Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Ferns

You say you have a dark area in your garden that's always wet and nothing will grow there....try a fern, better yet try LOTS of ferns.

I love ferns, nothing seems to be more carefree, pest free, deer resistant and just plain lovely, I have yet to find one I don't like. Ferns are also great plants for indoor or outdoor gardening. There are types that are great for shade gardens, sun gardens, rock gardens, pond, bog gardens, flower borders and just about everywhere.

The only problem with ferns is that so many of them look alike to me and that's why I try to find the more unusual ones.

One of the most charming ferns I've found is the Autumn Fern. In early spring it emerges a gold shade of orange, then in summer turns to green and in the fall becomes a beautiful copper color.

The Cinnamon fern is so named (I'm assuming) because in early spring it sends up a shoot that resembles a cinnamon stick...unfortunately that time has passed in this shot. 

Sadly I don't have the name of this beauty, I found it in an unlabeled pot with just a single frond and I had to have it. It's taken a couple years to get to the point it is and it's been worth the wait...it's so delicate.

Who says ferns have no colors...this is a Japanese Painted Fern and it's purple and silver in color and a real knock-out in any garden.

Not all ferns are the typical fronds we think of, here is a Victorian Lady Fern and it's simply stunning and a great companion here with a hosta and a sedum.

The Lady Fern is one of the most common ferns you'll find but it's a classic.

The Bird's Nest Fern is primarily a houseplant though I grow mine outdoors in a container and winter it over in my greenhouse. It's looking a little worse for it right now because it recently came out of the greenhouse for the winter but before long it will be thick and full again.

I frankly think it's nearly impossible to kill an Asparagus Fern and that could be because it's really not a fern at all, it's a weed. This particular Asparagus Fern is a Foxtail variety which I love.
It is not winter hardy but it takes very little care to thrive.


1 comment:

  1. I adore ferns and am enjoying this chance to look at yours very much. Thank you for bringing a "cool" spot to my warm day~

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