This pond plant dies right back in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: reliably moist or boggy, or aquatic compost
• Depth of water: 0-10cm
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: August to September
• Hardiness: tender (needs winter protection)
  
  This eye-catching perennial will add some summer structure to the margins of a pond, or those boggy areas of the garden that never quite dry out. It forms a clump of upright stems, which are topped with a cluster of leaf-like bracts. Then, from late summer to autumn, small yellow-brown flower spikelets appear, further adding to its appeal.
  
  
• Garden care: Cut back to the base in autumn and overwinter potted plants under glass, sitting them in a shallow tray of water and maintaining temperatures above 5°C.