Eau Naturelle

Colour: White flower approx 10cm and large green leaves

Flowers: May - Sept

Spread: Approx 120cm

Planting depth: 45cm +

Aspect: Sunny

Attracts: Bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Nymphaea do not like constant splashing water. They also benefit from the removal of dying flowers and foliage on a regular basis.

Note: Waterlilies return to a dormant state in winter with no leaf cover on the pond or container

Origin: British native 

Colour: Green oval leaves with scented white flowers

Flowers: March - May and sometimes Oct - Nov

Spread: 60cm - 90cm

Planting depth: 23cm - 45cm +

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded/Shaded

Attracts: Dragonflies, bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Do not throw away a dormant basket of this plant in summer thinking it has died. It's an early season plant that grows leaves and flowers from February to May in cool water. In the Summer months it goes dormant and disappears completely from view.

Note: Good complement to summer flowering waterlilies.

Origin: South Africa

 

Colour: Small blue flowers on rafting stems with small leaves

Flowers: May - July

Height: 8cm

Planting depth: 15cm or waterlogged mud

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Bees, butterflies, hoverflies, newts

Care: Cut back the foliage once first flowering is over and you may get a second flush of flowers. 

Note: The stems go black in winter but leave these in the water as fresh shoots will appear along their length in Spring.

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Royal blue flowers on a horizontally rafting plant that spreads across the water surface

Flowers: May - July

Height: 15cm

Planting depth: 15cm or waterlogged mud

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Bees, butterflies, hoverflies, newts

Note: The rafting stems of Veronica beccabunga root out at the nodes and can help clear nutrients from the pond while providing surface cover. It will also encourage wildlife and allow colonies of newts to lay eggs or tadpoles to develop under its protective leafy canopy.

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Small leaves with pink and cream margins and small white flowers on horizontally rafting stems

Flowers: July - Sept

Height: 15cm - 30cm

Planting depth: 15cm or waterlogged mud

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Amphibians (including newts)

Care:  Vigorous grower whose soft roots raft through the water. Easily controlled by pulling out by hand. Roots can be replanted in Autumn to make fresh new plants. 

Note: Good user of nutrients in the pond and a provider of shade across the surface.

Origin: Non-native

 

Colour: Mounds of green round leaves with 3cm single yellow flowers

Flowers: March - May

Height: 30cm

Planting depth: 14cm - 22cm

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care:  Cut back leaf growth after Caltha palustris has flowered and allow fresh foliage to regrow, The old leaf growth can go grey. 

Note: It will spread by seedlings if allowed to.

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Purple flowers with broad green leaves

Flowers: May - June

Height: 60cm - 75cm

Planting depth: 15cm or waterlogged mud

Aspect: Sunny

Attracts: Dragonflies, bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Remove dead flower heads and cut back Iris versicolor foliage in Autumn. Divide every 3 years.

Note: Good user of nutrients in the pond and a provider of shade across the surface.

Origin: USA

 

Colour: Broad green leaves with yellow flowers

Flowers: June

Height: 90cm - 120cm

Planting depth: 15cm - 40cm

Aspect: Sunny

Attracts: Dragonflies, bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Remove dead flower heads before seeds are formed unless you would like it to colonize the banks. Divide every 2-3 years.

Note: Good user of nutrients in the pond and a provider of shade across the surface.

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Blue flower spikes above green heart shaped leaves

Flowers: Aug - Sept

Height: 60cm

Planting depth: 14cm to 22cm

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded/Shaded

Attracts: Dragonflies, bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Divide in Spring after 2-3 years growth. Cut back leaf stems as soon as they start to fall in Autumn.

Origin: North/South America

 

Colour: Clusters of drooping brown seeds on each green spikelet

Flowers: Aug - Oct

Height: 90cm

Planting depth: 14cm to 44cm

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Dragonflies

Note: Strong grower and therefore best suited to larger ponds

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Green low growing 3 sided rush leaves with pink umbel flowers on tall stems

Flowers: June - July

Height: 60cm - 90cm

Planting depth: 14cm to 44cm

Aspect: Sunny

Attracts: Dragonflies, bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Divide Butomus umbellatus on a regular basis to encourage flowering

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Purple flowers in whorls on woody stems

Flowers: June - Sept

Height: 90cm - 120cm

Planting depth: 15cm to 22cm

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Cut back flower stems once flowered to prolong the flowering season 

Note: Excellent for colonizing areas to encourage wildlife and will give plenty of habitat opportunities.

Origin: British native

 

Colour: Olive green feathery foliage and tiny yellow / red flowers above water surface

Flowers: June - Sept

Height: 90cm - 120cm

Planting depth: 14cm to 45cm

Aspect: Sunny/Partially Shaded

Attracts: Bees, butterflies and hoverflies

Care: Allow to grow until 30% of volume of pond is filled. Then thin out old stems.

Note: Excellent oxygenating plant

Origin: British native