If you believe, as I do, that the most deeply satisfying gardens are ones not of flowers alone but of form and line, of texture and shades of green, then have I got a plant for you.
The fern is primal not only in its botanical lineage but also in the way it stirs a deep connection to something primordial; it wells deep within us.
And yet it is not primitive. Far from it. Fern plantings imbue a garden with sophistication — if only more people knew it.
A plant that may have climbed out of the bog remains one of the last underused and undervalued treasures of the garden, a perennial that does not flower but adds a simple beauty to almost any space that is in light to full shade.
The problem for the fern is that it was always viewed as a default plant, one to stick in a deep corner of the garden that’s too gloomy for anything else. There have long been handsome fern species, but in the past few years, growers have introduced spectacularly beautiful ferns with more colors than green. At the same time, interest in native plants has heightened awareness of indigenous ferns.
What ferns lack in bloom power, they make up for in other ways. In addition to their refinement, they are little bothered by pests and diseases, so you don’t need to spray them with nasty chemicals.
Moreover, ferns are not troubled by deer, rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, chipmunks, voles and the rest — these pesky mammals are a real bane to those of us who grow other plants, but when it comes to ferns, these creatures are largely uninterested. (A deer may find a fern glade a nice place to make a bed.)
“Twenty-five years ago, you might have found nine ferns to plant. Today, we produce about 160 different varieties, maybe 100 for landscape use,” said Kent Kratz, vice president for research for a major wholesale fern grower, Casa Flora, based in Dallas.
The only real consideration when planting a fern is that the soil has some organic matter and is not allowed to dry out. Ferns will take more sunlight than you imagine and less shade. If you have darkness the whole day long, stick in an aspidistra.
With such a large palette available, ferns can be used as accent plants, as specimens, as ground covers and as filler plants. When you place different species together, something amazing happens: You see that they are not all the same.
In larger shade gardens, ferns can be planted as an alternative to the blankets of mulch that are spread each year to provide a visual uniformity and to keep weeds at bay. Two related ferns will colonize nicely in such places — the hay-scented fern and the New York fern. They may be too eager to please in a small urban garden, but given some room they will light up a glade with their bright yellow-green foliage.
Favorite ferns
There have long been handsome fern species, but in the past few years, growers have introduced spectacularly beautiful ferns with more colors than green. Here are five of my favorites.
Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. Pictum)
Adored for its silver foliage, the Japanese painted fern has silver fronds with purple and magenta leaf centers that give it an extraordinary refinement. It grows to about 12 inches and the same across, and in a massing provides a splash of color that lasts from April to October. There are a number of named varieties, although several are not much different from the parent. Here are some worth seeking out: Regal Red, which has a burgundy red center and grows to 20 inches, and Godzilla, a particularly robust selection that grows to 24 inches or higher.
Ghost fern (Athyrium x Ghost)
Ghost is a selection from the suburban Richmond garden of the late Nancy Sweet and is probably a natural hybrid of the Japanese painted fern and the European lady fern. It is gray-green and exhibits extraordinary vigor, growing to two feet high. It is superb for lighting up a dark corner of the garden. With some shade and constant moisture, it retains a freshness through the summer. My absolute favorite fern.
Autumn fern Brilliance (Dryopteris erythrosora Brilliance)
The autumn fern is one of a few evergreen ferns, and its new growth in the spring is coppery red. The variety Brilliance retains that ornament through the growing season as new fronds continue to appear. It is magnificent.
Dixie wood fern (Dryopteris x australis)
This is a natural hybrid of two wood fern species. Gardeners love it for its vigor; it grows to four feet or more while not outgrowing its space.
Northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum)
Tall and with showy curving fronds, this fern has a sculptural quality that makes it perfect to grow close to where it will be seen and enjoyed, perhaps next to a shaded patio. The maidenhair fern needs attentive watering in summer when first planted and space to expand unimpeded, but its foliar swirls are among the most beguiling leaf patterns of all plants in the garden. The Southern species has its own delicacy but is not as architectural in habit.
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