Encyclopedia of garden ferns

446 Pages·2007·20.394 MB·English

by  Sue Olsen

sue US$59.95
olsen
W
ith their beauty and versatil-
ity, oft en combined with a tough-
G ness that belies their delicate
e
appearance, ferns are among the most useful
n
and rewarding plants that any gardener can
c
grow. Ranging from diminutive rock-garden
A
y gems to the stately tree ferns of the Southern
c Hemisphere, ferns off er a staggering variety
l of habit and shape, with foliage comprising
R
o endless variations of green as well as bronze,
pink, silver, and blue-gray. It all adds up to a
p
Sue Spooner Olsen developed a love
• The most comprehensive dazzling array of choices, with new introduc-
De encycl opedi a of
of ferns in the late 1960s and has been
and up-to-date reference tions pouring in from Asia and Central and
d
studying, propagating, and writing about
South America to augment the already plen-
on ferns for gardens GA R DE N
them ever since. Her fern nursery, Foliage i
tiful choices to be found among the more
Gardens, has introduced numerous ferns • More than 960 ferns from Ea
familiar species.
to North American horticulture and is the around the world, including
o In this comprehensive reference, fern
oldest mail-order nursery in the United many species only recently
N FER NS specialist Sue Olsen presents succinct
States for spore-grown temperate ferns. f
commercially available
de scriptions, habitat information, and cul-
Sue was a founding member and fi rst pres-
• 700 color photographs
tural recommendations for more than 960
ident of the Hardy Fern Foundation, and
• Chapters on cultivation
ferns, accompanied by 700 color photo -
has served since then as editor of the Foun-

dation’s Quarterly. Her interest and joy in and propagation F graphs. Early chapters focus on ferns in
photog raphy date back to childhood and • Useful lists of ferns for history, as well as on cultivation, propaga-
su e ol se n
the gift of a simple box camera. She has particular conditions and tion, and structure. A series of appendices
E
shared her photos and plant knowledge in situations highlights qualities that will enable gardeners
lectures in England and throughout North to further refi ne their choices, such as which

700 PHOTOGRAPHS MORE THAN 960 FERNS
America. Sue is a graduate of Cornell R species will tolerate dry shade, boggy condi-
University.
tions, strong sunlight, or other special condi-
tions. Rounding out the volume are useful
N
lists (with contact information) of places to
see and purchase ferns.
Whether you are a beginner, a committed
S
Jacket back photo: the author’s garden. All pteridophile, or anything in between, this
photos by Sue Olsen. Author photo copyright expansive, well-organized, and lavishly illus-
© Yuen Lui Studio, Inc. Used by permission.
trated volume will be the fi rst place you’ll
For details on other Timber Press books or turn to deepen your knowledge and appre-
to receive our catalog, please visit our Web ciation of the fascinating world of ferns.
site, www.timberpress.com. In the United
States and Canada you may also reach us ISBN 978-0-88192-819-8
at 1-800-327-5680, and in the United King -
dom at [email protected].
E timber
A
N
press
£40.00
EEnnccFFeerrnnssffuulllljjkktt__ttpp33..iinndddd 11 06_10_F06 Encyckopedia of Garden Ferns X_0 G4J_18 11//2222//0077 1111::3366::0000 PPMM
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Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns
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Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns
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Encyclopedia
of Garden Ferns
SUE OLSEN
TIMBER PRESS
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Part title page illustration ofAsplenium trichomanesby John E.Sowerby from
The Ferns ofGreat Britainby John E.Sowerby and Charles Johnson,London,1855.
Frontispiece:Adiantum venustumin the Bradner garden.
Copyright © 2007 by Suzanne Olsen.All rights reserved.
All photos by author unless otherwise stated.
Published in 2007 by
Timber Press,Inc.
The Haseltine Building
133 S.W.Second Avenue,Suite 450
Portland,Oregon 97204-3527,U.S.A.
www.timberpress.com
For contact information regarding editorial,marketing,sales,and distribution
in the United Kingdom,see www.timberpress.co.uk.
Printed in China
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Olsen,Sue (Suzanne)
Encyclopedia ofgarden ferns / Sue Olsen.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13:978-0-88192-819-8
1.Ferns,Ornamental—Pictorial works.2.Ferns—Pictorial works.I.Title.
SB429.O47 2007
635.9'373—dc22
2006013494
A catalog record for this book is also available from the British Library.
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Tomyfamily—
Mylate husband,Harry,
Our three children,Greg,Kris,and Tamra,
Her husband,Karl,
And my sister,Jeanne
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Adiantum aleuticum‘Subpumilum’in the Olsen garden.
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Contents
Foreword by George Schenk 9
Preface 10
Acknowledgments 11
Portraits ofFerns Through the Seasons 15
Chapter 1 Ferns Through the Ages 25
Chapter 2 Cultivating Ferns 31
Woodland Gardens 31
Containers 42
Mounted Ferns by George Schenk 47
Rock Gardens 47
Ferns on Walls 49
Xeric Ferns 51
Stumperies 54
Bogs 55
Tree Ferns 56
Growing Ferns Indoors 59
Chapter 3 Propagating Ferns 63
Vegetative Propagation 63
Spores 67
Growing Your Own 69
Cultivars 74
Hybrids 74
Tissue Culture 74
Chapter 4 Fern Structure and Basic Diagnostics 76
Chapter 5 Ferns from Around the World 81
Appendix 1 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 402
Appendix 2 European Plant Hardiness Zone Map 403
Appendix 3 Award-Winning Ferns 404
Appendix 4 Favorite Ferns for Sites Around the World 406
Appendix 5 Ferns for Special Situations 410
Appendix 6 Fern Societies 412
Appendix 7 Where to See Ferns 413
Appendix 8 Where to Buy Ferns 420
Glossary 422
References 424
Index ofPlant Names 428
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Nature made ferns
for pure leaves,to show
what she could do in that line.
—Thoreau,unpublished
Polystichum polyblepharum
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