Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
Contributions From NEIL TIMM
Neil is the Owner of The Fern Nursery based in Lincolnshire, where he has been growing ferns for 30 years. Neil has published a book on ferns and has delivered many talks on these hardy plants to various clubs and societies across the UK. He has also won a number of Gold medals at various horticultural shows throughout the years.
With more than 15 years of experience working in a fern nursery, Kylie is now a horticulturist at Verdigris Ferns, a specialist nursery based in Australia. She also has an MA in Botany and a Level IV Certificate in Horticulture (Wholesale Nursery).
The owner of Alchemy Ferns, Mark has a lifetime of experience in horticulture. Having won lots of medals at garden shows up and down the country, including a Silver-Gilt at the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, he has lots of experience with these hardy plants.
Val Bourne is a GMG award-winning gardener, lecturer and author who is known for her organic gardening style - with experience dating back over 60 years. She has an allotment and has published several books on natural gardening, including 'The Ten-Minute Gardener' and 'Colour In The Garden'.
Kate Burtonwood is a Horticulturist and Head Gardener at Trinity College Oxford, celebrated for her journey from a 15-year career in a different field to mastering Botanical Horticulture at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden. She also runs her own gardening blog, The Cultivated Gardener. Kate's experience includes mentorship under Andrea Brunsendorf at London’s Inner Temple Garden.
IN THIS GUIDE
- Great For Shade
- Expert Chosen Varieties
- Suited For Wet And Boggy Conditions
- 1) Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
- 2) Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
- 3) Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
- 4) Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
- Suited For Damp Shade
- 5) Aleutian Maidenhair Fern (Adiantium aleuticum)
- 6) Golden Shield Fern (Dryopteris affinis)
- 7) Broad Buckler Fern (Dryopteris dilatata)
- 8) Male Fern / Basket Fern (Dryopteris filis-mas)
- 9) Evergreen Maidenhair (Adiantum venustum)
- 10) Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)
- 11) Common Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes)
- 12) Soft Shield Fern (Polystichum setiferum)
- 13) Tree Fern (Dickinsonia antarctica)
- 14) Golden Tree Fern (Dicksonia fibrosa)
- 15) Table Mountain Fern (Blechnum tabulare)
- Suited For Dry Shade
- 16) Eared Lady Fern (Athyrium otophorum ‘Okanum’)
- 17) Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant)
- 18) Common Polypody Fern (Polypodium vulgare)
- 19) Crested Golden Shield Fern (Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’)
- 20) Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
- How To Choose Ferns For A UK Garden
- Uses In Forest Gardening
- References
Ferns are fantastic plants that can find a place as valuable additions in many British gardens.
Ferns are vascular plants that reproduce via spores – they have no seeds or flowers.
Botanically fascinating, ferns first appeared in the fossil record around 360 million years ago.111. Plant Evolution II: Ferns. (n.d.). SUNY Cortland. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://cortland.edu/waldbauer-trail/11-plant%20evolution-II.html
Many of the current families in this group of plants emerged around 145 million years ago.2Jurassic Period. (2021, May 3). National Geographic. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/jurassic
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to really love my foliage plants,” shares Horticulturist and Author Val Bourne.
“Ferns give me great pleasure and are probably my favourite plants in the garden at the moment.”
“Ferns come in all shapes and sizes and provide a really tropical feel to your garden,” says Kylie Stocks, Horticulturist at Verdigris Ferns.
Great For Shade
One of the things that makes them so valuable as a garden plant for UK growers is that they are amongst the best plants for shade.
Shade in a garden can sometimes be a challenge – whether it is a north-facing bed, or an area beneath mature trees.
Ferns can often be fabulous plants to choose for such locations – allowing you to make the most of more tricky garden areas.
“I love the calm atmosphere that ferns create,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly.
“They are great for damp, shady areas but there are also species for dry shade. Let the conditions dictate your selection. Consider also variations in height and what other shade lovers you can use alongside.”
When choosing ferns for a shady site, there are different types of shade, but there are ferns suited to all those different types.
Ferns can be found which can cope with a wide range of different conditions and environmental factors.
Expert Chosen Varieties
We asked three of our expert fern growers to share their favourite varieties with us.
“I love growing ferns as they are such a diverse group of plants,” says Mark Taylor, owner of the award-winning plant nursery Alchemy Ferns.
“They can be either evergreen or deciduous and can range from ground cover to cover 6-7ft in height. There are also those that can cope with dryer conditions and some that can be in the sun.
“As well as the more commonly known ferns that prefer damp or wet conditions, some ferns are also as happy in a container. Then, there are the tree ferns, that add that extra bit of height and glamour to a garden.
“My favourite type of fern would be a tree fern as they are tall, elegant, architectural, eye-catching plants that make a real statement in the garden.
“All in all, there is a fern for every aspect.”
Another lover of the tree fern, Kylie Stocks is a Horticulturist at a specialist plant nursery, Verdigris Ferns, based in Australia.
