I bought a Dryopteris affinis 'Cristata The King' and Jurassic Gold at the weekend.
Has anyone got any of their frondy friends in a south facing garden? I can put them in the corners near to the wall shade (and make sure I keep them watered) but was just wondering if they grow with less vigour in a sunny spot?
We have a Christata the king, it's in a very busy border with ferns and hostas but has got huge and sits above most things. It gets quite a bit of sunshine maybe 70% of the day but seems very happy, the ground is heavy clay subsoil from excavations so pretty damp most of the year. I've just bought a 2 recently and plan on dividing mine this autumn or next spring
@JamesS-B In my garden I have 2 naturally occurring ferns . They both spore themselves freely about the garden and grow wherever, including south facing. They do tend to favour walls either at the foot or between the stones, but I have others growing happily in long grass and some in dryer soil. The ones in shade do seem to have the edge in size and luxurience but the others are not far behind. It is getting ever harder to inch my wheelbarrow past the ones growing out of the wall, on the narrow path by the pond!
I have made no attempt to to identify them further, I call them the tidy one and the untidy one.The tidy one has very neatly scissored, fine fronds and shuttlecock growth in a pale shade of green, the other, which is probably a bog standard Dryopteris, is darker green and more coursely cut fronds and just looks a bit more untidy
One day, when I am feeling strong enough, I might take some samples and a magnifying glass and attempt a proper ID, but at the moment I'm simply too busy trying to keep the jungle at bay!
The cool and rainy weather we have known from mid-June to mid-July has been much appreciated by my ferns! Here are some views of my "fernery" taken this morning.
@Papi Jo that looks so green and restful with wonderful play of the light. @Pianoplayer it's very much stationary, as I'd kind of expect. Hopefully it will put some roots down and start to really grow next year. Plantsforshade says Occasionally producing plantlets at the tips of the fronds, it does best
in an alkaline to neutral moist soil, but beware slugs and snails and recommends partial to full shade. I think I have the right conditions for it, must remind myself to extend snail patrol to its little corner.
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Has anyone got any of their frondy friends in a south facing garden? I can put them in the corners near to the wall shade (and make sure I keep them watered) but was just wondering if they grow with less vigour in a sunny spot?
I’m also on heavy clay so this bodes well.
@micearguers how is your dragon's tail doing?? Looks really interesting.