Growing Ferns

Growing ferns.

Ferns can be grown in the border or woodland, even in a pot.
They do not flower but some produce attractive seed heads in autumn.
They can be tall growing, middle-sized or more compact. All produce very attractive fronds.
Some are evergreen, others are deciduous. Most grow in shade but a few will tolerate some sun.
They can grow in a wide variety of shady situations from a shady border, in woodland under deciduous trees or shrubs, under shrubs in the shady border or in a pot grown as a group or individual specimen plant.
Low maintenance, with evergreen varieties only needing dead or damaged fronds removing. Deciduous ferns require dead foliage removing in spring before new growth appears.
Most varieties are green but some have unusual silvery foliage & some produce more colourful new fronds in spring.
Ferns can be used as excellent ground cover requiring little or no maintenance. They can hold their own when grown with vigorous growers like Vinca & Lamium.

Ferns have beautiful foliage, some lacy & textured whilst others grow more solid fronds. Ferns with lacy fronds are a good contrast against solid- leaved perennials like Hostas. The taller growers can give the garden a lush almost tropical feeling. Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern) with beautiful lacy, silvery pink or red fronds provides both textural & colour contrast. Ferns grow best in a moisture retentive soil.

Ferns that can tolerate sun.

Asplenium – Sun to part-shade.
Osmunda – Full shade or sun.
Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern)-A statuesque fern growing between 3-5’ tall. Sun to full shade. If grown in sun it requires a lot of water. It can even grow in shallow, standing water.

Shorter growing ferns for shade.

Adiantum pedatum varieties (Maidenhair fern) – Part or full shade in humus-rich soil. Approx. 30 cm tall. Deciduous or semi-evergreen.
Athyrium filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ AGM –Grow in shade. Not too keen on lime soil. Approx. 30 cm tall. Grow in shade.
Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern) – Grow in full/part-shade but fronds colour better with some morning sun. Reddish or pinkish fronds are overlaid with a silver layer which gives them a ghost-like appearance. They need a moisture retentive soil but once established can tolerate quite dry soil & even become drought tolerant.
Blechnum spicant AGM – Part or deep shade. Approx. 20-50 cm tall.
Cyrtonium fortunei –Grow in part-shade. Semi-evergreen growing to approx. 50 cm tall.
Dryopteris polydactyla ‘Dadd’s’- Grow in shade. Can tolerate dry soil when established. Approx. 75 cm tall.
Dryopteris wallichiana ‘Jurassic Gold’ – Grow in shade. Semi-evergreen if grown with shelter otherwise deciduous. Approx. 75 cm tall.
Polystichum aristichoides – Deep or part-shade. Evergreen Reaches approx. 45 cm tall.
Polystichum aculeatum – Grow in deep to part-shade. Evergreen reaching approx. 60 cm tall.
Polystichum makinoi – Grow in full shade. Evergreen growing to approx. 60 cm tall.
Polystichum setiferum congestum group – Deep or part-shade. Evergreen reaching approx. 30 cm tall.
Polystichum setiferum acutilobum ‘Wollastonii’- Full or part-shade. A semi-wintergreen, compact plant.
Woodsia obtusa – Part-shade or part-sun. A deciduous,

Taller growing ferns for shade.

Asplenium scolopendrium ‘Cristatum’ (Hart’s Tongue Fern’) – Grow in shade. Approx. 60 cm tall.
Athyrium ‘Branford Beauty’ – Grow in shade. Deciduous. Reaches approx. 60 cm tall.
Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern) – Part or full shade. Do not let it dry out. Grows anywhere between 60-150 cm tall (2’-5’). An easily grown deciduous fern with finely cut, lacy fronds.
Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) – Part or full shade. A winter hardy fern growing to approx. 120-180 cm (4’-6’). Plant carefully where there is room for it to spread. Could be grown in a very large pot to make a statement.
Dryopteris affinis(Scaly Male Fern) – Grow in part-shade. Semi-evergreen. Approx. 1.2 m tall.
Dryopteris championii – Full or part-shade. Evergreen. Approx. 90 cm tall.
Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn fern) – Part-full shade. An evergreen fern growing to approx. 60-90 cm (2’-3’) providing colour all year round. Attractive coppery-pink foliage emerges in spring then turns bronze in autumn. Good ground cover. This is one of Cath’s favourite ferns as it provides so much interest all year round.
Cyrtomium spp (Holly Fern) – Part or full-shade. A shorter grower to approx. 60-90 cm (30’’) tall. Glossy, dark-green fronds look like holly leaves hence its common name. Good for ground cover & good in a container. Survives salt air so ideal for coastal gardens.
Dryopteris filix-mas (Male Fern) – Part or full-shade. Approx. 90 cm – 180 cm tall (3’-6’). An excellent specimen plant that is semi-evergreen in colder areas. Easily grown as long as it has enough moisture. Protect from strong winds. Will grow in clay soil. Rabbit resistant.
Matteuccia struthiopteris – Grow in dappled shade. Deciduous. Approx. 170 cm tall.
Polystichum munitum(Western Sword Fern) – Full shade or part-sun. A winter hardy variety growing to between approx. 90 cm – 180 cm (3’-6’). Will cope with drier soil once established. Deer resistant.
Polystichum polyblepharum AGM – Full or part-shade. Evergreen growing to approx. 60-80 cm tall.
Polystichum setiferum ‘Herrenhausen’(Soft shield fern) – Full or part-shade. Semi-evergreen. Approx. 1 m tall.
Polystichum setiferum plumoso-densum –Plant in light sun or part-shade. Approx. 1.2 m tall.

