Fern

Dainty bright green fronds are held aloft on shiny black stems creating a light, airy texture in the woodland garden. In rich soil and bright shade it will spread by shallow rhizomes to form a dense groundcover. Found in the humus-rich woodlands and moist woods of Eastern North America. Easy to grow as long as the soil is loose and rich.

Handsome crowns of feathery fronds are typical of Lady Ferns. Delicate and lacy with arching fronds and feathery texture, Athyrium filix-femina is a strong-growing and dependable garden plant. Tough and easy to grow, this beauty is the right choice for perennial borders and woodlands alike. A breathtaking flush of new fronds appears in the spring, with new leaves appearing throughout the season for a continuously fresh look. Lady fern is tolerant of drought, but survives by allowing foliage to die back until the next season.

'Lady in Red' has sultry red stems surrounded by bright green, lacy fronds. New fronds arise gracefully from the crown all season long, keeping plants from getting worn looking. Clumps are dense and upright. This deciduous fern is vigorous and easy to grow. Ferns provide seasonal cover and hiding places for ground frequenting birds such as ovenbirds, waterthrushes, wood thrushes, robins and Carolina wrens.

Marginal shield fern is an evergreen fern, which grows as a non-spreading, vase-shaped clump with handsome gray-green, leathery fronds. The evergreen fronds provide good interest in the winter landscape, and, if planted densely, provide year round cover for birds and other wildlife such as frogs and toads. Benefits:

Easy-to-grow evergreen fern tolerant of dry conditions

Provides year round cover for birds and other wildlife

Used in floral arrangements

Ostrich fern is a clump-forming, deciduous fern with upright to arching fronds. It spreads in favorable conditions and is quite impressive in mass plantings. The medium green fronds are finely dissected, and as the common name suggests, resemble ostrich plumes. Much shorter brown fertile fronds remain on plants through the winter. Ferns provide seasonal cover and hiding places for ground frequenting birds such as ovenbirds, waterthrushes, wood thrushes, robins and Carolina wrens. They also serve as protection for wood and green frogs, tree frogs and toads. Benefits:

Provides seasonal cover for birds and other wildlife

Great spreading ground cover in shaded or moist sunny areas

Thrives in moist soil and will naturalize in favorable conditions

Fronds are used in fresh arrangements

Cinnamon fern is a regal, upright, vase-shaped fern with lustrous green fronds. Showy, spore-bearing, stiff, fertile fronds appear in early spring and turn quickly bright cinnamon-brown, hence its common name. Ferns provide seasonal cover and hiding places for ground frequenting birds such as ovenbirds, waterthrushes, wood thrushes, Kentucky and hooded warblers, robins and Carolina wrens. Benefits:

Provides seasonal cover for birds and other wildlife

Thrives in moist soil, from full sun to partial shade

These plants spread very slowly, so can be used as a companion plant with other natives

Fronds are used in fresh arrangements

Christmas fern is an evergreen fern that provides year round visual interest and provides protective cover for birds and other wildlife year round. Dense plantings offer the most protection for ground-dwelling birds and other animals.  The leathery fronds grow in fountain-like clumps.

Sword fern is an the king of evergreen ferns providing year round visual interest and structure to the shaded garden. Large palm like fronds provides protective cover for birds and other wildlife year round. Perfect for grouping, it's an easy care plant that thrives in moisture and shade.