© Janet Davis
By the end of summer, I’ve had my fill of
bright, colorful, sunny borders and look for a cool spot in the shade to put my
feet up and relax. That’s when I take a
second look at all the wonderful hardy ferns we can grow, the ones I watched
unfurling their tightly-curled, architectural fronds in May, alongside
trilliums and Virginia bluebells. 
Too many gardeners still view shade as a liability, but moderate to deep shade is what you need to grow most ferns. Of course, if you just want to spot them here and there among other perennials in your garden, there are a few which will take considerable sun, provided the soil stays constantly moist. But if your little patch of paradise is a dark, gloomy spot surrounded on all sides by tall buildings and hulking trees, fear not. As long as you’re willing to provide rich, damp soil, you can grow ferns.
· Bulblet Fern - Cystopteris bulbifera: Sweet little feathery fern that loves growing in cool, limey rock crevices in part shade. Wonderful for rock gardens where moisture can be maintained by irrigation or where there’s runoff from above. Spreads quickly by “bulblets” when happy. 10-12 inches.
· Christmas Fern - Polystichum acrostichoides: Fabulous native fern for woodland gardens in shade/semi-shade. Resembles tender Boston fern. Dark green fronds persist well into winter. 18 –24 inches.
· Cinnamon Fern - Osmunda cinnamomea: This tall fern loves damp, acidic woodland soil. Will grow in full sun as long as its feet are wet, otherwise light shade under trees. Name comes from the cinnamon-rust color of the distinctive, upright, fertile fronds. Turns rich gold in autumn, making it a lovely addition to deciduous woods where birch and red maple are also turning color. 4-6 feet.
· Hay-Scented Fern - Dennstaedtia punctilobula: This fern, shown above, is an easy-to-grown species that will repay your kindness by spreading everywhere. Lovely, soft, lime-green fronds. Good groundcover in part sun and damp soil. 18 –24 inches.
· Japanese Painted Fern - Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’: This beautiful fern, shown right, is a vision in blue, gray and green. Those are the colors combined in its delicate, lacy fronds. Likes damp, acidic soil in part or full shade. 24 inches.
·
Lady Fern – Athyrium filix-femina:
A good spreader in moist (but not wet) acidic soil in sun or shade. Lacy fronds start out lime-green, then
darken. Grows to 3 feet but there are
dwarf varieties of this fern which reach only 8 inches.
·
Maidenhair Fern – Adiantum pedatum:
Everybody’s favorite, this little native, shown below, has
semi-circular, black stems from which emerge lacy, bright-green fronds in a
fan. Likes moist, rich, alkaline soil
in part shade. Grows 1-2 feet.
·
Interrupted Fern – Osmunda claytonia:
Native fern with broad, attractive fronds that develop “interruptions”
as the fertile, spore-bearing leaflets drop off in summer. Strong-growing and effective as an accent
plant. Prefers moisture and part shade,
but will adapt to considerable sun and drought. Grows 2-4 feet.
·
Ostrich Fern – Matteucia struthiopteris:
A reliable native fern famous for its edible “fiddleheads’ in
spring. Prefers shade but takes morning
sun as long as the soil is moist; afternoon sun will burn foliage. Spreads by runners, and can become very
invasive. Tall, graceful and very easy.
Lovely with common tawny daylilies.
Grows 3-4 feet. (Hemerocallis fulva).
·
Royal Fern – Osmunda regalis: A
tall, elegant fern for very damp places.
Try growing with astilbe, Japanese primroses and Japanese irises. Takes shade or part sun, but turns rich gold
in fall when grown in sun. Grows to 4
feet.
·
Sensitive Fern – Onoclea sensibilis:
An unusual fern, in that its chartreuse fronds are less intricate and
“fern-like” than other ferns. Also, as
the name suggests, it’s quick to react to drought and frost. Moist, rich alkaline soil in part sun or
shade. Can be invasive. Grows to 2 feet.
Adapted
from a column that appeared originally in the Toronto Sun