Big specimen plants

I have this pond:



9'Lx8'Wx2'D, no shelves. As you can see, it's a bit crowded! Next year I would like to remove all the iris, and add something new. What I'm thinking is to put the poor, suffering, smothered juncus in the front left corner, shift the left waterlily backwards so both can spread a bit better, and put something different in the back right corner.

Also, in the top right of the pic you can just see the filter - a 4' plastic dog bed full of iris - and I would like to redo that, too. I used to have a carex riparia and would like to get another; am I right in thinking it's happy in shallower, boggy conditions? That bed is pretty much that: the water is pumped into the back of it, runs over the iris roots then back into the pond over the lip of the dog bed. It works beautifully as a filter, I would just like a change from all the iris!

Any suggestions for newness? Thanks

 

It looks nice already. Its amzing how much water plants grow and when you savagely prune them you realise the dozens of bits of rhizome you throw out are worth about £10 a piece at the garden centre.!

Have you tried marsh marigolds for the spring / early summer.
What about a gunnera at the back ? They just need watching as they turn into massive monsters if not pruned hard,or maybe get a mini type instead.

 

I would LOVE a proper gunnera. One of my all-time faves. But alas, too big I think! I don't keep on top of pruning anything as much as I'd like to so it would quickly get out of hand, and my fence is about 3ft behind the irises so not a lot of room for it to grow. A mini one might be doable though, I'll have a look

I know what you mean about pruning - I've already given away a clump of iris from pruning the bed filter. I'm trying to sell the biggest one on the left atm but no-one's buying!

 

1) Skunk Cabbage.

2) Thalia Dealbata.

Just two suggestions for height and effect in place of the Iris.

 

Thank you!