FAQs

All our plants are grown in the UK in a prize winning nursery on the Hertfordshire borders. We work closely with the nursery and supply their plants exclusively, as we believe these are the best cold water pond plants grown in the UK.

Our plants are grown in cold greenhouses and rely on longer sunny days to warm the water and start growing well. If you pre-order, we give an approximate date, but this can change depending on the weather.

From mid February we speak with the nursery every week. As soon as the nursery manager approves the plants for sale, they are sent out to you.

Extra time in the greenhouse helps the plants develop strong roots so they travel well and arrive in great condition. We will let you know once your order has been dispatched.

Koi will eat all water plants. The best option is to section off part of the pond and place your plants inside that area.

If that is not possible, you could try Dutch rush (Equisetum hyemale), but hungry koi may still damage it.

Orfe and goldfish are much gentler, so all water plants are suitable for them.

Yes. Fish waste increases nitrate levels in the water and aquatic plants use these nitrates as food. Algae also feeds on nitrates, so plants help balance the pond.

Fish in wildlife ponds may eat spawn, larvae and plants, which can affect the pond’s natural balance.

Some types are, but we do not recommend eating them unless they were grown by a food safe producer.

Pond plants are species that need to be submerged or kept in consistently wet conditions. This includes waterlilies, deep water plants, oxygenators, floating plants and marginals.

Yes. Some people use our plants for aquascaping. Pygmaea waterlilies are especially good for this.

Native plants are fine for UK winters. Non native plants may or may not survive, depending on the climate they come from.

If a plant is frost sensitive, we note this on the website and recommend keeping it in a greenhouse or conservatory over winter in a container of water.

Waterlilies are hungry plants and do best in their Finofil aquatic baskets.

Other plants can be taken out of soil, but we usually recommend keeping them in baskets. This makes it easier to clean the pond, move plants or split them when needed.

All pond plants help by taking up excess nutrients that algae relies on.

For a balanced ecosystem, aim for around 30 percent of your pond’s volume to be plants.

All pond plants support clean water. Plants that are particularly good at absorbing nutrients include irises, waterlilies, oxygenators and watercress.

Pond plants become available in the UK from April. Frost sensitive varieties are usually ready from mid May onwards.

Yes. In natural swimming ponds the soil is washed off and the bare root plants are set directly into gravel.

Plants may slow down for a short time while they adjust to taking nutrients from the water rather than soil, but they usually establish well.

This method keeps the water clearer, but it means the plants cannot be moved or split as easily as those kept in baskets.

Please see our Shipping and Delivery page for all information.

No. Due to Brexit and updated EU plant regulations, we cannot ship to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.

If using rainwater, you can add plants immediately.

If using tap water, wait 72 hours to a week to allow chlorine to evaporate.