Gardening: Made in the shade with ferns

Take a stroll in almost any natural area that is shady and moist, and you are almost guaranteed to see ferns. The woods can be carpeted with these lovely native plants. They grow along streams, are found near springs, can be seen on tree limbs and even in rocky outcroppings. Ferns are the quintessential shade plant, and they come in a wide range of characteristics.   

Ferns can have a delicate texture or a bold coarse-look, they can be feathery or stiff, glossy or a dull tone, evergreen or deciduous. They come in many different shades of green and there are even ones with copper-colored new growth and others with bronze fronds in the fall. They can weave a tapestry of texture and color into your garden. Plus, if this is not enough, they are deer resistant.  

Visiting a fern garden on a hot summer day, can make one feel cooler. It does not matter if it is a mass of ferns or just ferns that are mingled among your other shade-loving plants like brunnera, astilbe, or hostas.  These green plants have a cool, calming presence. Most ferns do well in part shade or dappled sunlight, but there are some that will do well in a little bit more sun, provided they get enough water.    

Ferns are plentiful in the wild where the soil is rich in organic matter that is well drained but that does not dry out completely. Give them these conditions and they are easy to grow, are long lived, and they are rarely troubled with disease. Most ferns grow between two to three feet tall. However, there are royal and ostrich ferns that can grow to six feet tall and tree ferns that will get as tall as 20 feet. 

Some ferns are easier to grow than others. Some require warmer temperatures while others want cooler temperatures. Below I have named a few that are easier to grow, but venture out and try some of the others.  Be sure to add organic material to the soil and if you add an old rotten, decaying piece of wood in the bottom of the hole, this will give the ferns something to hold to.   

Maidenhair ferns are my first love. They are fragile, graceful and their foliage flutters with the slightest breeze.  Southern maidenhair (Adiantum capillus-veneris) is known for its unusual airy foliage and delicate appearance.  You often see this maidenhair fern sold as a house-plant. However, these are not as cold hardy and do not survive our winters in zone 7.  Specialty nurseries carry a Southern maidenhair fern that is cold hardy and the one you need to find. 

Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) has five fingers with delicate cut leaf tissue.  The appearance is elegant and graceful with a fan-like appearance that is rather unique. The way the dainty leaflets are attached to a tall, wiry dark stem makes it stand out from other ferns. The plant is usually about 18” to 24’ tall and it will thrive in moist rich organic soil. These ferns survive easily in USDA hardy zone 3 to 8.  

Another one that I have grown more recently is Himalayan Maidenhair fern (Adiantum venustum). I would love to find more of these jewels because the elegant, lacy foliage on black stems makes this maidenhair fern a real jewel. When the new fronds emerge in late winter or early spring, they are bright bronze-pink and soften to a bluish-green as they mature.  The downward curved pinnules form a symmetry of inverted triangles.   

Christmas ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides) are a staple in the southeast. They are adapted to a wide range of conditions, from very dry to moist, and are hardy to Zone 3. The fronds grow one to two feet tall and are dependably evergreen. However, during the winter months the fronds lie flat on the ground. Few hardy ferns have this beautiful deep, glossy green foliage. You can see them growing along the side of the road on steep shady banks in damp places.  

Holly ferns (Cyrtomium falcatumis) are a popular fern, especially in warmer climates where they are evergreen. Holly ferns are very tolerant plants and withstand heat and drought more than some others.  However, they are not adapted to being planted in a sunny spot. They prefer shady conditions. Holly ferns are stiffer and more erect than other ferns and the shiny green fronds add texture to a garden. Where I live, they are deciduous but just down the road, they are evergreen.  

Cinnamon ferns (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) have a dramatic architectural form and can make a striking focal point in any garden. They grow in our woods and along shady stream banks and ditches where the soil is moist and even boggy. They typically grow in clumps but if they are happy, they can colonize, making a large area of these striking ferns. The fertile fronds appear first as silvery, furry fiddleheads, very stiff and erect with a covering that is cinnamon colored.  These ferns usually reach about three feet but can get taller over time. 

Autumn ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora) are the rage now and for a good reason. They are easy to grow and they make a two-foot wide clump in a short time. The new fronds are a lovely copper color as they emerge and the fall color can be dramatic, depending on which one you buy. There are some new varieties available that have brilliant shades in the fall.  Brilliance, Koidzumiana, Gold Mist are three of the newer ones but I have only seen photos of them. 

This just begins to touch on the many different ferns that are available. If you are interested in ferns, start by visiting a garden with ferns displayed or one where they specialize in shade plants and you will be amazed by the array of wonderful ferns that will add beauty to any shade garden. I am not sure I could ever have too many ferns, especially if they are the ones I love most. 

Betty Montgomery is a master gardener and author of “Hydrangeas: How To Grow, Cultivate & Enjoy,” and “A Four-Season Southern Garden.” She can be reached at bmontgomery40@gmail.com.