216 



GARDE^ERS^ CHROMCLE 



HARDY FERNS FOR SHADY PLACES 



IN a great many gardens there are numerous situations 

 where, owing to the shade of adjoining buildings, 

 walls, or overhanging trees, the majority of 

 flowering plants refuse to thrive, and consequently 

 these places are. more often tKan not, far from at- 

 tractive for the greater part of the year. This ought 

 not to be. In the man}' and varied families of hardy 

 Ferns we may find beautiful and interesting plants 

 that can, with a comparatively small amount of 

 trouble, be induced to grow well in such places and 

 give us their graceful fronds in abundance for many 

 months of the year. Apart from their usefulness in 

 transforming erstwhile ugh' spots into dales of 

 beauty, these hardy Ferns are well worth a place in 

 the best gardens, because no other plants will provide 

 us with such an atmosphere of refreshing coolness on 

 a scorching hot day in Mid-Summer. Nor must we for- 

 get their Winter beauty. If the dead fronds are al- 

 lowed to remain in situ, as they should be, until well 

 into the Spring, they provide quite a study in russets 

 and varying shades of brown during the dull days of 

 Winter, when interesting features in the outdoor gar- 

 den are none too plentiful. 



Another feature that ought not to be overlooked 

 when hardy Ferns are under consideration is their 

 almost unique suitability for association with flower- 

 ing plants that either appreciate fairly dehse shade in 

 Summer or which flower early in the year, when the 

 biting blasts of the slowly lengthening days sweep 

 over the land, and when the shelter of the dead fronds 

 is so welcome to their floral neighbors. One has vivid 

 recollections of the companionship of a riotous mass 

 of hardy Ferns and stately Foxgloves in a woodland 

 glade, where shade and moisture, with an abundance 

 of decaying vegetable matter in the soil, were evi- 

 dently highly appreciated by the twain. But even 

 more vivid is the recollection of a woodland scene in 

 the cold, almost cheerless days of January and Febru- 

 ary, when Snowdrops, Scillas, Christmas Roses, 

 hardy Cyclamen, the dainty little Narcissus minimus, 

 and its larger, though almost equally early confrere, 

 pallidus precox, were nestling their flowers content- 

 edly in the curled russet fronds of the Ferns. Such 

 a scene is possible in every garden where tall trees. 

 excepting Beeches and those of an evergreen char- 

 acter, are present. 



However we may decide to group or associate our 

 hardy Ferns with other plants, a few points are es- 

 sential for successful cultivation. It will have been 

 gathered, from what has already been said, that the 

 majority of hardy Ferns suitable for growing in our 

 gardens' like a cool situation and soil that is reason- 

 ably moist and contains a good proportion of decay- 

 ing' vegetable matter, generally in the form of dead 

 leaves. This is not always easy to arrange, particular- 

 ly where the plants are to be grown under the shade 

 of trees ; but even though the soil there is not so moist 

 as we would like, many of the Shield Ferns or Poly- 

 stichums, the Broad Buckler Fern (Lastrca dilatata) 

 and the Lady and Male Ferns will thrive. But pre- 

 vious to planting, the soil should be well and deeply 

 dug — as deeply as the roots of the trees will allow — 

 and if poor, some good fibrous loam, old decayed 

 leaves and some short, well-rotted manure thoroughly 

 mixed with it. Hardy Ferns that are grown under 

 trees in this way must have generous supplies of 

 water during hot weather, but this is not. in most 

 gardens, difficult to arrange, and the results will cer- 

 tainly more than compensate the owner for the outlay. 



Where the shade is supplied by surrounding, not 

 overhanging, trees, boulders of rock, buildings or 

 walls, and where the soil is naturally moist, the many 

 beautiful forms of the Hart's-tongue Fern will thrive 

 to perfection. The variation among these is really 

 wonderful, yet I must confess that few appeal to me 

 more than the plain-fronded type. In too many the 

 foliage seems distorted and far from what Nature in- 

 tended this beautiful Fern to be. With its roots al- 

 most in water, that most noble of all hardy Ferns, 

 the Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis, and its dwarfer 

 variety gracilis, will make a stately feature in the 

 shaded garden. One of the most pleasing features of 

 a rock garden in Summer is its moist corner bedecked 

 with hardy Ferns, or the tumbling cascade, the sides 

 of which are fringed with swaying, graceful green 

 fronds of perhaps that gem of hardy plants, the Kil- 

 larney Fern, the foliage of which must ever be cov- 

 ered with a film of moisture to preserve it from the 

 least suspicion of a drying wind. The subject is one 

 that could be pursued indefinitelv, so numerous' and 

 varied are the Ferns which are hardy with us ; but 

 enough has been said tO draw attention to their use- 

 fulness and attractiveness at all seasons. 



PLANT YOUR TREES CAREFULLY 



IF trees arc to live and thrive they nlust be planted right 

 and cared for properly thereafter, otherwise it is a 

 waste of time and money to plant at all. If you are 

 among the number who contemplate tree planting this 

 Spring, either on a large or small scale, resolve to give 

 the work the care and attention it deserves. An ob- 

 servance of the following simple directions should help 

 you to succeed. 



Be sure to get strong, healthy trees, with good roots. 

 Dig large holes, much larger than the actual spread of 

 the roots, and see that good soil is provided for filling 

 in. Spread out the roots carefully, each little fibre in 

 its natural direction. \\'ork the earth in about the roots 

 In- hand, as it is filled in : when nearly filled in, wet down 

 thoroughly (a pail of water to each tree is none too 

 much), then fill in the remainder of the soil and press 

 down firmly to prevent drying out. If the location is 

 exposed it is well to fasten the tree to a stout stake 

 driven firmly into the ground, but be sure to use some 

 soft material for tying about the body that will not in- 

 jure the bark by chafing. If protracted dry weather 

 ensues, water at fre(|uent intervals. A mulch of straw 

 or other coarse material, or even a few large stones that 

 will shade the ground about the tree will prove beneficial. 

 While planting, or making ready to plant, never allow 

 exposure of the roots to sun and wind. Carelessness in 

 this respect is a frequent cause of failure. 



When tree,; are removed from the nursery, many of 

 the fine rootlets and, in some cases, the larger roots are 

 mutilated or destroyed. To correspond with this loss of 

 roots or feeders, the top of the tree should be pruned 

 and properly shaped before planting. It is better to be 

 over-severe in this pruning than to err in the opposite 

 direction. Remember that a small mass of roots cannot 

 gather sufficient nourishment to feed a large top. 



If vou intend to work there is no better place than 

 right where you are: if you do not intend to go to work, 

 you cannot get along anywhere. Squirming and crawling 

 about from place to jilace can do no good. — Abraham 

 Lincoln. 



