outdoors
plantings
E a s y E d e n
B e a u t i f u l f e r n s l e t y o u c r e a t e
y o u r o w n g a r d e n p a r a d i s e .
by SUSAN APPLEGET HURST
m s m
j ям
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f llw
i
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f г —
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шш
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m a g in e a fo re st
1
g a rd e n .
.. the so u n d
o f w ater nearby,
w h ile la c y green
fe rn s sw a y gen tly
a t y o u r fe e t.
..
F e rn s b rin g
to m in d w h a t E d e n c o u ld
b e like.
W h ile so m e fe rn s a re
lacy a n d so ft, o th e rs a re
le a th e ry a n d glossy. S om e
fe rn s re m a in e v e rg re e n in
w in te r, fro st sp a rk lin g on
th e ir fro n d s; o th e rs go
d o rm a n t. B u t n e a rly all
h av e u n u s u a l fo rm s th a t
m ak e th e m in trig u in g
s ta te m e n ts in th e g a rd e n .
T h e ir e le g a n t g ra c e alo n e
is e n o u g h to m ak e fe rn s
g a rd e n w o rth y . B u t th e re
a re o th e r g o o d re a so n s to
p la n t fe rn s in y o u r g a rd e n :
T h e y n e e d re m a rk a b ly
little a tte n tio n o n c e
e sta b lis h e d , th riv e in low
lig h t, a n d a re d ista s te fu l to
d e e r a n d ra b b its. So b rin g a
little b it o f p a ra d ise to y o u r
g a rd e n w ith fern s.
ENVIABLE GREEN
Like many ferns,
ostrich fern
(Matteuccia
struthiopteris), left,
does well in dappled
sun with moist, well-
drained soil.
9 8 AUGUST 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHOTO: KRITSADA
