Fern concern

SueAtoo

I have been thinking of planting some ferns in a very shady but usually moist bed (under an oak, magnolia and camellia) but I have ferns (not bracken) popping up all over the garden where I don't want them. would these be "wild" ones? And what would you suggest - I like the look of more upright, shuttlecock types, maybe evergreen but I don't want them seeding all over. 

KeenOnGreen

Perhaps if you post a photo of the ferns, someone will be able to identify them.  Search for the "Fond of Fronds" thread on this forum, and you'll see lots of photos and ideas for nice ferns.

My favourites from our collection are:

Dryopteris erythrosora (evergreen)
Dryopertis wallichania 
Cyrtomium fortuneii (evergreen)

I have never know any of our ferns to self-seed, but perhaps that's because they are in pots on a paved patio (and I have no clue what a fern seedling looks like and have probably weeded them out!).

Buttercupdays

If you have the fern and you have the right conditions. as it seems you do, you will have to resign yourself to weeding out unwanted babies. The spores are produced on the back of the leaves, so you can't just cut off the seedheads like you do on other plants.

I get a couple of forms of Dryopteris appearing all over the garden. One is better looking than the other, so I am selective, and Hart's Tongue ferns turn up quite often too. There's a new one appeared that I think might be from one of my bought in cultivars, so that will be nice if I'm right

The ferns are good fillers for awkward places and look good with other plants. I'm pleased to have them.

Wrigs21

I have a patch of Ostrich ferns in the damp area at the bottom of the garden that have started to roam, love them though so leave this area wild. They look great when at full growth