Ferns can offer a wide variety of plants for different uses as they vary widely in size, pattern, texture and shades of green.

The ferns that are available from most South Australian nurseries have been tested for growth in our climate and with a little care these plants will give you much pleasure!

Click for the Fern Society of South Australia Inc.

SHADE HOUSES
Garden lovers are now enjoying the pride and satisfaction of having their own Shade house. Contrary to common belief, a Shade house, if carefully planned, is the easiest way of maintaining a beautiful show place in your garden.

POSITION
Do not put your Shade house at the far end of your house block, out of sight, where only those who venture to the end of the garden can open the door to see what's inside. If possible, attach it to your verandah or pergola, and make a beautiful patio area for everyone to enjoy its beauty.

Build a Shade house on the hottest side of your house, preferably. The northern or western side and you will be amazed at the cooling effect during the hot summer. Believe it or not it will keep the house warmer in the winter and there will be no need to draw the blinds to keep out the heat in the summer - and how relaxing to look out to a cool green garden.

A Shade house will not darken a room if there is adequate light in the first place. Adelaide requires 80% shadecloth unless the area to be covered is already shaded by trees.

CHOOSING YOUR FERNS
Remember that ferns like to be planted close together, plan your garden so that the taller clump ferns will act as a background and shelter the smaller ferns. If you have a larger area to fill and you need more height, then plant other large tropical plants in the background such as Aralia, Philodendron selloum, or Camellias.

Tree ferns are excellent for providing height, but don't plant the tall varieties, as they will soon outgrow the shade house in height.

DECORATION
Take advantage of large stones, boulders, fallen logs, tree stumps (hollow ones), drift wood etc. Build a waterfall or pond to enhance the area and help to make a microclimate in your Shade house.

FERNS FOR INSIDE

Many ferns are adaptable to indoor conditions. The Pteris varieties are called table ferns and will enjoy a long life in the house as long as they are never allowed to dry out. The Nephrolepis varieties which include the many Boston varieties are also suitable for indoors and provide beautiful specimens for hanging baskets. Adiantum or Maidenhair ferns can be grown quite successfully indoors but don't try them first, wait until you have had success with other ferns (not fine leaf varieties).

Ferns are better if they are rotated with shade house plants (one week inside, one week outside).

WATERING
Ferns need to be protected from the wind, sun and frost. They require plenty of moisture, but a fern house requires less water than a lawn or garden as the evaporation rate is lower because of the shade-protected situation.

The best way to water is using spray type sprinklers with a fine mist. It is advisable to use separate drippers for hanging baskets as these tend to dry out more quickly than ground plants and being higher of the ground where there is more air circulation.