Native Garden - Fernery
When you think shade, you think ferns. Ferns are extremely versatile and there is a fern for every spot in the garden. Most ferns love shade, however some varieties do tolerate sunny areas very well. Above is a combination of part sun/shade loving varieties that will clean up the most dark and damp area of any garden! You can be very loose with planting, simply plant the ferns where there is room, keeping a rough 0.5 space between them so they can establish.
Width required: No minimum, this combination can fit into any under planting situation.
Plant spacing:
Hedge - Griselinia littoralis (Broadleaf) - 0.5,
Tree - Pseudopanax ferox - 0.5m
Underplanting - Pittosporum Golfball - 0.5m
Foliage Colour: Green
Flower Colour: Green
Uses:
This simple and elegant mix of ferns is perfect for any damn, shady area of your garden. Planted in shade under trees or on the South side of your property.
Plants in this Palette
Blechnum discolor
Blechnum discolor
Blechnum discolor, commonly known as crown fern, is a striking New Zealand native with a distinctive vase-like form. Its stiff, upright fronds emerge with coppery tones and mature to a rich green, radiating symmetrically from a central crown. This evergreen fern provides strong texture and structure, making it a standout feature in shaded garden spaces.
Perfect for native, woodland, and rainforest-style gardens, it thrives as understorey planting or massed in shaded borders to create a lush, layered effect.
Prefers partial to full shade and moist, well-draining soil enriched with organic matter. Keep soil consistently damp and shelter from drying winds. Space 60–90 cm apart to allow its natural form to develop.
Mature size reaches 60–100 cm tall with a symmetrical spread of up to 1 metre.
Notify MeAsplenium bulbiferum
Asplenium bulbiferum
Asplenium bulbiferum, commonly known as Hen and Chickens Fern, is a lush New Zealand native valued for its graceful, arching fronds and distinctive ability to produce small plantlets along its leaflets. The bright green, finely divided foliage creates a soft, textured effect that adds depth to shaded garden areas year-round.
Ideal for native gardens, fern collections, or shaded courtyards, this fern thrives in moist, well-drained soil and dappled to full shade. It benefits from consistent moisture and a sheltered position away from harsh winds. Plant 50–70cm apart to allow fronds to spread naturally.
Matures to approximately 1m tall and 1m wide, forming a dense, leafy clump.
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Cyathea dealbata
Cyathea dealbata
Cyathea dealbata. Native fern with distinctive silvery undersides of the fronds. 5-8m
