Landscaping with ferns

New Zealand is blessed with a large number of fern species, with many natural hybrids and 10 species of tree ferns, one of which is our nations emblem, and has pride of place on many a sports-persons clothing.  As mentioned we have 10 tree fern species and none of them are named ‘punga’, they all have their own names. Ferns add that special magic to many situations. They can give a garden a lush cool feeling with their majestic arching fronds. They can soften the hard lines of buildings and tone down the harsh colours of modern architecture. Ferns can be planted in large groups to give a woodland effect to a landscaped area, this more natural easy flowing design with more emphasis put on foliage texture as the colour. In the understorey, plantings of ferns as a groundcover is where they often come into their own. Ferns soon create a dense cover giving a pleasing lushness to any setting. With many established gardens the areas under trees often present a difficult planting problem. With the addition of organic matter and a bit of lower branch pruning a whole new micro-climate can be opened up. Ferns can revel in these protected cool microclimates. Ferns are foliage plants with a myriad of textures and forms to choose from. Their lush greens are often high-lighted by combining them with other suitable plants, such as Arthropodium spp., Libertia spp, Dianella nigra, Chatham Island forget-me-nots and many others. A fern in a container can provide an interesting focal point such as giving that shady back door an interesting feature. Many ferns will do well in containers. All they need is a site that is generally shaded or semi-shade, shelter from the wind, good soil that is rich in humus and well drained, mulched well, and a good supply of moisture. An annual dressing of blood and bone also helps keeping them looking good.

For an information sheet on ferns, just head to our website:  https://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/planting-trees-and-shrubs/landscaping-with-ferns-in-temperate-climates/