Ferns- They Have so Much going for Them!

Sometimes, when new ideas for my garden blog dries up, I try and remember if anyone has asked me a question relevant to gardening recently.  It might be my PT friends at my “home away from home,” West County Sports Fitness and Rehab.   I’ve had 2 total shoulder replacements and 1 hip surgery in the past 14 months and I have gotten to know the staff VERY WELL.  We love to talk gardening and I enjoy sharing my horticultural knowledge (and my plants on “Free Plant Friday”) as they help me rehab from my most recent surgery- my second shoulder replacement. 

Today, my idea for a blog topic didn’t come from Jolene, Caitlin or Stephanie.  It came from my gardening buddy, George.

The first email of the day had the most random topic- Ferns.  One of the guys who works with George relayed a story about plant shopping.  Everyone knows that George and I love a good field trip, looking for the latest and greatest in plant material.  So, George’s buddy said that he went shopping over the weekend, hitting his local nursery for something special- ferns for his shade garden.  Imagine the look on a happy plant shopper’s face when a sale person says: “Ferns aren’t perennial.  You must plant them every year because they don’t come back.”  Pitiful sadness passed over the face of this shopper and he slinked away to the refuge of his SUV.  “It can’t be,” he was heard, muttering to no one in particular.  “I know what I’ll do…I’ll ask George on Monday.  George will know about Ferns.”  Well, when Monday came George said what any well-versed gardener would say.  “Hogwash!  Let me ask Claire- she’ll give you ideas for some great ferns!”  As I sent my email back to George I realized it.  I had the topic of my next blog.  Ferns.  Tall, short, green, brown or gray.  Ferns.  Yes, they are perennial and they are lovely.  Oh, in closing, I did tell George’s friend to find a new nursery.

Just a quick overview of Ferns: most need shade and average to wet soils.  Some do better in downright boggy locations, so, when you go shopping, let the sales person know what type of moisture situation you have.  Ferns can’t abide full sun.  They will die a slow death, so please be sure that you have enough shade for these guys.  The best thing about Ferns is that they are deer resistant!  I have yet to find a single Fern that the deer will devour- that’s great news for all of us in West County.

One of my favorite Ferns is the Ostrich Fern.  The Ostrich Fern is the fern that fiddleheads come from.  They are used in cooking and flower arrangements.  The color is a bright, spring green.  The fern unfurls slowly, creating a stunning form, perfect for picture taking.  They colonize, meaning that new Ferns will pop us in groups along underground runners.  They get over a foot tall, but won’t block out plants that they’re placed next to.   If you have 5 Ostrich Ferns today, in 2 or 3 years you will have 25 Ferns.  They form nice groupings, allowing you to dig up a few and share with your PT friends or gardening friends.

Another great fern is the Japanese Painted Fern.  Its grey to dark grey foliage is stunning, especially at night when the light grey actually looks silver.  It has a low habit, with each clump enlarging in size each year.  This Fern can stay in the ground for many, many years before it becomes too big for its home.

The Maidenhair Fern likes wetter soil and is perfect if you have a few wet, low spots in your shade garden.  I love a Maidenhair Fern because the foliage is finely toothed.  It’s very dramatic planted next my favorite Hosta, “Frances Williams.”  Maidenhair Ferns naturalize, so, if they’re happy, you’ll have lots of Ferns in a few years.  The bright green color looks great next to almost anything.  I’ve always thought that the fronds are so interestingly shaped- look like lots of little bright green buttons strung together. 

The Cinnamon Fern is a tall, large fern, similar to the Ostrich Fern.  The interesting thing about the Cinnamon Fern is that it produces fronds laden with spores.  These spores look like cinnamon sticks.  The cinnamon colored fronds produce lots of baby Ferns if the situation is right.  The ferns colonize well, too, so you’ll always have Ferns to share with friends.

The Autumn Fern looks like the color of autumn- reddish with a little green.  The fronds are upright, adding interesting color to a shady part of the garden.  They are clump forming as opposed to colonizing, meaning that the Fern you buy will continue to grow larger and fuller.  They max out at about 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide.

This is a very short list, showcasing some of the most popular Ferns.  The family is diverse; if you’re looking for a plant for the shade, that is deer resistant, that comes in a variety of sizes and colors, check them out at your local nursery.  Just don’t go to the same place George’s friend did.  If you ask to see their perennial Ferns, and the sales person says, “Ferns are annuals- they don’t come back the next year,” walk away slowly and find another place to shop!