Recommended garden ferns
Ferns are plants which go in and out of fashion in gardens. As non-flowering, often shade-liking plants they don't spring to mind immediately when designing a small garden, but they definitely have a place in the north-facing or shaded sections which all gardens have.
We have about 75 species of fern in Britain and Ireland, some confined to a few special habitats, and one, bracken Pteridium aquilinum which is a native invasive species generally treated as a pest in gardens.1. A modest variety can be found for sale at garden centres, and many more species and varieties from specialist nurseries.
Ferns were immensely popular in the Victorian period, coining a term "Pteridomania". The upper and middle classes became dedicated hunters and collectors of our native ferns, and created "ferneries" in grottos or greenhouses to nurture and display them. Left: Fernery at the Swiss Garden, Old Warden. Below: Pteridomaniacs out collecting.
We have created profiles for some useful garden ferns. Click on the image or title to find out more.
Recommended garden ferns
Ferns are plants which go in and out of fashion in gardens. As non-flowering, often shade-liking plants they don't spring to mind immediately when designing a small garden, but they definitely have a place in the north-facing or shaded sections which all gardens have.
We have about 75 species of fern in Britain and Ireland, some confined to a few special habitats, and one, bracken Pteridium aquilinum which is a native invasive species generally treated as a pest in gardens.1. A modest variety can be found for sale at garden centres, and many more species and varieties from specialist nurseries.
Ferns were immensely popular in the Victorian period, coining a term "Pteridomania". The upper and middle classes became dedicated hunters and collectors of our native ferns, and created "ferneries" in grottos or greenhouses to nurture and display them. Above left: Fernery at the Swiss Garden, Old Warden. Above right: Pteridomaniacs out collecting.
We have created profiles for some useful garden ferns. Click on the image or title to find out more.
Garden Wildplants
Garden Wildplants
