Pond Plants

Striking aquatic plants

Our range of floating pond plants has been carefully selected from a superb selection of specimens including water lilies. Shipped directly to you from the grower, pond plants offer more than just beauty and a decorative touch to garden ponds and water features, submerged plants produce oxygen. Within our vast range of the best pond plants, you'll find aquatic plants, floating plants, marginal plants, oxygenating plants, submerged plants, free-flowering plants and plenty more that will perfectly complement a garden pond, wildlife pond, community pond or Koi pond.

What are pond plants?

Pond plants, aquatic plants and water plants create a healthy, sustainable and varied natural environment full of life and colour with bright yellow flowers, lilac flowers, pink flowers and blue flowers. The kits we carry have everything you need to get water plants started in your pond. In the kit you'll find the soil (sometimes called aquatic compost), gravel and the pond plant itself, all packed neatly into the planting basket. You can also find Patio Pond Kits (sometimes called a container pond or container ponds) which are perfect for small spaces or just brightening up an area of your garden that needs some colour.

What are the most well-known species of pond plants?

There are many pond plants that are beloved by pond keepers however some are more well-known than others. Some pond plants you may be familiar with are:

• Lilies - Well known for the large pads they create, which are often popular with frogs and other wildlife. This pond plant, sometimes called a water lily, is a staple of many garden wildlife ponds. We stock a vast range of lilies that produce everything from pink flowers to red and yellow flowers.
• Iris - Delicate and elegant, the Iris is one of the most beautiful native plants to the British Isles and they absolutely thrive around ponds. Iris are suitable plants for almost any pond and will always wow with a spectacular presentation of colours.
• Acorus - A tall pond grass with large, yellow leaves, Acorus is one of the slightly lesser-known pond plants, however, it's immediately iconic by the pond's edge. Known as 'Sweet flag' these plants provide cover for wildlife, making them ideal for many ponds.
• Anemopsis - A marginal plant native to North America, the Anemopsis is most at home in bogs and marshes, making it ideal for bog gardens, ponds without clear edges or even an aquatic basket. The free-flowering plants produce beautiful white flowers with aromatic foliage.
• Butomus - Sometimes called 'Flowering rush', Butomus is an understated beauty with small pink and white flowers. It is another of the UK's native plants and has long been a favourite of pond keepers to encourage wildlife and native species to visit their ponds.
• Pontederia - An icon of pond plants globally, Pontederia is well known for its unique, highly attractive flowers. These plants alone will transform a small pond and can even have a significant effect on a larger pond. Many of our pond experts believe this is one of the best plants to invest in for your pond.
• Typha - With names including Bulrush and Cattail, Typha has long been a popular plant in folklore and water gardening. It's immediately recognisable, thanks to the large brown growths found near the top spike of the plant that often attracts attention from wildlife.

Why should I buy pond plants?

Aquatic plants are dispersible in and around your pond. They use nitrates and phosphates from the water, depleting the supplies from green algae growth and other nasties - therefore keeping your pond clearer and healthier. They ensure clear water and a good living climate for fish. Frogs and dragonflies will be very appreciative of the resting and hiding places on and under stems or leaves.

Do pond plants need soil?

Depending on the species of pond plant it may need soil, this completely depends on whether the plant is adapted to sit on the banks of a body of water or float atop it. Generally speaking, most of the pond plants you are likely to be familiar with will need some sort of soil or substrate to survive. There is a vast range of pond specific substrates and soils that are designed to give your plants everything they need without polluting your pond or making it cloudy. Some kits that contain pond plants, like the Marsh marigold or Water lilies, come with soil, gravel and other substrates to help you get started.

What are the main types of aquatic plants?

Pond plants can be divided into five main groups - moisture-loving pond plants, marginal plants, deepwater aquatic plants, oxygenating plants and floating plants. All can be grown in the same garden pond but all have different planting requirements. Nymphaea, commonly known as water lilies, are aquatic-based native plant prized for their elegant flowers and lush foliage. Typically found in ponds, lakes and streams, water lilies thrive in open sun and are great for providing shelter to fish and aquatic life. As the name suggests marginals typically inhabit the outer edges of the pond, and mostly grow in shallow water. They form part of the foundations of an aesthetically and structurally balanced pond and a healthy ecosystem. Check out our helpful guide to see what pond plant is right for you here.

What accessories should I buy with pond plants?

When buying pond plants, you should trim, split, space out and repot them. Larger baskets and soil will accommodate lots of root growth, nutritious, pond water-friendly compost, and some protection from fish.