Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum) Native Marginal Pond Plant

Watercress is a native UK marginal plant suited to pond keepers who want a quick-establishing option for shallow edges, basket planting or gravel beds. It shrugs off mild winters without dying back and tolerates a hard trim whenever it gets overgrown, giving you a low-maintenance marginal to look after season after season. It's also one of the oldest known leaf vegetables, though the manufacturer says it should only be considered for eating if grown somewhere with confirmed clean water.

Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, commonly known as watercress, is a native UK marginal plant that doubles as one of the oldest known edible leaf crops, which sets it apart from purely ornamental marginals. It suits pond keepers who want a fast-establishing plant for shallow margins, basket planting or gravel beds. Growing it along the edge gives your pond dark green cover with small flowers through the summer, and it keeps putting on new growth through mild winters rather than dying back.

What you get depends on the option chosen: a single plant already in its own 1 litre mesh aquatic basket, three plants each in a 1 litre mesh basket, or three plants supplied in 9cm pots. The 9cm pot plants aren't pre-potted into baskets, so you'll need a mesh aquatic basket for each one before planting; this isn't included with that option.

The manufacturer notes it tolerates a vigorous trim whenever it needs tidying, which makes it simple to keep under control once it's settled into the pond. Because it establishes quickly, expect to divide or cut it back during the season to keep it within the space you've given it.