Ferns for the Garden

Hardy garden ferns can be great foliage plants for shaded areas. They are easy care, add texture and depending on variety will grow in dry or wet areas.

Some ferns are deciduous, others evergreen, however once established they are a low maintenance plant that require little fertilizer and just the occasional clean up.

And some ferns are colorfulas well, especially the Japanese 'Painted Ferns' or Athyrium nipponicum and its cultivars.

Ferns belong to a large group of plants that propagated by spores rather than seeds, they do not flower. With fossils of ferns that are over 250 million years old and over 8,000 species they are one of the most widespread of all plant genus.

Fern Varieties

Ferns can be epiphytes, which means they grow on other plants, terrestrials growing in soil or lithophyte's that grow on rocks. They also range from very small at around 1cm to large growing plants that can reach 10m in height.

Characterized by new growth that emerges as a 'rolled up leaf' the spore usually are found on the underside of the foliage.

A wide range of ferns are available for sale that suit the UK garden. From low growing and dainty ferns such as many of the Aspleniums, many known as Maidenhair Ferns, through to the giants of the fern world, the tree ferns Dicksonia antartica and other from Australia

Ferns are a popular garden plant with many garden fern species providing great foliage in shaded areas of the garden. Tree ferns are a great structural plant, in general tree fern care is easy. A large rang of ferns are available from leading online fern nurseries listed below.

Fern Species suited for shade areas include:

Asplenium, Athyrium, Blechnum, Cheilanthes, Cyrtomium, Cystopteris, Davalia, Dicksonia, Dryopteris, Gymnocarpium, Mattueccia, Onoclea, Osmunda, Polypodium, Polystichum, Pteris, Selaginella, Woodsia, Woodwardia

You can find a good range of ferns for sale at the following nurseries

AMULREE EXOTICS - phone: 01508488101
The Turnpike, Norwich road, Fundenhall, Norwich, Norfolk NR161EL
Specialist nursery supplying hardy,half-hardy and conservatory plants including Palms, Tree ferns. Includes: Cyathea, Athyrium, Dicksonia Antarctica, Polystichum and others.

FIR TREE FARM NURSERY - phone 01326 340593
Tresahor Constantine Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5PL
Mail order to the UK and Europe. Includes: adiantum, asplenium, athyrium, blechnum, cyrtomium, dryopteris, polypodium, polystichum

PENLAN PERENNIALS - phone/Fax 01239 842260
Wern Rhos Newchapel Boncath SA37 0EN

CULM VIEW NURSERY - phone 01823 68 0698
Waterloo Farm, Clayhidon, Devon. EX15 3TN
Hardy herbaceous perennials, ornamental grasses and ferns, all grown in a peat-free compost.