“I love the rainforest and the ability to replicate this environment in our own garden is very satisfying and provides a serene working environment,” says Kylie, when discussing why she loves to grow ferns.
“I am very partial to tree ferns and there are quite a few different varieties available here in Australia.
“They are so tall and majestic and provide a beautiful lacy foliage that really makes a statement.
“I also love the Blechnum genus due to the vibrant red, pink, and bronze that you often see in new foliage.”
For Neil Timm, owner of The Fern Nursery in Lincolnshire, ferns offer something special compared to other hardy plants.
“I love the wonderful foliage effects of ferns,” he says.
“Their great variation in shape, size and foliage, and the rich associations they have with mountains, forests and wilderness in general, is another reason I love growing them.”
“Polystichum setiferum is my favourite fern to grow,” says Neil.
“It has everything you could possibly want in a garden plant. A compact, non-spreading habit with a strong bold shape and very fine foliage.
“It can also withstand and do well in a wide range of soils, situations, and sun. It is a native, and perhaps the most evergreen of our larger native ferns.”
So, has that got you in the mood for growing ferns?
In the rest of this article, we explore twenty of the best types of ferns to grow in the UK.
Suited For Wet And Boggy Conditions
First of all, let’s take a look at some of the best ferns for very wet and boggy conditions:
1) Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Lady fern is a naturalizing wetland plant.
It prefers a moist site with moderately high atmospheric humidity.
Especially shade-tolerant, these ferns are a vigorous deciduous plant that form clumps of lacy, bi-pinnate fronds.
They prefer acidic soil (4.5 – 6.5 pH) but can tolerate more alkaline sites when plenty of leaf mould is added.
These ferns are common throughout moist, sheltered woodlands in northern temperate zones.
2) Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Ostrich ferns prefer a pH between 5 and 6.5.
They can cope well in wet sites, even in heavy clay soils.
These plants are tolerant of shade and strongly dislike full sun.
They make good ground cover when placed at a spacing of around 60cm.
A highly ornamental plant, it has feathery fronds and establishes quickly.
3) Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
Royal fern prefers swampy or moist soil, and like the above, prefers acidic soil conditions.
Unlike the above, however, royal ferns can also grow in full sun as long as there is no shortage of moisture in the soil.
This is a large fern that forms clumps of fronds up to 2.5m in height.
The fronds bear rusty brown spore-bearing pinnae at the tips, and the foliage turns a pleasing reddish-brown shade in autumn.
4) Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
Like the above, Sensitive fern is good for cool, moist areas.
It can also work well in boggy sites or play a role in pond-side planting schemes.
It is another deciduous fern that hears broad, light green, deeply lobed, pinnate fronds up to 60cm in length.
One thing to note, however, is that this fern may become invasive in smaller gardens.
Suited For Damp Shade
All of the ferns above are also suitable for a site that is not as wet, but is still rather damp.
In addition to considering the ferns already mentioned above, however, you could also consider many other options.
Here are some more options that are amongst the best ferns for damp shade:
5) Aleutian Maidenhair Fern (Adiantium aleuticum)
This North American native is a deciduous or semi-evergreen fern with fronds around 50cm in length.
The stalks are black, and adorned with green pedate divided fronds with oblong segments.
Though hardy, they are sometimes also grown as houseplants.
Naturally, they are found in moist soil near streams, often in rock crevices.
6) Golden Shield Fern (Dryopteris affinis)
Characterised by their golden-green fronds, which grow up to 1.2m in length, Golden Shield Fern is a great choice for shade or partial shade.
It is a hardy and adaptable plant that can thrive in quite a wide range of soils and settings.
As the plants age, the golden-green colouration grows to a rich green, with golden scales on the stems.
7) Broad Buckler Fern (Dryopteris dilatata)
Robust and resilient, this is another fern that can thrive in a range of different settings.
It is a semi-evergreen plant that forms clumps of erect or arching fronds that are dark green and strongly serrated.
This fern prefers moist, cool, lightly shaded sites but will grow in full sun as long as enough moisture is available.
Note: It can also cope with dry shade if watered well until established and mulched well.
8) Male Fern / Basket Fern (Dryopteris filis-mas)
This is another sturdy deciduous fern.
This one forms clumps of lance-shaped, bipinnatifid fronds that can reach up to 1.2m in height.
It is similarly easy and has similar requirements to the broad buckler fern mentioned above.
9) Evergreen Maidenhair (Adiantum venustum)
Evergreen (or almost evergreen) in mild areas, this fern forms a mat to a height of around 25cm in height.
So it can be a great choice for creating ground cover.
Its ovate fronds are made up of many fan-shaped segments.
Often, these turn an attractive rusty-reddish-brown in autumn and winter.
This is another fern that can, with the right approach, also be grown as a houseplant.
10) Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)
This evergreen fern forms a rosette of 30-75cm arching fronds in a deep, rich green.
