Whether you have a secluded pond, sunny rock wall or a serene woodland setting, you can find an assortment of ferns to add beauty to any spot in the garden. Most ferns do well in part shade or dappled sunlight, but there are many which will do well with quite a bit of sun, provided they get enough water. Shade loving ferns appreciate an organic, evenly moist, well drained soil. If your soil is heavy on the clay or sandy side, you can add compost or other organic matter to help balance it out. Ferns require minimal maintenance throughout the year. Once in the garden, ferns in general do not require additional fertlizer. They will appreciate leaf litter from surrounding trees and an occassional top dressing of a compost mulch. Unless you want to share a fern with a friend, these easy going plants rarely need to be divided.
Deciduous ferns can be trimmed as the fronds yellow in late autumn and early winter. Evergreen ferns do best if the older fronds are trimmed off in late winter or early spring, just before the new fronds emerge. As with other perennials, the best time to plant is during the spring and autumn when the rain is plentiful. Ferns come in an amazing range of texture, colour, sizes and shapes. Their ease and versatility make them an essential part of a well rounded garden.
Narrow leafed form of the Harts Tongue fern. Easy in most soils but happier on the limey side and tolerant of dry light shade.
Hart's Tongue Fern. Evergreen shuttlecock-like crowns of bright glossy green, often waved fronds heart-shaped at the base. Height 45-70cm. Spread 60cm. Evergreen. Hardy.
Lady Fern. Handsome fern with upright delicate, finely cut, shuttlecock-like fronds, often crested in light green. Height 90cm. Spread 60-90cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Tatting Fern. Distinctive fern with delicate small rounded fronds with fingered edges are arranged on long thin stalks. Height 20cm. Spread 30cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Lady Fern. Handsome fern with upright delicate, finely cut, shuttlecock-like fronds, often crested in light green. Height 90cm. Spread 60-90cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Lady Fern. Handsome fern with upright shuttlecock-like fronds in light green. Height 1 to 1.5m. Spread 60-90cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Japanese Painted Fern. Beautiful fern with wine-red leaf stalks and metallic grey-blue finely cut fronds. Height 20-30cm. Spread 80cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Gives outstanding presence to a shady border. The leaves appear 'painted' indeed and must be amongst the most colourful of all cultivated ferns being silvery grey-green with variable burgundy staining towards the centre and even more pronounced burgundy midribs.
Japanese Painted Fern. Beautiful fern with wine-red leaf stalks and metallic rusty red finely cut fronds. Height 20-30cm. Spread 80cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered site.
Small fern, reaching only 8" in height with fronds that emerge rosy red and age to something that resembles a dwarf, glossy Christmas fern.
Broadly pinnate dark green dull-glazed evergreen fronds form dense low ground-cover in a shady spot. Height 15-20cm. Spread Indefinite. Evergreen. Hardy.
Hard Fern. The native hard fern. A very pretty fern with good neat clumps of comb-like fronds. Height 40cm. Spread 60cm. Evergreen. Hardy.
Beautiful pale grey fronds provide year round interest to shady parts of the garden. Ideal Conditions: Prefers full sun, with free-draining soil or compost. Possible Situation: Suitable for rockeries, beds, border fringes or in the container with Dianthus, Sempervivums or Sedums for example.
Japanese Holly fern. An excellent evergreen fern. Compact habit unusual shaped leaves that stand wind. Prefers a drier site with some shade.
Usually found in moist, rocky areas or woodland in central and eastern Asia, this evergreen fern is deciduous in colder climates. Fronds may be cut to the ground in spring if damaged by dry winter winds. The distinctive fronds make great accents among groundcovers, or in drifts with perennials, shrubs, and trees.
An evergreen fern with erect dull, pale green fronds. Low growing, spreading habit. Height 60cm. Spread 40cm. Evergreen. Frost hardy.
In spring, the new fronds emerge with a bronze flush, but as they age they turn dark green and develop a leathery texture. The colour of the stem is attractive too, being a bright red initially, but losing its intensity over time. This evergreen fern will slowly spread to form a good-sized clump, so makes excellent groundcover in a woodland garden.
Golden Male Fern. A handsome fern with crested, arched fronds twisted at the tips. Height 90cm. Spread 90cm. Evergreen. Hardy. Sheltered site.
A graceful fern forming a shuttlecock of arching fronds. New fronds unfurl pale green maturing to dark green. Height 90cm. Spread 90cm. Evergreen. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Golden Male Fern. A dwarf fern with wide crisped and congested fronds twisted at the tips. Height 30cm. Spread 30cm. Evergreen. Hardy. Sheltered site.
Semi-evergreen. Mid rib and stalks are densely covered with golden brown scales. Height 3ft x 3ft. Any reasonable soil, shady conditions.
A small fern with short broad fronds. 50cm. Sun or partial shade.
Broad Buckler Fern. A handsome fern forming a shuttlecock of dark green, prettily crisped, and wavy fronds with midribs and stalks covered in dark brown scales. Height 50cm. Spread 1.2m. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
A semi-evergreen native of Japan that will do well in the UK garden. Fronds are dark green with serrated margins and arching. Height 2 feet.
Broad Buckler Fern. A handsome fern forming a shuttlecock of dark green, prettily crisped, finely divided fronds with midribs and stalks covered in pale brown scales. Height 60-90cm. Spread 45cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
A handsome fern, slowly creeping, forming triangular fronds which are copper-red when young slowly turning dark green with green midribs. Height 60cm. Spread 40cm. Evergreen. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Autumn fern is a colourful groundcover with pink fiddleheads that turn coppery orange as they unfurl. Fronds age to a lustrous dark green and remain well into winter. New growth continues through the season, giving a colourful tapestry effect of copper and green from spring to late fall.
A handsome fern, slowly creeping, forming finely divided triangular fronds which are bronze when young, slowly turning dark green with green midribs. Height 25-30cm. Spread 40cm. Evergreen. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Forming well crisped fronds ruffled at the edges with green midribs. Height 60cm. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
The native Cristata male fern forming well crisped fronds ruffled at the edges with green midribs. Height 60cm. Spread 1m. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered site.
An outstanding hardy, evergreen fern. Unique leathery, pinnate, lance shaped dark green fronds. Pinnae margin finely serrated. Height 60cm (2ft).
Wallich's Wood Fern. A magnificent fern. The young unfolding fronds and yellow-green, contrasting well with the black hairy midrib and stems. Height 60cm. Spread 75cm. Deciduous. Hardy.
Ostrich Fern. Shuttlecock Fern. A beautiful fern with bright pale green fronds which unfurl in spring to form tight 'shuttlecocks'. Height 1.6m. Spread 1m. Deciduous. Hardy.
Sensitive Fern. A deciduous fern with finely cut pale green fronds. Height 60cm. Spread indefinite. Deciduous. Hardy. Sheltered site.
Royal Fern. A deciduous fern forming dense clumps bright green. Height 1.2m. Spread 1.2m. Deciduous. Hardy.
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