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Queen Mother's Lake

The tranquil Queen Mother’s Lake is a haven for visitors and wildlife alike, with its soft, marginal plantings, wildflower meadow and majestic trees

Looking its best in...

  • Spring Fresh, lush foliage provides an oasis for wildlife
  • Summer A perennial wildflower meadow with bee-enticing blooms
  • Autumn Specimen trees with striking autumn colour

A habitat for wildlife

Around the Queen Mother’s Lake, a soft planting scheme of native yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) and marginal grasses can be found, punctuated by cheerful marsh marigold (Caltha palustris). Further moisture-loving plants thrive along the banks, including astilbes, daylilies and Lythrum.

The lake offers a welcoming habitat for wildlife, including the emperor dragonfly, a common sight in early summer, and moorhens, which have been nesting in the floating duck house since its installation in 2013.

Autumn’s treasures

The swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) and a dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), with their warm russet bark and vivid autumn colour, flourish here. Both are young and have been moved into place from elsewhere in the garden.

The perennial meadow

A recent addition to the western lakeside is a perennial wildflower meadow. Sloping towards the water’s edge, it provides a glorious tapestry of colour in the summer months.

Ragged robin, ox-eye daisies and buttercups can all be seen. When in bloom it attracts bees, butterflies and hovering insects, while voles and mice take cover in the long grass.

Remove unwanted pond weed that builds up on the surface of your pond by scooping it off with a rake. Leave it to drain next to the pond so that wildlife can crawl out and back into the water – the weed can then be composted.

RHS Garden Harlow Carr Horticulturist

Plants around the Queen Mother's Lake

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.