The delicate appearance of most fern types with their variety of frond shapes and shades can be very deceptive. They can be unbelievably resilient and tough.
These vascular plants, which reproduce by means of spores and not flowers and seeds, have been around for millions of years. They grow in a wide variety of habitats ranging from high mountains, dense forests, dry desert rock faces, bodies of water and open fields. The fact that they can be terrestrial, aquatic, or epiphytic is a further indication of their vast scope of habitat.
We introduce you to a few tough ferns which will do very well in the shade of trees and large shrubs in the garden where other plants battle to grow.
Growing your ferns
• The right spot can have a little gentle sunlight in the morning, but should be mostly shaded and protected during the day.
• Dig over the soil to about 30cm deep and work in lots of organic matter like leaf mould, compost and palm peat. Also add a generous dusting of bone meal to strengthen the shallow-rooting rhizomes.
• If you can lay your hands on wellrotted pine needles, add it too, or mix in milled bark chips, as ferns like acidic soil.
• The ideal is to create a rich, but light and well-draining medium – ferns love moist soil and not heavy waterlogged soil.
Mother fern
Asplenium bulbiferum is also called the hen-andchicken fern, as this robust fern’s fronds resembling carrot leaves and sometimes features little plantlets (bulbils) at the edges of each frond. Where they fall, they root. This fern from New Zealand is semi-deciduous and can tolerate short dry periods. Size 120cm x 90cm.
This story is from the June 2023 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2023 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Touch of Class
A cut above the rest and attractive enough to fill all the spaces you can see in your garden or in pots...
Bordering on food aggression!
The economy, fires, drought, Russians, fuel prices, and politicians, dictated what we ate in my youth. The only exception was that Eskom worked...
Quarantining new koi fish
Give your new koi the best start
Big deal GLADIOLI
To get balance in a flower bed, we rely on tall flowering plants to provide height and show off amazing blooms. One of our favourites to plant are gladioli. They might look impressive, come in some gorgeous colours, and are great for a vase, but they are also easy to grow with a few golden rules.
PRETTY FILLER Scabiosa
There are over 70 varieties of Scabiosa (pincushion flower) in both the annuals and perennials categories with arguably some of the best ones local to our country, and excellent pollinator attractors too.
TRIPLE treat
A floral combo that's bursting with colour
CHLOROSIS how to fix it
Chlorosis is not a death sentence for your plants. With prompt identification and the right interventions, you can restore your plants to their lush, vibrant selves.
COREOPSIS 'UpTick'
For an easy-to-grow, tough perennial, with masses of pretty blooms, plant Coreopsis hybrids and watch the bees and butterflies come into your garden.
Decorative Dahlias
With a little basic care, you can grow these showstopping plants in your own backyard with minimal effort.
The beauty of BEGONIAS
For endless colour and a garden that looks vibrant throughout the seasons, these are your go-to choices.