LADY BUG...FERNS BRING TOUCH OF WILDERNESS TO BACKYARD GARDENS

Ferns give a calm grace to gardens that no other group of plants offer. Unlike many of the flowering plants, ferns have not been hybridized for garden usage. They are essentially wild -- precisely the kind of plants we need to invite into our gardens in a world in which wilderness is disappearing.

Despite their apparent delicacy, ferns thrive under conditions few other plants tolerate. They are tough and adaptable. Best of all they are beautiful. What could be more restful and cooling on a hot July day than to walk and look at a bed of Ostrich, Maidenhair or Boston ferns?

These woodsy plants soften a landscape. One can use them to soften a landscape, or anywhere to enhance the beauty of flowering plants or where attempts to grow flowers in a sunless northern exposure have failed.

Ferns grow wild in open woods, swamps, marshes and bogs, along banks, streams, on decayed longs or on top of mossy knolls. When my brother and I walked through the woods to our rural school, we admired the ferns growing in their natural habitat, but never once did we consider digging any of them to take to our home because ferns belonged in the woods.

Today there are sources of nursery-propagated ferns that have been grown by nurseryman, not collected from the wild. Thus, they do not threaten the wild populations or habitats. There are also societies for fern lovers that offer vast amounts of information.

Hardy ferns can play a major role in shady or partially shady perennial beds and borders. The hardy ferns offer a wide variety of textures and sizes as well as subtle ranges of foliage color. Versatile and tough, they are excellent for naturalizing, a good asset to mixed plantings of annuals, perennials and shrubs.

Although most ferns thrive in areas with filtered sunlight, they will tolerate even lower light levels. For best results in growing hardy ferns outdoors, one should match the conditions of their native environment. The forest floor, which is where most hardy ferns are found, is marked by partial soil that is rich in organic material.

In the hot weather of July and August ferns need adequate moisture to maintain their foliage. The shade of the north side of the house seems to be the best location. They like high levels of organic matter in the soil, such as leaf compost or peat moss.

Among the hardy ferns that can be used for the garden are Maidenform, Lady Fern, Ostrich Fern, Cinnamon Fern, Royal Fern and Christmas Fern.

If at any time fern foliage turns yellow, it could be one of three things -- the plant could be receiving too much light and sun or too much water, or else food is needed. Every two weeks feed potted ferns with a mild house plant fertilizer, and equally often add soap to the water to prevent scale. Keep ferns well groomed by trimming off dead or browning fronds.

Ferns reached their peak of popularity as a house plant during the Victorian period. Rooms with high ceilings and houses with poor heating systems were much cooler than many homes are now. As a result, ferns of many types were well suited to them.

The most durable fern for home use today is the Boston fern. One of the most popular of many varieties is a finely cut variety known as Fluffy Ruffles. Other ferns for the house are Boston Petticoat and Holly Fern.

Inside ferns need good light but should not be in direct sunlight for long periods. Some of the nicest ones grow where they receive morning sun early in the day. They love to hang in the bathrooms or kitchens where they receive moisture from the atmosphere. Tropical ferns like Dallas and Fluffy Ruffles do well in these rooms.

The largest failure of growing ferns is watering. They cannot tolerate becoming dry. The misunderstanding that creates this problem is that the light soil mixture dries out faster than other potting mixtures.

Since ferns have delicate root systems, it is advisable not to use a strong fertilizer. Fish emulsion is recommended (if you can tolerate the odor). Also, they do not like it hot, even inside. Inside they should be kept away from heat vents, or radiators.

Outside, our Ostrich fern has been most prolific. It has liked the shady, moist spot on the north of the house. They grow about three feet tall and spread rapidly. They demand lots of water and when the heat of summer comes, they often will flop over.

Another favorite is the Maidenhair, which has slender black stems topped with spreading fronds and grows quite tall. Like many other plants here it was the gift of friends. A Japanese Painted Fern, also from a friend, is truly a beauty with its fronds of wine-red with a band of gray on green in the center.

In Ireland, they say seeds of ferns in your shoes make you invisible, but you may well need Irish skies above for this miracle to occur.