Purple Loosestrife

A tall plant, Purple Loosestrife can form dense stands of bright purple flower spikes in wet habitats like reedbeds, fens and marshes.

Purple Loosestrife can be found in wet habitats, such as reedbeds, fens, marshes and riverbanks, where its impressive spikes of magenta flowers rise up among the grasses. Many tall stems can grow from a single root stock. It flowers between June and August, when its nectar becomes a valuable food source for long-tongued insects, such as Brimstone butterflies, Red-tailed Bumblebees and Elephant Hawk-moths.

Marsh Marigold

The large, golden flowers of Marsh-marigold look like the cups of kings, hence its other name: 'Kingcup'. It favours damp spots, like ponds, meadows, marshes, ditches and wet woodlands.

The large, golden flowers of Marsh-marigold certainly look like the cups of kings; indeed, the Latin name, Caltha,is derived from the Greek for 'goblet', and this plant is also commonly known as 'Kingcup'. It is a widespread flower of ponds, marshes, damp meadows, ditches and wet woodland and is a conspicuous spring flower. Marsh-marigold is also a good plant to add to a wildlife-friendly pond, providing shelter for frogs and early nectar for insects.

Flag Iris

The large, sunshine-yellow flowers of the Yellow iris brighten up the margins of our waterways, ponds, wet woods, fens and marshes. Also called the 'Flag Iris', its outer petals have a characteristic 'droop'.

The water-loving Yellow iris can be found along the margins of waterways and ponds, and in wet woodlands, fens and saltmarshes. Often mingled among other reedbed plants, its large, bright yellow flowers appear between May and August; they are thought to be the inspiration for the fleur-de-lis symbol, which is used in heraldry and also by the Scouts.