Best pond plants for small ponds

Best small pond plants to give seasonal variety in a wildlife pond:

Choose from this list of small pond plants for a Mainly British Native plants scheme in a small wildlife pond.

• Ceratophyllum demersum Hornwort (British Native) and/or Myriophyllum spicatum Spiked Milfoil as submerged oxygenating plant
• For evergreen interest - Acorus gramineus Ogon or Acorus gramineus Variegatus
• Early flowering Caltha palustris (British Native)Marsh Marigold in 11cm Mesh basket
• Iris versicolor Purple Iris, Iris versicolor Mysterious Monique or Lythrum salicaria (British Native) Loosestrife in 11cm Mesh basket
• Mid summer flower for insect pollinators Mentha cervina alba or Mentha cervina Spearmint in white or blue in 11cm Mesh basket
• Ranunculus flammula (British Native) Water Buttercup or Anemopsis californica  in 11cm Mesh basket
• Late season flower for bees Pontederia cordata, Pontederia cordata albiflora(white) Pickerel Weed or Butomus umbellatus (British Native) in 11cm Mesh basket
• Structural leaf form from Typha minima Miniature Bulrush,  Juncus ensifolius Swordleaf Rush or Equisetum scirpoides in 11cm Mesh basket
• Rafting plant Myosotis scorpioides (British Native) or Myosotis scorpioides alba Water Forget me Not in blue or white in 9cm Mesh basket
• Veronica beccabunga Brooklime (British Native) or Myriophyllum rubricaule Red Stem Red Stem Milfoil in 9cm Mesh basket
• Aponogeton distachyos Water Hawthorn for deep water
• Dwarf waterlily candida or dwarf Nymphaea Perrys Baby Red for 1-2m2 surface area of water
• Nymphaea odorata alba Waterlily in 15cm Mesh basket for a white waterlily for a 2-4m2 surface area

• 6 submerged oxygenating plants, 6 plants in 11cm mesh baskets and 2 plants in 9cm mesh baskets. For surface cover add a Nymphaea odorata alba and a Aponogeton distachyos. (Pond Planting Scheme 2)

Choose small pond plants for a 1-1.9m surface area :

• 2 oxygenating plants, 4 of the 11cm mesh basket pond plants and 2 of the 9cm mesh basket pond plants. For surface cover for slightly deeper water go for a dwarf waterlily like candida in white or Xia Fei in red. (Pond Planting Scheme 1)

For a container patio pond or Butlers sink less than 1m2 choose really small growing plants:

• 1 oxygenating plant and 3 other plants with at least 1 in 11cm Mesh basket (Acorus gramineus Ogon, Acorus gramineus Variegatus, Caltha palustris, Mentha cervina, Mentha cervina alba, Ranunculus flammula or Juncus ensifolius) and 1 in 9cm Mesh basket (Myosotis scorpioides, Myosotis scorpioides alba, Myriophyllum rubricaule Red Stem, Veronica beccabunga or Oenanthe javanica Flamingo). In a sunny site use a Miniature waterlily as long as the depth is 20cm/8".
• Best waterlilies for the smallest container ponds as recommended by RHS - Waterlilies for small ponds - The Garden July 2016. Time has not changed these recommendations.
• ie. Dependent on the depth of water in the container the smallest waterlilies for sale are Miniatures requiring 25cm/10" of water depth
• or Dwarf waterlilies will spread further and grow from slightly deeper water

If you cannot decide yourself try our Pond Planting Schemes or our Container Pond Planting Schemes. All found on the Planting Schemes page.

All our plants (other than the bareroot oxygenating plants that you drop into the water to find their own depth) are sent from us already rooted in the mesh basket and correct aquatic soil so that you can place them immediately into your pond or water feature. You do not need to buy baskets or aquatic soil.