Ferns

Above: Polystichum polyblepharum (right) and Onoclea sensibilis (left)

It’s been cold and windy for the last few days and looks set to continue like this through the weekend. So far, there is not much sign of new growth in the ferns except for the Tree Ferns where I can feel the coiled fronds amongst the dried leaves etc. that currently fill the funnel at the top of the trunk. The old leaves and old fronds help protect this new growth from frosts.

I grow about 30 different types of ferns and collecting more species and varieties is quite addictive. I even have a collection of books on the subject including some Victorian books written in the heyday of fern collecting mania.

Mostly I grow ferns in the more shady areas of the garden but some species do well and even require

sunnier sites. They mix very well with Hostas and with any large leafed plants including Colocasias where they add to an exotic effect.

Generally the cultivation of ferns is very very easy providing one knows which ones prefer shade, which prefer damp ground and which prefer dry. Tree ferns require a little more attention particularly in keeping their trunks moist during the summer months.

Having learnt my lesson from omitting to keep a record of all the Hosta varieties I have, I’ve gone in the opposite direction and keep a database of all the ferns including their position in the garden. Recording the position of ferns is not really needed for the evergreen varieties but recording the position of the deciduous ones helps to keep me from accidentally digging them up.

Another reason for recording their names is that most have ridiculously long and difficult names to remember  (I think this may be part of their appeal!). And another reason for recording their names and position is that so many look exactly like each other despite being different species etc. There is something about ‘collecting’ which is enjoyable despite the fact that so much of the collection looks the same. I used to collect bus numbers as a child!

Amongst the collection there are some beautiful ferns and particular favourites. Polystichum polyblepharum (Tassel Fern) shown in the photo at the top of this post is one such, the way the fronds ‘fan out’ from the centre of the plant is very attractive. In future posts I will highlight some of my other favourites.

The following is an excerpt from my database and I’d welcome any comments or suggestions for new acquisitions:

Dryopteris	affinis ‘Polydactyla Dadds’	Behind pear tree
Cheilanthes	lanosa	On bank next to Box
Dryopteris	filix-mas (male fern)	Near fence by Fatsia
Matteuccia	struthiopteris (Shuttlecock Fern)	By pond / fence
Athyrium	niponicum ‘Pictum’	In front of bamboo by Cordyline Technorati Tags: Ferns
Blechnum	penna-marina	Under Cordyline
Dropteris	erythrorora	Between Cordyline and bamboo
Osmunda	regalis ‘Purpurascens’	Bottom bed front of Poplar
Polypodium	??	Corner of pond (house,fence)
Polystichum	proliferum	Right of Fatsia by bed edge.
Asplenium	trichomanes, (Maidenhair Spleenwort) x 2	Under sleeper near bench and near Gunnera
Adiantum	venustum, (Himalayan Maidenhair)	Front of pear tree & under tree fern
Polystichum	polyblepharum, (Tassel Fern)	Far side of pond, head of path
Asplenium	?? crested	Next pond
Asplenium	??	In wall crevices
Athyrium	otophorum ‘Okanum’	Behind tree fern & in front of bamboo by pond
Polystichum	tsussimense	Right of tree fern
Athyrium	‘Ghost’	Between black bamboo and tree fern
Dryopteris	affinis, ‘Cristata the King’	Behind black bamboo
Dryopteris	buschiana, (aka crassirhizoma)	Front right of ? bush
Onoclea	sensibilis	Near pond path, next P.Polyblepharum
Dryopteris	wallichiana	Front of ? bush
Athyrium	filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ (tatting)	Right of Fatsia in front of D. filix-mas
Polystichum	setiferum ‘Plumodensum’
Gymnocarpium	dryopteris ‘Plumosum’	Between Fatsia and end of bed.
Athyrium	filix-femina var. angustatum ‘Lady in Red’	Behind Cordyline
Dicksonia	Antarctica x 2	Can’t miss them!
Polystichum	setiferum, ‘Dahlem’	By fence but presumed dead. Signs of life 27/5/07. Seems OK 4/6/07
Polypodium	vulgare
Adiantum	pedatum, ‘Japonicum’	Missing presumed lost
Cyrtomium	fortunei var. clivicola	Died (by Fatsia)

Technorati Tags: ferns