It seems that the end of the season is coming up, and we are writing this column during the
Ashland County Fair. My ferns are some of the last plants that turn brown. My friend asked,
“Are there native Ohio Ferns that I could plant in my shade garden.”
Shade gardening is a real challenge on a normal basis. Getting anything exciting to grow and keep going stymies most of us.
I have had many friends who have enjoyed the trails of Mohican State Park. In 1949 this green gem of a park was set aside with 1,110 acres. One of the questions that I have been asked is, “Could I take one of these little green plants for my own yard? This fern could fill out my shade garden.”
Don’t get arrested
I just got a call from Heidi Honacker, a natural resource officer extraordinaire. She is a 35-year veteran who cares for our natural resources assigned to Mohican State Park and forest.
Officer Honacker assures me that she would not hesitate to arrest the person walking out of the park with one of these living green ferns. To help in education, officer Honacker said that there are special permissions available where you have to apply for this exception and you will be permitted to harvest a fern. It is a process that you have to go through the ODNR to receive.
I live in the shade.
My passion for shade plants has also made an impact on my designs. Any gardener that has been laboring in the sun during a hot summer day enjoys the respite in a shelter away from the burning sun. As a stroller through the garden I have rejoiced when seeing colors in the shade that I did not expect. In the shade you will get variation in tones and undertones. Light through the trees can produce checkered patterns of sunlight. Shadow plays upon flowering shrubs and herbaceous border, on path, pool, and woodland walk.
Toughness defines their nature
A number of years ago I planted a fern garden out in my own yard and most of them seem to do very well. Ferns are amazing plants in that there are remains of ferns in very old fossils.
Toughness defines their nature. I still have green ferns in my own yard. Variety makes them an exciting addition to any landscape. If you have a shade garden in your own yard and don’t have any ferns, you really should consider softening your garden with a few of these Ohio Natives.
This is a quick list of some of the Ohio Native Ferns. I have had experience growing most of
these ferns. The Maidenhair Fern, Lady Fern, Hay-Scented Fern, Giant Wood Fern, Evergreen Fern, Ostrich Fern, Sensitive Fern, Royal Fern, Cinnamon Fern, Christmas Fern, Bulbet Bladder Fern, Crest Shield Fern, and Marginal Shield Fern are all native to Ohio. (I would give you the scientific names if I had more space.)
Common Polypody fern at Mohican State Park.
Leatherleaf Woodfern.
Cinnamon fern towards the end of the season.
Special effort
Ferns, as you may guess, want to grow in as rich a soil as possible to get started. Some of these ferns need to grow in swampy areas, while others are strictly woodland type plants.
My Cinnamon, Ostrich, and Christmas ferns can take over and fill in an area very well. Therefore, I would consider these two plants as more of a ground cover because of their aggressiveness.
The Lady fern and other Painted ferns I have are more subdued than the big boys. What I like about these little painted ferns is the color, which has purple, gray, and green in the fronds.
Most of my ferns have done very well in my garden except the Maidenhair fern I planted. I
planted this Maidenhair fern in dry shade, which is a bad location for the plant, because it
needs a swampy, moist area to survive. Another of my favorite ferns is the Hay-Scented Fern.
Most ferns you encounter do not have any scent, but the Hay-Scented fern when you rub the leaves in your hands smells just like fresh-mowed hay. Personally, I think that is pretty special and an excellent reason to grow this fern.
Shade gardening takes special effort. But you can’t beat going into a shade garden in the hot summer heat.
There is a reason for all the plants to be there. If you have any questions on your stroll e-mail me at ericlarson546@yahoo.com.
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