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Growing Ferns

Growing ferns.

Ferns can be grown in the border or woodland, even in a pot.

They do not flower but some produce attractive seed heads in autumn.

They can be tall growing, middle-sized or more compact. All produce very attractive fronds.

Some are evergreen, others are deciduous. Most grow in shade but a few will tolerate some sun.

They can grow in a wide variety of shady situations from a shady border, in woodland under deciduous trees or shrubs, under shrubs in the shady border or in a pot grown as a group or individual specimen plant.

Low maintenance, with evergreen varieties only needing dead or damaged fronds removing. Deciduous ferns require dead foliage removing in spring before new growth appears.

Most varieties are green but some have unusual silvery foliage & some produce more colourful new fronds in spring.

Ferns can be used as excellent ground cover requiring little or no maintenance. They can hold their own when grown with vigorous growers like Vinca & Lamium.

Ferns that can tolerate sun.

Asplenium – Sun to part-shade.

Osmunda – Full shade or sun.

Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern)-A statuesque fern growing between 3-5’ tall. Sun to full shade. If grown in sun it requires a lot of water. It can even grow in shallow, standing water.

Shorter growing ferns for shade.

Adiantum pedatum varieties (Maidenhair fern) – Part or full shade in humus-rich soil. Approx. 30 cm tall. Deciduous or semi-evergreen.

Athyrium filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ AGM –Grow in shade. Not too keen on lime soil. Approx. 30 cm tall. Grow in shade.

Blechnum spicant AGM – Part or deep shade. Approx. 20-50 cm tall.

Cyrtonium fortunei –Grow in part-shade. Semi-evergreen growing to approx. 50 cm tall.

Dryopteris polydactyla ‘Dadd’s’- Grow in shade. Can tolerate dry soil when established. Approx. 75 cm tall.

Dryopteris wallichiana ‘Jurassic Gold’ – Grow in shade. Semi-evergreen if grown with shelter otherwise deciduous. Approx. 75 cm tall.

Polystichum aristichoides – Deep or part-shade. Evergreen Reaches approx. 45 cm tall.

Polystichum aculeatum – Grow in deep to part-shade. Evergreen reaching approx. 60 cm tall.

Polystichum makinoi – Grow in full shade. Evergreen growing to approx. 60 cm tall.

Polystichum setiferum congestum group – Deep or part-shade. Evergreen reaching approx. 30 cm tall.

Polystichum setiferum acutilobum ‘Wollastonii’- Full or part-shade. A semi-wintergreen, compact plant.

Woodsia obtusa – Part-shade or part-sun. A deciduous,

Taller growing ferns for shade.

Asplenium scolopendrium ‘Cristatum’ (Hart’s Tongue Fern’) – Grow in shade. Approx. 60 cm tall.

Athyrium ‘Branford Beauty’ – Grow in shade. Deciduous. Reaches approx. 60 cm tall.

Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern) – Part or full shade. Do not let it dry out. Grows anywhere between 60-150 cm tall (2’-5’). An easily grown deciduous fern with finely cut, lacy fronds.

Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) – Part or full shade. A winter hardy fern growing to approx. 120-180 cm (4’-6’). Plant carefully where there is room for it to spread. Could be grown in a very large pot to make a statement.

Dryopteris affinis(Scaly Male Fern) – Grow in part-shade. Semi-evergreen. Approx. 1.2 m tall.

Dryopteris championii – Full or part-shade. Evergreen. Approx. 90 cm tall.

Cyrtomium spp (Holly Fern) – Part or full-shade. A shorter grower to approx. 60-90 cm (30’’) tall. Glossy, dark-green fronds look like holly leaves hence its common name. Good for ground cover & good in a container. Survives salt air so ideal for coastal gardens.

Dryopteris filix-mas (Male Fern) – Part or full-shade. Approx. 90 cm – 180 cm tall (3’-6’). An excellent specimen plant that is semi-evergreen in colder areas. Easily grown as long as it has enough moisture. Protect from strong winds. Will grow in clay soil. Rabbit resistant.

Matteuccia struthiopteris – Grow in dappled shade. Deciduous. Approx. 170 cm tall.

Polystichum munitum(Western Sword Fern) – Full shade or part-sun. A winter hardy variety growing to between approx. 90 cm – 180 cm (3’-6’). Will cope with drier soil once established. Deer resistant.

Polystichum polyblepharum AGM – Full or part-shade. Evergreen growing to approx. 60-80 cm tall.

Polystichum setiferum ‘Herrenhausen’(Soft shield fern) – Full or part-shade. Semi-evergreen. Approx. 1 m tall.

Polystichum setiferum plumoso-densum –Plant in light sun or part-shade. Approx. 1.2 m tall.