THROW SHADE

NOW'S the time to start refreshing some parts of my garden and this week my project was to plant ground cover under a canopy of tree ferns.

- DIARMUID GAVIN

I've done a lot of soil preparation, removing weeds and stones and have covered the area with a thick layer of compost I'm talking about six inches or more of dark, crumbly nutrient rich compost that smells of the woodland floor and will be the perfect host for my new plants. Ferns are a natural choice for such an area.

They complement the existing tree ferns and the shady floor mimics their natural woodland floor homes. I've planted a mixture of varieties, each being planted in groups of five.