Alisma ‘Alisma Plantago’

Pale lilac flowers are borne on wide branches and open between 1pm and 7pm each day. Flowering time: June–September. Blooms profusely, but flowers are short lived.

Hardiness: zones 2 – 11
Height: 30–100 cm (12–40 in.).
Sometimes referred to as Water Baby Breath.

American Brooklime ‘Veronica Americana’

Small blue flowers form on creeping green stems. Excellent plant for between stones or along steam margins.
Height: 6″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
·Hardiness: Winter hardy (zone 3+)  

Arrow Arum ‘Peltandra virginica’

Dark green, arrow-shaped leaves arising from short fleshy rootstocks.g steam margins.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Native to North America
·Hardiness: Zone 5-9.

Arrowhead ‘Sagittaria latifolia’

Arrowhead-shaped leaves. White flowers are 3-petalled. Tubers are edible, and a favorite of waterfowl.
Height: 20″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter hardy (Zone 3+) 

Bloody Dock ‘Rumex sanguineus’

Green leaves with red veins. Does not flower, but provides a colourful contrast in a pond
Height: 12″
Habitat: Native to Europe, North Afica, Asia
Hardiness: Zones 5-9

Bog Arum ‘Calla palustris’

Broad heart-shaped leaves grow from creeping rhizomes. Snow white flower spathe. Red berries developing from the blossom. Must be submerged for best growth.
Height: 10″, spreads on the water surface.
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter Hardy (Zone 3+)

Bog Bean ‘Menyanthes trifoliata’

3-lobe leaves grow from creeping rhizomes, and are elevated above the water surface. Flowers develop early in spring, and are white star shape with pink centres. Must be submerged for best growth.
Height: 5-10″ above water surface, long fleshy vines spread on the water surface.
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter Hardy (Zone 3+)

Bulrush – Green ‘Scirpus pallidus’

Bulrush with flat green blades and greenish flower heads later in season. Leaves are flat or v-shaped. 
Height: 30″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter Hardy (Zone 3+)

Bulrush – Soft ‘Scirpus validus’

Tall cylindrical green leaves grow from tough creeping rhizomes. Stems are softer and lighter coloured than the hard-stem variety. Excellent for around waterfalls
Height: 48″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter Hardy (Zone 3+)

Bulrush – Hard stem ‘Scirpus acutus’

Tall cylindrical green leaves grow from tough creeping rhizomes. Tolerates water movement. Excellent for around waterfalls
Height: 48″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter Hardy (Zone 3+)

Canna Australis

This tropical marginal plant boasts wine colored leaves with a bright orangy red flower.    Great for use as a background plant where taller growth is necessary.  Red flowers can be seen all summer long.
Height: 48″
Habitat: Tropical hybrid
Hardiness: zones 8-11. Must be stored indoors, preferably in a cold room environment.

Canna Pink Sunburst

Canna ‘Pink Sunburst’ is a great choice for a canna lily in the water garden.  Pink Sunburst is a dwarf variety of Canna lily that doesn’t reach more than 2 feet in height.  Canna ‘Pink Sunburst’ has bright pink flowers and stunningly red and green striped leaves.  You can enjoy flowers all summer long with this tropical marginal plant.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Tropical hybrid
Hardiness: zones 8-11. Must be stored indoors in winter

Canna Red King

‘Red King Humbert’ is a splendid, especially tall canna. They are especially desirable for their distinctive foliage, which slowly turns from green to an exotic, reddish-bronze. The flowers range from bright red to reddish orange and bloom in mid-to-late summer. This Canna is marvelous in water gardens!
Height: 48″
Habitat: Tropical hybrid
Hardiness: zones 8-11. Must be stored indoors in winter

Canna Striped Beauty

‘Red King Humbert’ is a splendid, especially tall canna. They are especially desirable for their distinctive foliage, which slowly turns from green to an exotic, reddish-bronze. The flowers range from bright red to reddish orange and bloom in mid-to-late summer. This Canna is marvelous in water gardens!
Height: 48″
Habitat: Tropical hybrid
Hardiness: zones 8-11. Must be stored indoors in winter

Cardinal Lobelia ‘Lobelia cardinalis‘

Gorgeous, slender plant.  Crimson flowering spikes.  Reddish leaves.
Height: 36″
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: zones 5-11.

Cattail ‘Typha Minima’

Very narrow foliage and small brown catkins. Perfect cattail for small pools.
Height: 18″
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: zones 3-11.

Cattail Narrowleaf ‘Typha Angustifolia’

Vertical, dense screen plant.  Narrow, blue-green leaves.
Height: 5′
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: zones 3-11.

Cattail – common ‘Typha Latfolia’

Tall, grassy leaves.   Good for accent or screening.  Excellent in any pool.
Height: 72″
Habitat: Native to many parts of the world
Hardiness: zones 2-11.

