Ferns

I had walked past that spot by the creek countless times at my house over the last seven years.

I was never satisfied by it. The creek meanders through the yard, and is a focal point in our property. At this one particular spot, the three ducks had claimed it as their swimming hole. In order to gain access to the main garden, behind our house, one has to walk past this spot.

So, this past Saturday, after walking past it yet again, I decided to do something about it. Yet, funds were low, with no budget to spend on flowers at the moment, so it had to be done with divisions from my own plants.

Alas, the entire area was encompassed in shade, and all my hosta divisions were already allocated to another new garden bed, set for next spring.

Ferns! I have plenty of them throughout the woods, and of various kinds, as well. Ferns would look great next to the large Beauty Berry bush, growing in that area, creating a nice looking naturalized spot, right next to the creek. All I had to do was simply dig them up, and transplant them to their new home.

Ferns come from a huge species of plants, numbering around 12,000 in variety. Ferns date back millions of years, and are in fact one of the first plant forms God placed on our planet.

As there is such a large variety, it is quite easy to understand that ferns can be found in most places on Earth. For my purposes, I have transplanted two shade varieties, found along my creek bed.
Unlike a typical plant, ferns do not reproduce via seeds. Instead, these tough durable plants reproduce via spores, located upon their leaves, or fronds, as they are often called.

Don’t go to the bother of looking for these spores, though, as you will most likely not see them with the naked eye. Their root systems are often quite shallow, and are easy to dig up and divide. Though there are a few animals that will use the fern as a source of food, they are usually not destroyed by animals.

The fern does have a strong ornamental value to it. Many varieties, such as the popular Boston Fern, can be potted up in a container and used either as a houseplant, or a focal point on a porch.

As they are low maintenance and disease resistance, they are a strong addition to your shade garden in the South.

As ferns are perennials, they will come back each year, with more fronds each spring. Indeed, there are some varieties that are evergreen.

Now, after some good old fashioned, dirt under my fingernails work is over, and the addition of these tough, ancient plants have been put in place, this once neglected and unsightly area by the duck’s swimming hole looks all the better. Why not add some ferns to your shade garden as well!