Ferns: Melding Ancient with Modern Gardens

A couple years ago my Nana rescued a large Boston Fern from the side of the road. The owner was tired of it (I can’t even imagine that!) and was replacing it with some different houseplants. Now, this was a truly spectacular specimen of a fern. Like any respectable plant lover – she just couldn't let this gorgeous fern meet its untimely end in a dumpster somewhere – especially when there was nothing wrong with it. No disease, no waterlogged soil with rotting roots, no browning tips... nothing was wrong with it at all. This fern was a prize. So, my grandmother dragged it into her car and then into her living room. Now it happily sits on a tabletop, with its long fronds cascading over the edge of the table and is appreciated for its beauty every day. It is the perfect addition to a room that has accents of green already, including her green couch.

Ferns are the secret garden essential to creating a lush and inviting space. Stay with me and keep reading to find out a bit of botany, history, how to use ferns in your home, and how to properly take care of them.

A Little Bit of Fern Botany

Fern fronds are beautifully luscious. On the underside of these fronds their brown spores can be seen, looking like small dots. If you haven’t seen them yet, turn over a fern frond the next time you see one to see if the spores are present. Once they are happy in your garden, they will spread underground by root like vegetative growths called rhizomes. Ferns do not have flowers, so these spores and their rhizomes are how they spread and reproduce.

Some common misconceptions with ferns are that they are all green – and while many of them are a lush green in color, there are some that have beautiful purple coloring.

A Brief History of Ferns

When you look at a fern you are looking at a fossil, a piece of living history. Ferns began to evolve during the Devonian era, and there are fossils of ferns that were living during the Carboniferous period. That means ferns started to exist 300 – 360 million years ago.

You might know about Tulipmania, but let me tell you about Pteridomania: the “fern fever” of the 1800s. Talk about plant parenthood! Pteridomania brought a love of all things ferns to the people of Europe, from decorations to art and ceramics, to architecture, posters, and more.

Ferns were grown in places called “ferneries”. These were highly ornate indoor conservatories dedicated to growing many different types of ferns. While many of the glasshouse have been broken down over time, some of these original ferneries can still be found at botanical gardens and arboretums. In fact, I have been inside one in the United States that is located at the Morris Arboretum, which is renowned for being the only freestanding one of its kind in the United States. Nowadays we may not see ferneries like in the age of Pteridomania, but you could create your own small fernery with a miniature greenhouse.

You may be familiar with fiddleheads – immature ferns that are edible from specific ferns. Look for pickled fiddleheads at your local farmer's market, or fresh fiddleheads that you can sauté in olive oil and garlic.

Where to Grow Ferns

One of the excellent qualities of ferns is that you can grow them either indoors or outdoors depending on your space, and in areas that have low light. Ferns have the innate ability to create a calming, grounding space. They are typically used in woodland gardens and Asian inspired gardens in our modern day to evoke a sense of tranquility.

Ferns are great plant options for locations that need erosion control. Plant them in your woodland garden, Asian inspired garden, or along your borders. These ferns are excellent when used in companion planting with Bleeding Hearts, Astilbes, and Hostas.

Ferns as Indoor Houseplants

Ferns can be grown indoors, making them excellent houseplants. They work at air purification, removing toxins from your environment. Ferns prefer to grow in low light or filtered light locations, making them such great houseplants.

Ferns to grow indoors

Boston Fern: a beautifully cascading fern that should be placed in indirect light, known for air purification

Walking Fern: this fern is great for cleaning the air indoors and its rippled fronds are especially pleasing

Staghorn Fern: hang this fern in a warm location in your living room, dining room, or kitchen 

Bird’s Nest Fern: water the soil of this soil only to prevent issues with the foliage

Maidenhair Fern: this is an especially elegant fern that will be a great addition to your living room or dining room. Easy to grow and take care of with its low maintenance nature.

We’ve covered ferns indoor so far – now keep reading to find out how to grow them outdoors in your garden. Ferns are very versatile and seem to fit into every type of landscape.

How to Grow Ferns Outdoors

Ferns are low growing plants that thrive best when planted in humus rich, highly organic soil that is well draining.

Light: keep your new plants in a well protected area, with filtered light or plenty of shade. Do not plant these ferns in a location where they will get afternoon light, or they are sure to scorch and turn an unsightly brown.

Watering: Keep ferns moist without being overwatered. Avoid letting the soil become bone dry. If ferns become too wet without being able to dry out, their roots will rot, and leaves will turn yellow or brown in color.

Soil: Use a rich soil that is a decadent combination of peat and compost or humus.

Here are my top 5 favorite ferns to use in the garden:

Lady Fern: this fern has feathery fronds and a vibrant green color

Japanese Painted Fern: its purple and silver metallic foliage is unexpected and a beautiful addition to your garden. Find it at your local plant nursery.

Ostrich Fern: a tall fern with lush green fronds, excellent for creating a hint of mystique in your garden

New York Fern: perfect for your naturalistic or woodland garden

Hay Scented Fern: add greenery to your garden that has the lightly fragrant and sweet scent of hay

Ferns are truly the most versatile of plants, and I’m sure that I’ve convinced you that they have a place in every home and landscape. They are low maintenance and visually aesthetic – what more could you want! Whether you need a houseplant or a plant for your garden, ferns are easily the perfect fit for what you need. Are you ready to grow one? If you are concerned that maybe your green thumb is a bit more of a black thumb, start with one of these ferns and then gradually add more to your collection. I assure you that you will find your green thumb and that you will be growing more ferns in no time at all!

Let us know if you create your own fernery and tag us in the ferntastic results.