Top Ferns for Cool, Shaded Summer Borders

For cool borders, we’d start with perennial plants for shade that match your soil and space. Our Ostrich Fern and Fiddlehead Fern both handle shady borders well, but they grow differently. Ostrich Fern reaches about 3 to 6 feet tall and spreads 3 to 5 feet by rhizomes, so it works best where you want bold, natural-looking coverage. Fiddlehead Fern grows fast too, usually around 4 to 5 feet tall, and its plume-shaped fronds give you that classic woodland look. If you need a tidier clump for the front of a bed, Christmas Fern stays much shorter at 1 to 2 feet and keeps green fronds through winter in many areas.

Spacing depends on the fern. Our Fiddlehead Fern has a listed spacing of 1.5 feet, and that gives the fronds room to open without crowding too fast. Ostrich Fern spreads wider, with a mature spread of 3 to 5 feet, so give it more elbow room if you want each clump to show. Christmas Fern stays compact, usually up to 2 feet wide, which makes it easier to tuck along paths or under trees. Keep in mind that tighter spacing fills in faster, but you’ll get less definition between plants.

If your yard stays damp, our Giant Ostrich Fern is the best fit here. It thrives in moisture-filled soil and is described as an excellent wetland type, so we often point customers to it for low spots and edges near water garden plants. Regular Ostrich Fern also likes moist, fertile soil and works well on streambanks or pond edges. But if your soil dries out often, Christmas Fern is usually easier to manage because it forms slower clumps and handles typical shaded garden conditions without asking for constant moisture.

All four ferns in this group are listed for sun or shade in the catalog, but we’d still plant them where they get shade or part shade, especially in summer. Fiddlehead Fern grows best in shade, and Ostrich Fern performs best in partial to full shade with consistent moisture. Giant Ostrich Fern also prefers shade and moisture, though it is noted as slightly more drought-tolerant than some other fern types. So yes, they can handle some sun, but hot afternoon exposure usually means you’ll need to watch soil moisture more closely than you would with perennial plants for sun.

For a narrow run along border fence plants or under shrubs, Christmas Fern is the cleanest choice. It forms neat clumps, grows about 1 to 2 feet tall, and spreads slowly instead of running hard. If you need erosion control on a bank, Ostrich Fern and Christmas Fern both help, but in different ways. Ostrich Fern builds a denser rhizome network over time, while Christmas Fern is easier to place in tighter pockets between landscaping shrubs. Look, if you want height, choose Ostrich. If you want control, choose Christmas Fern.

We ship these ferns bare-root, not potted, and we use UPS or USPS based on the fastest transit option for your order. Our fern listings show custom shipping information of 10 to 12 days, and each of these fern products has a minimum order of 25. Bare-root plants are easier to plant into a diy perennial garden because you can space them exactly where you want them. When your order arrives, plant promptly into moist soil so the roots do not sit out longer than needed.

We do not offer refunds, and we do not accept returns. We also do not offer a warranty on any product unless an extended warranty is purchased at the time of order. If there’s a problem and you need help, contact us directly at 931-692-4252 or customerservice@tennesseewholesalenursery.com. You can also reach us at Tennessee Wholesale Nursery, 12845 State Route 108, Altamont TN 37301. We’ll always want to hear the details first so we can guide you clearly.