Adiantum venustum revisited
Back in 2011 I wrote a post in praise of the hardy maidenhair fern. Given my interest in exotic / subtropical gardening in the UK, one of the questions I always ask myself is why none of the exotic gardens on YouTube never seem to feature this plant.
It's tough, reliably hardy, great for shady spots and has a grace and delicacy that lends itself to producing a carpet of foliage under shrubs and tall perennials on any moist but well drained soil, acid, neutral and even alkaline. After 18 years of spreading growth it's certainly shown it's worth in my front garden where I grow it under Camellia x williamsii 'St Ewe', Pieris 'Flaming Silver' and Acer 'Bloodgood'
It could amost be called invasive if it wasn't such a gently slow spread by rhizomes, easily controlled by removal of clumps during early spring or late autumn. It is, I admit, semi deciduous. The old fronds can get very tatty by winter's end but come the spring and bronze fronded regowth it soon recovers to produce carpets like green waves across my mini woodland floor.
I still haven't found an answer to my original question. Perhaps the sight of these images might spur greater adoption of this lovely plant
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