Western Sword Fern From the NW United States, Polystichum munitum is a very large, handsome, evergreen clump-forming fern, with a spreading ‘shuttlecock’ habit and narrow, leathery, dark-green fronds with bristly tips. It is very hardy, robust and reliable, tolerating poor soil and retaining its good looks even in hot, dry…
Royal Fern Living up to its regal name, Osmunda regalis is a very tall, deciduous, clump-forming fern, an Irish native once common in the west of Ireland. The emerging fronds are tinted copper, extending to brilliant green in summer, and colouring bronze, rust and snuff-coloured before dying back in autumn.…
Siebold’s Wood Fern An unusual Japanese fern, Dryopteris sieboldii is unlike other Dryopteris species in having undivided pinnae or leaflets. These are a bluish-green, and look lovely with glaucous hostas. A medium-sized, slow-growing semi-evergreen fern, it is a very useful textural plant and particularly attractive grown against stone. Although hardy…
Male Fern A handsome, robust Irish native, Dryopteris filix-mas is a vigorous, semi-evergreen, clump-forming fern which has a strong presence in a shady border and is ideal for woodland planting. The fronds emerge like beautiful, light green croziers in spring, maturing to mid-green in summer. Tall, with an elegant ‘shuttlecock’…
Scaly Male Fern Cristata The King Named for its handsome, long, crested fronds, Dryopteris affinis Cristata The King is a tough, clump-forming, semi-evergreen fern which forms a shuttlecock-shaped rosette of heavily divided, upright fronds with golden scales on the stems and a crested tip on each frondlet. The upright fronds…
Eared Lady Fern Originally from Japan, Athyrium otophorum var. okanum is a tall, deciduous, clump-forming fern, with broad, arching, finely divided leaves. The foliage opens pale golden-green and turns light green, with purplish-crimson mid-ribs and stems. A wonderful plant for making a patch of brilliance in of a shady border…
Japanese Holly Fern Found in Japan, Korea and parts of China, Cyrtomium fortunei is a hardy, semi-evergreen fern with an upright ‘shuttlecock’ habit, black stems and unusual, broad, rather holly-like ‘leaflets’ on the fronds. These are bright green and glossy, turning darker as they age. The Japanese holly fern is…
Lady Fern A native Irish fern, Athyrium filix-femina is a large, deciduous, shuttlecock fern with an elegant, upright habit and pale green, arching leaves. Similar to the male fern, but more delicate in appearance – a particularly graceful fern. Needs a moist, though not waterlogged soil, and will thrive near…
Japanese Painted Fern Related to the lady fern, Athyrium niponicum var. pictum is a small to medium-sized, deciduous fern which forms an elegant rosette of delicate leaves in subtle shades of pink and grey-green with a plum coloured mid-rib. Hardy, and much tougher than it looks, it will thrive in…