Fern cow pats

I have a number of large ferns, not sure what sort, but they are obviously old and not been cared for in any way and have been revealed by recent storm death of a lovely hydrangea. When dormant they look like dry brown cowpats. I guess just overgrown. Can I chop the tops off the cowpats to groundlevel o make the area look a bit less like dungheap without destroying what lies beneath? I'll have to do it quickly as they are shooting already.

Thanks

 

I think that would damage the growing points Fens, especially if they've already started growing.

 

perhaps they are not the evergreen variety, so the die down in winter, then regrow in spring

they don't need much care and attention, but water them well during dry spells ....

I never remove any of the dead/dry fronds off .... they fall off by themselves

 

If you cut them off down to ground level then they would die.