Today I am at the garden of Sandra and Ken Fowler in Kosciusko, Mississippi, where they have used several cold hardy, perennial ferns to provide a lush and exotic addition to their tropical looking landscape.
You may think ferns lose their leaves in the winter. Some do, but here you’ll find several that are evergreen and worthy of a place in your shade garden.
One of the largest is the Japanese holly fern that can reach 2 to 3 feet tall. It produces large, glossy but leathery fronds. It’s a great choice for woodland gardens.
The Arborvitae fern’s name should tell you it’s also great for the woodland garden. Its evergreen leaves resemble those of an evergreen conifer. However, it’s not a conifer and despite its name, it is not really a fern either. Arborvitae ferns are called lycopods. They spread by rhizomes and reach about 18 inches tall.
The prettiest evergreen fern however may be the Japanese tassel fern. This deep dark green leafed fern forms a mound that is shaped much like a sago palm.
Sandra also has two varieties of Japanese painted ferns. They both give a unique grey or ghostly appearance and one has hints of maroon. Japanese painted ferns are not evergreens.
Not all of Sandra’s ferns are imported from other countries. The tall fronds of the Autumn fern, the red stems of the Red Stemmed Lady Fern, and the delicate flat leaves of the Southern Maidenhair fern will be an asset in any shade garden.
Sandra Fowler’s Kosciusko, Mississippi garden shows that ferns make a great addition to the shade, woodland or tropical style landscape. I hope you’ll give some of these cold hardy, perennial ferns a try. I’m Norman Winter for Southern Gardening.