Spores are born in transverse stripes below the fronds.
This option will tend to grow well in any humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil.
It can also be somewhat tolerant to dry shade but only when watered well until establishment and mulched well.
11) Common Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes)
This compact, low lying fern can be planted within a rock garden or dry wall.
It has pinnate, delicate fronds and blackish stems.
It will do best where there is a humus-rich soil and plenty of moisture, and prefers alkaline or neutral conditions.
Avoid planting it where it will be exposed to bright mid-day sun.
12) Soft Shield Fern (Polystichum setiferum)
This is a tufted evergreen fern that grows rosettes of lance-shaped green fronds with prominent rusty brown scales.
It can reach around 1.2m in height.
It likes a moist and humus-rich soil, but crowns should be protected from excessive wet in winter.
13) Tree Fern (Dickinsonia antarctica)
If you are looking for a fern that will have a bigger and more dramatic impact, you may like to consider a tree fern.
Dickinsonia antarctica is the most common tree fern.
These are perennial evergreens, with stout brown trunks clothed in fibrous roots, with a large fan of pinnate fronds at the top.
These grow slowly to an eventual height of up to 4m.
They are evergreen, but may be deciduous in colder climate zones.
They like a moist but well-drained fertile soil, rich in organic matter, but the crown should be protected from excessive water in winter.
Winter protection will be required in all but the mildest of areas.
14) Golden Tree Fern (Dicksonia fibrosa)
This is another tree fern that could be considered for some UK gardens.
It can grow up to 6m tall, with a brown trunk-like rhizome and a fan of attractive fronds at the top.
Again, these can be grown outdoors without winter protection only in the mildest regions.
15) Table Mountain Fern (Blechnum tabulare)
While not a true tree fern, this option will eventually develop a trunk.
This is another option that can be used to give a dramatic and tropical look in a shady and moist but free-drained area of your garden.
Suited For Dry Shade
Finally, let’s take a look at some more ferns that are amongst the best ferns for dry shade in the UK.
All of the Dryopteris species mentioned above can also cope with dry shade as well as damp shade.
And here are some more options to consider:
16) Eared Lady Fern (Athyrium otophorum ‘Okanum’)
This fern is native to East Asia.
It forms rosettes of arching, broadly ovate, bipinnate fronds that start out pale green in spring then turn grey-green later.
Stalks and the main veins have a purplish hue.
It can grow best in moist conditions but can tolerate a much drier spot in full or dappled shade.
17) Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant)
This neat and tufted evergreen fern is another that can cope in dry shade, though it also likes moist shaded sites.
It forms spreading tufts of narrow, dark green fronds with linear pinnae.
This fern prefers acidic or neutral soil.
18) Common Polypody Fern (Polypodium vulgare)
While usually found in damp shady spots, it can also survive quite well in relatively dry conditions.
It can be great for shade below or on walls, or beneath trees.
It has leathery, ladder-like fronds with knobbly spots on the undersides that are the spores.
19) Crested Golden Shield Fern (Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’)
Like the other Dryopteris on this list, this fern can cope with a range of different conditions.
This particular cultivar is one that can be chosen for dry shade.
It has attractive fronds that open golden-green and turn deeper green as they mature.
20) Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
Another adaptable, relatively low-maintenance fern, this option is prized for its brilliant hues.
New fronds in spring have a striking reddish-orange colour.
And these contrast beautifully with dark green mature fronds.
These fade to green as the season progresses, then draw attention in autumn with bright red stores on their undersides.
See more ferns for dry shade in this guide.
This list is by no means exhaustive and there are many different ferns to discover, but the twenty options above are certainly amongst the best to grow in the UK.
How To Choose Ferns For A UK Garden
The most important thing to consider when choosing ferns for your garden are the environmental conditions.
You may be tempted to choose ferns with reference first to the appearance of their foliage, and how they will look in your garden scheme.
But first and foremost, it is important to make sure that you refer to the site itself, and choose the right plants for the right places.
Typically, ferns in general are considered to be specialists in marginal habitats.
This means that they can provide solutions to a number of planting problems or conundrums in your garden.
- Ferns can help vegetate shaded, waterlogged and boggy areas where many other plants will not thrive.
- They can be useful in deep, damp shade where they can add interest with their varied foliage, and be used in a traditional Victorian fernery, or in a mixed planting scheme alongside other plants for damp shade.
- Ferns can also be useful in tricky areas of dry shade which can also be challenging for gardeners.
Uses In Forest Gardening
Another interesting thing to consider is the role ferns can play in a forest or woodland garden.
If you are not familiar with the concept of forest gardening, this is an ecologically sensitive and sustainable way to grow food and other resources.
A forest garden is a garden that mimics a natural forest, but replaces typical plants with species that are of benefit to those who tend it, and to the system as a whole.
Forest gardens include a wide range of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, roots, ground cover plants and climbers.
Ferns can be useful as part of an overall planting scheme.
