Alan's 'How to' for May

Great way to plant ferns in shade

Ferns are fantastic plants that come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiniest lacy knots to giant jungle shuttlecocks that wouldn’t look out of place in Jurassic Park. They are bewitching, too, with finger-like unfurling fronds, bristly and scaly stems, as well as crimped and crested tips. For many, though, ferns still have a rather dowdy image that harks back to Victorian times, when this unassuming group were the height of gardening fashion. Worse still, they have an undeserved reputation for being difficult to grow and rather specialist – requiring deep shade, lots of water top and bottom, and an acid soil to thrive. Not really everyday border plants.