Ferns

No doubt your new acquisitions will look great later once they have established themselves in their new home.

This is one area of gardening where my experience is Zero, Zilch! I have never grown a fern in my entire life - except for an 'Asparagus Fern', (Protasparagus setaceus) so many years ago it's hardly even a vague memory!

Neil Timms has just brought out a new book on ferns. He also runs a nursery ['The fern Nursery Binbrook Lincolnshire]and is excellent at guiding you to suitable plants. He has spoken at our local HPS group several times and is always helpful. He wont sell you a plant that isn't suitable for your conditions.

I have several that are for not requiring acidic and or damp conditions and most were recommended by him. So have a look through my plant profiles and see which ones I have.

Hi Balcony, I'm the same, I've always liked ferns and bought a few but now I have them I'm unsure how to deal with them.
Thanks Seaburn, I'll try and find Neil's book and I will look at his website, thanks I will look at yours

These are lovely ferns Dawn. I'm glad you've aquired some. You'll have a good collection in no time. After 5 years, some of mine are pretty huge now, and a couple have had to be removed. But I'm so glad I have them as they are great through the winter. The Matteuccia you saw on my photos was at a National Trust property. I don't grow them myself, but they are absolutely beautiful en masse, especially in the Spring. Mine are all winter-green varieties, but if we get strong gales, they snap the fronds so I have to remove them anyway. In any case I always remove them in March so I can enjoy the new ones as they appear. Mine are in shade most of the year and very free-draining soil, but they do well.

Great Karen, thanks for the info. What do you mean by winter-green, thanks

They're lovely Dawn, there are so many different types to be had. I have one with bronze fronds that looks nice but I don't know if it keeps them in winter, I've never looked lol.

Thanks Hywel, strange isn’t it, I’ve always had a few ferns dotted around but like you not really given them much attention, I’ve just looked at the website Seaburn mentions and they have lots :)

Winter-Green is a term I came across recently Dawn. It just means that the foliage survives the winter but it is not an ‘Evergreen’ in the same way as a conifer or a Holly etc. The foliage will eventually succumb to the cold.

My reference book on ferns is 'The Plantfinder's Guide to Garden Ferns' by Martin Rickard. There are secondhand copies for sale on Amazon

I love ferns too. Long Acre Plants have a good basic selection (with photos) and will advise on which ones prefer which conditions. Well worth visiting their site.

Thanks Karen, now you’ve said I have read there are deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen, I see. It’s not always clear on purchase what you’re getting.
Thanks Andrew, I’ll check that out.
Hi Siris, I’ve had ferns from Longacres, Andrew put me in to them for other plants a couple of years ago, I really like that company.

In Scotland ferns are a must. I have twelve different ones in the garden. Some are over four feet tall. I love them.
Beautifully architectural.

Hi Linda, can you recommend any of yours, thanks

Super ferns, Dawn. Which one is your first photo please ?

Thanks Terra, errr I don't know, I'll look at the label tomorrow and let you know :-)

Thank you, Dawn. That's very kind.

I have quite a few in my little stumpery, a couple die right back during the winter months but most are always there, as Karen has stated they do need a tidy up sometimes as the fronds get bent or broken but I love them....

Terra, the fern is Polystichum setiferum Plumosomultilobum Group!
Yours sound nice Sue :-)

We cut ours down in the spring, so we get all new fronds..... wonderful plants.....

Even the evergreen ones Dd.

If they look scruffy......

Thanks