Designing with Ferns – the Dependable and the Divisive

The northeast is home to over 70 different species of ferns. Leaving ferns out of your garden plans is to miss a lovely assortment of foliage, forms, and color. Ferns are tough and adaptable plants; many will thrive under a wide range of conditions. Learn about the diversity among ferns and how to use these plants in the garden. Although Ms. Duthie will focus on garden-worthy species, she will discuss the uses of some of the more aggressive species as well. She will also introduce fern terminology and basic fern biology – they reproduce by spores. Discover the important ecological role of ferns in the landscape and how they are affected by mammal populations and soil conditions.

Leslie Duthie is a lifelong gardener. She was formerly employed at the Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary where she was the horticulturist and plant propagator for over 38 years. An accomplished grower of ferns and wildflowers, Leslie’s love of ferns began when she first learned how to raise them from spore. Now retired, she continues to volunteer at various gardens and works to protect land for her local Conservation Commission and land trust.

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