Insights
Choosing Native Ferns for a New Zealand Garden
New Zealand ferns bring a distinctly local character to a garden, from the fine ground ferns that soften a border to the tree ferns that give a planting height and structure. Choosing the right fern starts with understanding your site. Most ferns prefer shelter, dappled light and a soil that holds moisture without staying waterlogged, which is why they thrive along the edge of native bush and in the shade of larger trees.
For shaded, sheltered spots, ground ferns and smaller natives fill in beautifully and knit a planting together. Where you want presence and a sense of the bush, tree ferns such as ponga are hard to beat, and they can be supplied in pots or troughs to make placing them easier. In more exposed or sunnier positions, it pays to choose hardier species and to give young plants some protection while they establish.
Good preparation makes all the difference. Dig in plenty of organic matter, keep new ferns watered through their first summer, and mulch to hold moisture and keep the roots cool. With the right species in the right place, a fern planting will settle in and grow into one of the most rewarding parts of a New Zealand garden. If you are not sure what will suit your conditions, talk to us and we can point you toward the ferns most likely to do well.