Gardener’s Garters (Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta’)

Gardener’s Garters | Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta’

Striking variegated pond grass with bold striped foliage and natural movement

Gardener’s Garters, also known as Ribbon Grass, is a vibrant and eye catching marginal plant that adds both structure and movement to pond edges and bog gardens. Its distinctive green leaves with creamy white stripes create a bright, fresh look that stands out beautifully against darker foliage and reflective water.

This fast growing ornamental grass forms dense clumps of arching foliage that gently sway in the breeze, bringing a soft, natural movement to your pond. Growing to heights of 60 cm to 90 cm, it provides excellent vertical interest without overwhelming surrounding plants. From early summer through to late summer, it produces subtle greenish brown flower spikes that add additional texture and seasonal variation.

Gardener’s Garters thrives in moist to wet soils and can also be planted in shallow water, making it ideal for pond margins, streams, and damp landscaping areas. It performs best in full sun, where the variegation becomes more pronounced, although it will tolerate partial shade.

This plant is particularly valued in wildlife friendly gardens. Its dense growth provides shelter for amphibians such as frogs, toads, and newts, while also offering cover for insects and nesting opportunities for birds. The strong root system helps stabilise pond edges and prevent erosion, making it a practical as well as decorative choice.

Due to its vigorous spreading nature, Gardener’s Garters is best suited to larger ponds or areas where it has room to grow. In smaller ponds, it should be planted in an aquatic basket to help control its spread. Regular division will keep it healthy and manageable.

If you are looking for a bold, low maintenance plant that delivers colour, structure, and wildlife benefits, Gardener’s Garters is an excellent addition to any pond planting scheme.

🇬🇧 UK-grown aquatic plant: Grown at a dedicated aquatic plant nursery in the South of England and carefully prepared for delivery across the UK.

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Key Benefits

• Attractive green and cream striped foliage
• Adds height, structure, and movement to pond edges
• Fast growing and easy to establish
• Provides shelter for amphibians and wildlife
• Helps stabilise pond margins and prevent erosion
• Fully hardy and reliable in UK conditions

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Reasons to Buy

• Bright variegated foliage adds instant visual impact
• Ideal for naturalistic and wildlife pond designs
• Low maintenance and easy to grow
• Perfect for larger ponds and landscaping projects
• Excellent for adding texture and contrast to planting schemes

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Care Instructions

• Plant on a marginal shelf in water between 0 cm and 15 cm deep, or in consistently moist soil. Depth is measured from the top of the basket to the water surface.
• Gardener’s Garters prefers full sun for the best colour but will tolerate partial shade. Keep the soil or water consistently moist.
• Due to its spreading habit, it is recommended to plant in aquatic baskets in smaller spaces. Divide clumps every few years in spring to maintain vigour and control growth. Cut back old foliage in late autumn or early spring to encourage fresh growth.

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Flowering Period

June to September

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Size and Growing Conditions

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Dispatching Your Pond Plants

Your Gardener’s Garters will be carefully packed to protect the foliage and roots during transit.

Orders received by 11am Monday to Wednesday are normally dispatched on the following working day using a next working day courier service. During busy periods, dispatch may occasionally take an extra day.

To avoid plants being held in depots over a weekend, we do not usually dispatch on Fridays. Highlands and Islands orders using a two day service are not normally dispatched on Thursdays.

Available basket sizes:

• Pack of 3 × 9cm Pots
• 1 Litre Basket – usually 11 × 11 × 11cm square; some varieties may be supplied in a 14cm diameter × 10cm round basket
• Pack of 3 × 1 Litre Baskets – each usually 11 × 11 × 11cm square
• 3 Litre Hexagonal Basket – 18 × 18 × 16cm

Planting depth is measured from the top of the aquatic basket to the water surface.

Plants supplied in 9cm pots require potting into suitable aquatic baskets before being placed in the pond.

Finofil baskets are manufactured in the UK from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable. Their fine dual-mesh construction helps retain aquatic soil while allowing water and nutrients to reach the roots. Basket shape may vary slightly depending on the plant and supplier availability.

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Similar pond plants

For another pond-edge planting option, compare Common Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus) and Gerald Darby Iris (Iris × robusta ‘Gerald Darby’).

Explore more marginal pond plants or browse our complete pond plants range. Need baskets, aquatic soil or planting essentials? Browse our pond plant baskets and aquatic planting supplies.