The current selection of the very best, easyto grow to rare and unusual ferns for damp and shady garden areasavailable now on line from the Pot and Grass Co. Colchester Essex UK

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Fern Asplenium scolopendrium Cristatum

Fronds are green  crested at the tips. An interesting fern that keeps its colour well providing it has shade. Prefers alkaline soil in full or part shade. Grow  to 35 cm.

Fern Asplenium scolopendrium.

The Harts Tongue. RHS. AGM Award of Garden Merit, Strap like fronds of mid green. Fine accent or as a contrast to other ferns. Prefers alkaline soil in full or part shade

Fern Asplenium scolopendrium Angustifolia

Harts Tongue. Deeply waved margins on dark green fronds. A short fern only 30-35 cm in height. Prefers a slightly acid moist home with dapple or half shade. Strong sun can scorch the margins. A pretty fern well deserve

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Fern Athyrium felix-femina. Frizelliae

Fern Athyrium felix-femina Frizelliae. A very pretty and unusual form of Lady Fern, with narrow fronds 30 cm. whose ends are rounded into small ball-like shapes. Up close, edging resembles old-fashioned knotted lace that looks like a tiny green necklace semi shade to shade. Unfussy wet or dry not extreme.

Fern Athyrium felix-femina Victoria

The Lady Fern. Feathery Lance shaped fronds. Larger than the other Athyrium 90 cm Easily cultivated. Cool moist soil prefers shade but can be grown in full sun as long as there is moisture.

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Fern Athyrium vidalii

The Japanese lady fern. Petty deciduous fern. New fronds have a pink or reddish tint. More open in habit height 45 cm.

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Fern Athyrium otophorum Okanum

The Asian lady fern.   Fresh new frondscontrast against the red-maroon stems unfurling into beige. It remainsdistinctive throughout the entire growing season. As the fronds mature theyturn a darker green with an occasional silver iridescence.

Fern Blechnum spicant.

Very attractive glossy bottle green leaves. A wonderful evergreen fern for all year round appeal.. Prefers semi shade and a neutral to slightly acid soil

Fern Cheilanthes lanosa

T he hairy or Wooly lip Fern .A small North American evergreen fern whose stipes and lower frond surfaces are densely wooly. Rolls up its leaves in drought conditions. Evergreen Dessert Fern that is very drought resistant. Dry situation. Grows to 40 cm.

Fern Cyrtomium fortunei Clivicola.

A Japanese fern with pale green eggshell fronds. A beautiful though underused evergreen fern that forms a good backdrop or accent to flowering perrenials.  Unfussy dry or wet but not extreme. Grows to 60 cm.

 Dicksonia antarctica.

The  Tree fern is becoming more and more popular and D. Antarctica is one of the hardier varieties. The thick mass of roots form a trunk, which can eventually reach about 6m (20ft) in the wild. The foliage appears in spring from the top of the trunk, unfurling from the centre to open up into large, rich green fronds. Grow this fern in dappled or deep shade in slightly acidic soil. In winter protect the crown by wrapping it up with strawor fleece.

Fern Dryopteris affinis.

The Golden Male Fern. Bottle green lancelot fronds on scaly nutmeg stems. A magnificent fern growing to 1.2 meters. It can tolerate a few hours of sun each day without scorching and is fairy wind resistant . Easy to grow and accommodating.

Fern Dryopteris cristata.

Crested Buckler Fern. A very distinctive deciduous native to Britain or more specifically England only usually found on the Norfolk Broads needless to say it requires a damp spot. Easy to cultivate it has erect narrow pea green fronds..Grows to 60 cm.

Fern Dryopteris crispa Whiteside.

The Broad Buckler Fern. Erect, robust,masculine. Mid green lancelot fronds, the leaf part of the frond is crisp with a dark central zone. A deciduous native to Europe and the British Isles. Easy to cultivate. Dry or wet but not extreme. Grows to 60 cm.

Fern Dryopteris erythrosora.

The Autumn Fern. One of the best garden ferns fro China and Japan. Evergreen Young fronds emerge salmon pink in spring turning copper then bronze green by late summer. et or dry areas light or dapple shade. Grows to 60 cm.

Dryopteris felix-mas Crispa Cristata.

King of the Male ferns. A handsome wintergreen fern. erect and robust. A native of Britain Europe and Asia an easy to grow hardy fern. Unfussy except in extremes and good in heavy shade. Grows to a respectable 90 cm.

Fern Dryopteris felix-mas Linearis Polydactilon'

The Crested Male Fern. A North American fern. Darker green narrow crested fronds leathery in appearance. Delicate whispy demeaner but don be deceived its very hardy and wind resistant. Grows to 40 cm. Wet or dry except extreme.

Fern Polypodium vulgare.

The Common Polypody. A native to Europe and the British Isles. Evergreen. Fine papery fronds appear in early summer. Prefers slightly acid soil and needs a site with good drainage and a free air movement or the fronds can be prone to blackening. Good for a dry bank. 35 cm. in height.

Polystichum aculeatum.

The shield fern. A Handsome shuttlecock of dark cabbage green fronds. Evergreen and elegant. A native to Europe and the UK . General unfussy but prefers shade and moist conditions. 75 cm high.

Fern Polystichum munitum.

The Western Sword Fern. larger than the rest of the species. Dark green evergreen fern that forms a loose shuttlecock demeaner. Tolerates wet or dry conditions  without extremes. A useful plant at 95 cm. height

Fern Polystichum plyblepharum.

Dark to olive green. Evergreen with a leathery texture. The spring crosiers are an attractive feature almost triffid like they unfurl to form fine plumes of shuttlecock fronds 75 cm. tall

Fern Polystichum rigens.

Very hardy evergreen fern from Japan Sharp pointed lancelot  fronds appearing yellow in spring maturing to a mid green by summer with a distinctive smell. Most soils but prefers alkaline. 40 cm height

Fern Polystichum setiferum.

The Soft Shield Fern, Dark green spreading arching fronds. Dark green leathery fronds to 60 cm.. An excellent easy to grow fern comfortable with most soil types providing it is not water logged or bone dry.

Fern Polystichum setiferum Herrenhausen.

The Soft Shield Fern, Dark green spreading lance shaped  triangular fronds. Easy to grow old variety. Evergreen with darker green fronds than the type. Height 60 cm.

Fern Polystichum tsus-simense.

Very attractive well behaved clump former from China Japan and Korea. Broad bottle green lance shaped fronds. Height 35 cm tolerates both dry and wet conditions well.

Fern Woodsia obtusa.

A popular easy to grow fern. Fresh light green fronds with rounded tips  flush in the early Spring. This is a handsome clump forming fern that matures e respectable high at 1.3 meters.

Fern Woodwardia fimbriate.

The Giant Chain Fern. Evergreen emerald. Magnificently large, Can reach 2 meters. Elegant and upright. Acid to neutral soil. Can tolerate full sun.