Chameleon ‘Houttuynia cordata ‘variegata’

Varigated green, cream and pink heart-shaped foliage.  Low grower, good foreground plant.
Height: 12″
Habitat: Japan, Taiwan, India
Hardiness: 5-11

Corkscrew Rush ‘Juncus effusus Spiralis’

Green curly stems that spiral outward from the base.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Europe
Hardiness: 5-11

Cotton Grass ‘Eriophorum angustifolium‘

This grass-like plant is highly prized for its showy cottony seed heads. Fast growing.
Height: 10″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Winter hardy (zones 3+)

Ginger

Ginger is grown from a tuber that looks very much like the ginger roots you buy in stores. It needs warmth and sunlight, and to be protected from winds.
Height: 24″
Habitat:
Hardiness: Zones 5-11

Horsetail ‘Equisetum hymale’

Dark green, segmented stalks, similar to bamboo. A very popular choice.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: Zones 3-11

Iris – Black Gamecock

Graceful, narrow foliage. Spring blooms.
Height: 36″
Habitat: Native to Louisiana
Hardiness: Zones 3-11

Iris – Blue

Rich blue-purple flowers above fans of sword-like green leaves. Spring blooms.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Zones 3-11

Marsh Marigold ‘Caltha palustris’

Round leaves; grows in a clump. Bright yellow flowers. One of the first aquatics to bloom in the spring time. The buds start forming as soon as the ice melts in your pond. If you allow the flowers to go to seed and don’t do a thorough cleanup of the rocks around your pond, this plant will seed itself and provide a gorgeous display in the springtime.
Height: 12″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Zones 3-11

Monkey Flower ‘Mimulus ringens’

Thin tubular stems with small lavender flowers that form drooping clusters at top of stem.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: Zones 3-8

Needle Rush ‘Eleocharis acicularis’

Grass-like foliage, shortest of the rushes. Works well as a filler inbetween rocks at the waters edge.
Height: 4″
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: Zones 3-8

Percamenthus ‘Cyperus percamenthus’

Cyperus percamenthus, also known as King Tut papyrus and Dwarf giant papyrus, is an excellent tropical marginal plant.  It is able to give you the look of giant papyrus, but with a much smaller maximum height that is easier to maintain for smaller water features.  One of the most popular plants in the water garden industry, Dwarf Giant papyrus is very easy to maintain. There are several different names in the trade adding for a bit of confusion, but just ask for dwarf giant papyrus and you will get the plant you want.
Height: 24″
Habitat: Tropical
Hardiness: Zones 9-11

Pickeral Rush ‘Pontederia cordata’

Produces lovely purple flower spike.  Glossy, green heart-shaped leaves.  Continuous bloom Good cut flower. Also awailable with white flowers.
Height: 24″
Habitat: North America
Hardiness: Zones 5-11

Society Garlic ‘Tulbaghia violacea’

Tulbaghia violacea is a great marginal plant that can take a wide variety of growing conditions. Society garlic as it is commonly known is native to South Africa where it is found in the grasslands.  Society garlic can tolerate a variety of conditions and is fairly common as a regular landscape plant along with being an excellent water garden plant. Purple flowes sit high above the leaves on stalks and flower continuously throughout the summer months. Also available with variegated striped leaves.
Height: 12″
Habitat: Native to South Africa
Hardiness: Zones 7-11. Can be grown as a house plant over winter

Sweet Flag – Green ‘Acorus americanus’

Fragrant green, sword-like leaves. Greenish-brown spadix forms later in season. Hardy in most places in North America this is an excellent marginal plant for water gardens. 
Height: 30″
Habitat: Native to Alberta
Hardiness: Zones 3-11

Sweet Flag varigated ‘Acorus calamus v. variegatus’

Variegated Sweetflag is a great marginal plant for any size pond or water garden.   Its colorful leaves always draw attention even when other plants are flowering. Variegated Sweetflag will grow up to 36″ in height making it suitable for almost any location in the water garden.  You can plant it in front of larger background plants to add color or if you have a smaller pond or water garden you can use the Variegated Sweetflag as a colorful background itself.  Hardy in most places in North America this is an excellent marginal plant for water gardens. 
Height: 4″
Habitat: Native to North America
Hardiness: Zones 3-11

Thalia Dealbata

Also known as Powdery Alligator-flag, Hardy water canna, or Powdery Thalia. The plant will grow 4-5′ tall, with a spike of small purple flowers held high above the foliage.
Height: 36″
Habitat: Native to southern USA
Hardiness: Zones 3-8, Tuber should be stored indoors for the winter.

Umbrella Palm ‘Cyperus alternifolius’

Top sprout of leaves forming an “umbrella” shape. Narrow leaves, a quick grower..
Height: has been known to grow 6-7′ tall inside a greenhouse, but outside in an Alberta pond, you can expect a height of approx. 3-4′, depending on the placement in your pond.
Habitat: Native to Madigascar
Hardiness: Zones 7-11. This is an excellent plant to grow indoors over winter.

Umbrella Palm Dwarf

A smaller version of traditional umbrella palm, set on rich green stems.
Height: 18-24″
Habitat: Tropical
Hardiness: Zones 7-11. This plant can be grown as a house plant over winter.

Water Celery ‘Oenantha javanica Flamingo’

Water celery has multi-coloured leaves which are pink, white and light green, which become more vibrantly coloured in full sun. If the pot is placed below the surface of the water, the plant will form long trailing runners which will often anchor themselves in the rock in your pond.
Height: 12-18″
Habitat: Native to Asia and Australia
Hardiness: Zones 5-11. This plant has been known to occasionally survive the Alberta winters if it has time to establish itself in your pond.