace to the environment if it escapes.  A

BALDELLIA.  (Lesser Water Plantain) Marginal.
   -   ranunculoides.  Enchanting native plant, seldom offered. Slightly creeping with small lanceolate leaves and whorls of pale pink three petalled flowers. Most useful for underplanting in shallow water or beside slow moving streams.  Prefers non-acid    soil.  8 ins.  PD 2 ins.  D

BUTOMUS.  (Flowering Rush). Marginal.
   -   umbellatus.  Very attractive, non-invasive, with large umbels of smokey pink flowers on tall purple tinged stems in late Summer.  3 ft.  PD 6 ins.  E
   -   'Rosenrot'.  As above but with darker pink flowers. Striking, rare in cultivation.  3ft.  PD 6 ins.      F
   -   -   'Schneeweisschen'.  A vigorous cultivar with almost white flowers providing a very effective and beautiful contrast to the others.  Rare. 3 ft.  PD 6 ins.  F

CALLA. (Bog Arum) Marginal.
- palustris.  Not to be confused with Zantedeschia. Creeping by rhizomes it rarely exceeds 9 inches tall and has greeny white spathes, but it's true glory is the vermilion berries produced in early Autumn. PD 6 ins.  E

CALTHA. ( National Collection for the NCCPG)
( Marsh Marigold or King Cup) Marginal. Unsurpassed for giving Spring colour when planted at the water's edge.  Until recently this genus has contained little variety for the gardener but new introductions have greatly expanded the range available .  Being plants of the streamside they actually grow better in a drier situation than is usually realised.
-   leptosepala.   The best white. Goblet shaped flowers with green reverses to the petals. 10 ins.  PD 2 ins.  F
-   natans.   Very rare in cultivation. Growing naturally in pools of snow melt in Siberia it really enjoys being frozen! Minute white flowers cover the creeping green leaflets in Summer. 2 ins. PD 1 ins.  G
        -   palustris.   The well known native King Cup and still a lovely plant.  Large sunny yellow flowers. Suitable for underplanting in aquatic baskets and also for naturalising. 1 ½ to 2 ft.  PD 6 ins  D
-   alba.  Plants under this name, like the species, are very variable in size.  In February the white flowers begin to show on this pretty plant and continue for many weeks, whatever the weather.  They seem to prefer a drier situation.  15 ins.   E
-   -   palustris. ( the correct name for a plant misnamed for many years C. p. polypetala which is a different plant altogether)  Larger all round than the species, this is for the larger bog garden where it's saucer shaped leaves and two inch flowers will give pleasure into early Summer.  3 ft.  E
-   'Plena'.   The very double flowers of brilliant golden yellow resemble a small pom-pom dahlia, leaves deep glossy green.   An accomodating plant it is quite happy in a border that doesn't dry out or for underplanting in a pond.   1 ft.  PD 3ins.  E
-   var. radicans.   A rare British plant, better for the smaller pond .  Small profuse yellow single flowers, and procumbent stems which will root at the nodes.  8 ins.  PD. 1 ins.  E
       -   -   'Flore-Pleno'.  A double form of the above but instead of "buttons" like "Plena" the flowers seem to sit on a saucer.  8 ins. PD 1 ins.  E
-   'Stagnalis'.  A real "walk about " plant as it's rooting procumbent stems will spread quickly over a large area. Therefore not one for the small garden.  Large buttercup flowers in April and May. 3 ft. PD 6 ins.  F
'Auenwald'.  A truly distinctive variety with deep glowing golden flowers and spectacular polished mahogany seedheads. Compact strong green foliage makes this a most desirable bog plant. 2 ½ ft. PD 2 ins.  F
' Honeydew'.  A completely new colour break makes this a superb contrast to the other Calthas.  Large pale lemon primrose flowers, Substantial foliage. 2 ½ ft. PD to 4 ins.  F
' Susan'.  An improved form of C. palustris, more robust and compactly upright, with large pure yellow
flowers.  2ft. PD 6 ins.  F

CAREX. Marginal Sedges
-   elata aurea.  Arching vivid golden leaves form a clump 2 ft x 2ft. Black sedge flower heads compliment the colour of this beautiful grass. Best in full sun, will grow in water or damp soil. PD 2 ins.  E
-   * riparia variegata.  Somewhat stiffer and more upright leaves, creamy white with a narrow green margin.  Similar black flower heads make this a real eye-catcher. However, it can sometimes revert so prune out any pure green shoots; it also tends to be invasive. Either give it somewhere to roam freely or grow it in a basket where it can be controlled.  3ft.  PD 8ins.  E

ELEOCHARIS.
- dulcis Variegata. Rush like erect foliage dark green in colour with many leaves edged a striking golden
cream. This exciting plant makes an excellent specimen in patio ponds or smaller ponds which can't contain too many plants.  1 ½ ft.   F

ERIOPHORUM.  (Cotton Grass) Marginal.
-    vaginatum.  A real charmer for the small pool. Clumps of very thin wiry stems of dark green carry silvery flower heads that look like pussy willows, without the yellow pollen. 10 ins.  PD 2 ins. E

EQUISETUM. ( Horsetails) Marginal
-   *  hyemale. Native but formerly imported from Holland under the name of Dutch Rush for use as a pot scourer. Like it's fellows it can be very invasive and should be confined to a basket. Very useful for producing an exotic and eastern visual effect. 2ft  PD  6 ins.  E

ERYNGIUM.  ( Sea Holly) Marginal
-    aquaticum.  This family is usually associated with hot sunny borders but this species is a delightful marginal whose 4ft stems are topped by a mass of powder blue sea holly flowers in late Summer.  PD 1 ins.  F