Carex - Sedges
| The most useful species for the water garden is the Pendulous Sedge, . A marginal aquatic up to 1.2m in height, it rarely enjoys more than a few centimetres of water, being much more content in very wet soil. A tall and dignified plant with broad green strap-like leaves, it produces long drooping catkin-like flowers during the summer, the remnants of which persist until the autumn.
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 Carex pendula
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The least desirable species, but one that frequently finds its way into the sales tanks at garden centres for its dubious wildlife attracting virtues, is the Great Pond Sedge, Carex riparia. This can be very invasive and cause all manner of chaos as it spreads rapidly and seeds freely. Its golden-leafed variety C.riparia.'Aurea' is a good pond plant, being well restrained and no more than 75cm tall. Likewise the green and white variegated C.r.'Variegata', a well-behaved and invaluable inhabitant of the pond margins.
Apart from the true sedges there are the Cyperus or Umbrella Grasses. Of the hardy kinds there is one that is worth growing in the garden. This is called the Sweet Galingale, Cyperus longus. A grassy character, it has narrow green spiky leaves which radiate from the stem like the ribs of a rather lax umbrella. Small insignificant brownish flower spikes are sprinkled amongst the leaves of the umbrella-like heads. A good creeping foliage plant which is ideal for stabilising stream-side banks and eroded areas at the waterside.
All the sedges should be planted during spring or early summer in either a heavy loam soil or proprietary aquatic planting compost. Top-dress the compost with fine washed pea shingle to prevent the compost from dispersing into the water. Remove any faded leaves and during the summer feed with an aquatic plant fertiliser. Propagation is by seed sown during spring in a tray of wet soil based compost or mud which is placed in a cold frame, or by spring or early summer division.
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