FERNS - AN ATTRACTIVE SOLUTION FOR A PROBLEM AREA

In a world where everything seems to change with alarming rapidity, including the weather, sometimes it is good to look at things that are timeless. Ferns have been with us for a long, long time and man’s fascination with them is nothing new. So why do they have such a strong effect on us? One reason may be that they are different, both sophisticated and primitive at the same time. Instead of leaves they have fronds and instead of seeds they have spores. We tend to think of them as shade loving even though many thrive in full sun. We associate them with damp places despite those that do well on dry walls and happily grow in impoverished soil. To briefly sum this up there is a fern for every situation.

Most kinds do well in pots and can be real winners in shady inhospitable corners where flowering plants struggle to survive. As a bonus many are evergreen and keep their fronds giving us year round interest and colour. Generally speaking ferns are easy to grow. You can buy them and then plant them at any time. But, given a choice, autumn is the best time as this gives the plant a few months to establish before re-growth starts in the spring. On the other hand choosing the right varieties for your own garden is best done in the summer when the ferns are at their peak and you can see exactly what you are buying.

Having chosen your fern and decided where it is to be planted clear the site of any weeds and dig in plenty of compost. Water well during the first few months, even the drought tolerant varieties do better for a little extra care. The old fronds should be left on established plants to help give protection during the winter and cut back once all danger of frosts has passed.

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