Cutting back and moving ferns.

A friend has offered me two big (~3ft long leaves) ferns to get me started on my woodland garden. The leaves are green but look a little worse for wear in places.

I was wondering if I'd be able to cut them back and by how much, (to encourage fresh growth) or whether I should leave them as they are and hope that their look will improve with some T.L.C.

As these are going to have to be moved at some point, any info about the root system of ferns would be appreciated.

I'm afraid I don't know what type they are. They're not tree ferns. The only way I can describe them is that they look like your run of the mill fern. (helpful huh!) :D

 

Trim off the dying fronds, and plant them anthony - give them a good watering to get them started - and then leave em be (unless there is dry spell). They are a plant of damp shady places and will depending on the variety, die back over winter - but then shoot again in the spring.

I too have an evolving woodland garden, and ferns are very much apart of it, along with dog violets bluebells, aconite and other things.

 

Thanks Fran. :D

How big is your woodland garden and would it be possible to see some pictures?

My woodland area is ~4ft x ~14ft and i'm trying to get some inspiration. It originally came from the woods I walk in regularly but as it's such a big area i'm finding it tricky to scale down my ideas.

Also, thanks for mentioning some of the plants you've used. (I was stuck on those too!)

:D

 

If your fern looks like a giant green shuttlecock and grows wild near you then it's probably a Lady Fern, (Athyrium filix-femina)

Very common and absolutely hardy, but an elegant addition to any woodland area. They are deciduous so the leaves can be removed now and they will emerge again in the spring as rich green fronds uncurling as they grow. They do well either in shade or full sun providing they have access to plenty of moisture. Congested rhizomes can be divided to single plants and will grow away happily providing you have a growth crown and some root. Ideal soil is slightly acid and moist with plenty of humus but really they will grow just about anywhere.

 

Might also be the common matteucia (ostrich feather fern) same as above, its decidiuous, so I would leave the fronds on to put some goodness back into the rhizome/root and help re-establish it (they will be dying off soon anyway) but it shouldn't hurt to cut them off if it has a good root system

 

Ok Anthony will see what I can dig out of my digital albums and post

 

Well I found a couple - I have a long thin garden 120 foot by 40 foot approx. When I moved here a long time ago - the bottom half of the garden was an empty vegetable patch. Started with a wild flower meadow but then the hedge I planted of hawthorn whips and dog roses, rowen and witchhazel took over, so its evolved into a woodland, and I'm encouraging it :D



The pink flowers are red campion, a relic from the wild flower meadow.



Now the hawthorns are roofing over the path. gradually the ferns are establishing and moss is forming over the rocks moved from the rockery. The trees are always alive with birds, which I feed using the verandah of my shed, which is the divider for the more formal garden (or as formal as I ever get) and my woodland

[ 31. October 2005, 05:37 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

I love your garden Fran I keep seeing pictures of peoples garden mine is only small but I see a wild garden and want one like that then I see a more formal garden and I like that as well I need a huge garden like they show on the television and have different rooms as they call them,but then I think oh may be not as I would have to look after it and it takes me all my time to look after te rooms in my house

 

Oooh, Fran - what lovely pictures you have !!!

 

Wow Fran! Your woodland garden looks awesome and is certainly inspirational! I'm going to take a picture of my "to be" woodland area once the batteries charge on my camera. (which is going to be somewhat embarasing!)

I did some checking of the ferns mentioned and I think it's the ostrich feather fern. I've decided to leave them be for the time being as I won't be moving them for a while.

T. I've also got the problem where I want different styles of gardens. My plan is to section off small raised beds and plant them in those different styles. With a bit of luck it won't look too bad. Quite honestly, they certainly won't look as bad as my garden does now! :D

 

Oh Fran, I'm so envious, looking at your pictures - I love the 'natural' look of your garden. What are the flowering trees in the upper picture and does the lower picture show a different part of your garden?

 

Glad you liked them.

Go for it T, no garden is too small not to become a little utopia - my first garden was a concrete square, and a 10' by 3'strip of rubble - but plants grew. Up to yesterday, working full time did tend to limit the time I could spend, but found gardening a therapy I couldn't resist.

The white flowering tree - I think is a form of buddlhea (?spelling) white pom pom flowers which is my neighbours but overhangs the fence. The red leaves at the very top is a copper beech, also my neighbours - magnifiscent tree, although it does create some shade. Both pictures are the same part of the garden, one in May a couple of years back and one in October, last year.

I too like different styles - the bottom part of my garden is my woodland wild garden and very deliberately planted and structured for birds and wildlife. Nearer the house herbaceous borders and a lawn (well at least its green :D ) I am too much of a plantaholic ever to have a formal structured garden. I did try, but failed miserably and the housework always takes second place to the garden.

 

I can't wait to put some pictures on the site and I have taken a couple of my pond I will try to get them on as soon as poss. I think I am getting a digital camera for xmas I've dropped enough hints.A little bit of practice and who knows. I have got a few ferns and Hostas in and I have planted a load of cyclamen. also I have just bought bulbs crocus,snowdrops,bluebells and I have put seed in of Foxgloves that Paladin kindly sent so I am really looking forward to spring.