Ferns 2017

[Stan da Prato]

Dryopteriis  affinis the scaley or golden male fern  is a British  native-the form Cristata The King is popular. It can make a striking pot plant The form Crispa Congesta -here in a pot- is much  less vigorous  and rather brittle. D wallichiana is a nice fern but Asiatic so not native here.

[Stan da Prato]

The lady fern and its forms  Frizelliae - the Irish tatting (embroidery ) and Victoriae - Victoria's- ferns have been mentioned already  by other contributors. Frizelliae is particularly  prone to reverting to type.

[shelagh]

Wonderful Stan and very helpful for identification purposes.

[Stan da Prato]

if only I was ......
The non native shuttlecock (Matteucia struthiopteris) fern is said  to like moist conditions but we have it growing  very vigorously  in a low rainfall area -it probably  has its roots well down by now. it has killed off all the daffodils that were  in its bed when we planted it out. It can look  more interesting  earlier in the season when the new fronds really do look like shuttlecocks. I always  think  of it as the ostrich plume from its Latin specific  name as the fronds  are a bit like  the feathers that used to be popular head gear for upper class females.
The holly fern Cyrtomium falcatum  is not a native either but provides a nice contrast
The native royal  fern Osmunda regalis  certainly  likes it wet which  may be why these are a bit small. It used to be a main source  of orchid compost.

[Stan da Prato]

a very small Blechnum B penna-marina and a much bigger one B chilense the latter  a gift  from SRGC friends in Ayr. Thre are several non  native but hardy Adiantums starting  with A pedatum imbricatum then A venustum, then the  smaller A aleuticum subpumilum

[Leena]

I am also a fan of ferns, thank you for the photos.

[Maggi Young]

Just changing the title of this thread, which began as "A Daring Suggestion" to start a fern section 

[shelagh]

Thanks Maggi. Judging by the number of views it seems to have taken off.

[Maggi Young]

Thank YOU for the suggestion , Shelagh - interactivity is the game, after all. (And I may even stand a chance of learning the names of my ferns, which I have traditionally had a lot of bother with !)

[Leena]

Thanks Maggi. Judging by the number of views it seems to have taken off.

I have taken pictures of my ferns during the summer, I will post them later in the autumn or winter when there is more time.
One good thing about ferns is also that deer or rabbits don't eat them!

[Maggi Young]

One good thing about ferns is also that deer or rabbits don't eat them!

Good point, Leena - important to know that.

[fredg]

A few of mine I haven't seen mentioned yet.

Arachniodes simplicior 'Variegata'. It's hardy but not entirely happy in the Fernery.



Coniogramme japonica flavo-maculata. The bamboo fern. The newly emerged croziers are greeted by the slugs and snails as delicacies. It takes me an extra couple of months to get good growth. Hopefully the beer traps I have out and electric fencing will help in future.




Cyrtomium fortunei. Hardy and very happy in the fernery. I have the plants in three places and they grow well in each.

[fredg]

Doodia media. I bought this as a hardy fern. My answer to that is it's hardy until there's a frost. A nicely coloured fern but I'd say in our climate it needs pot culture.



Dryopteris sieboldi. This one provides a complete contrast to most other ferns.

[fredg]

This threatened fern species, Pilularia globulifera is reputedly fussy about its lighting and companion plants but for me it romps through live sphagnum and appears to be just as happy romping through the water trays. The latter is the preferred method for me as down there it doesn't contaminate pots and trays of more delicate plants.

   

[shelagh]

Hmmm don't know that one Fred.