Mysteries of My Garden - Maidenhair Ferns

I remember the first time I spied a Five Finger Maidenhair Fern – it was love at first sight!  I’ve always admired ferns for their lovely fronds, but this one was different.  It looked so soft and fluffy with tiny, lacy, delicate fronds in the form of five fingers.  So pretty!  I was envisioning how one would look in my shade garden amongst the other shade loving plants.  I always assumed that all ferns must be easy to grow as they seem to be everywhere.  I have ferns growing inside of other ferns, in the spaces between bricks, emerging from a crack in an old pot , so I figured this would be a piece of cake.

I set out on my quest to have my very own Five Finger Maidenhair Fern.  I bought one at the nursery and planted it and waited for the magic to happen, but…it wilted and died.  I thought that perhaps I’d purchased a sickly or diseased plant so bought another one with similar results.  I inquired at the nursery and was told that I was doing everything right – maybe the third time would be a charm, so…I tried once again giving my tender little plant just the right amount of shade and moisture, light and loamy soil with just a smidgen of peat moss for good measure.  My beautiful Maidenhair Fern looked so healthy and happy for the better part of the summer but began to turn yellow and shrivel.  The recovery project was ongoing and would last for the remainder of the season.  Not surprisingly, it didn’t come back the following year.

I’d decided that I would just admire Five Finger Maidenhair Ferns in other people’s gardens as I didn’t seem to be cut out for this plant (or vice versa!).   Imagine my surprise when I was puttering in my backyard several weeks ago and nestled in next to my bird bath grew a beautiful Maidenhair Fern!  How this plant grew here is a mystery to me as it is on the opposite side of the house where I’d tried previously.  I guess nature is just like that sometimes.  No matter though – I’m thoroughly enjoying my plant and keeping my fingers crossed that it will thrive and return next season.   Thank you Mother Nature!