With its fine, fan-shaped fronds and light, airy habit, Adiantum adds a delicate and lush texture to shaded planting schemes. This Maidenhair Fern thrives in consistently moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil and prefers partial to full shade, in a sheltered position. Easy to maintain, this elegant, fully hardy fern is ideal for damp woodland gardens and shaded pond-side borders, where it combines beautifully with other moisture loving perennials.

Adiantum are fully hardy perennials and will grow back every year when they're happy in the growing conditions. They are very low maintenance and each year will grow back bigger with more beautiful fronds than the year before.

How to plant:

— Adiantum are supplied as bare roots in spring for planting between February and May. They must be planted very soon after delivery, don't store them for prolonged periods. If you can't plant on the day of delivery, remove the plants from the packaging within 1-2 days and place in a dish of water outdoors to soak, then plant within a week.

— Adiantum are hardy to around -15C, therefore they can be potted up in spring and positioned outside to grow on without any frost protection.

— Bare root Adiantum should not be planted directly into borders as there are various factors which can cause perennials to fail when planted into the ground in bare root form.

— Pot up bare roots individually into 15-20cm diameter pots with multipurpose compost. The entire root system should be completely submerged beneath the compost with the crown of root system (a firm area where fronds will emerge) level with the soil surface. If supplied later in spring, any shoots/leaves which have already emerged should be left exposed above the soil surface.

— Water thoroughly after planting and grow-on in a sheltered part of the garden for a few months until they are more established before transferring into borders.

— Ferns also look great in patio containers. If you intend to keep your Adiantum in a patio container, there is no need to pot up and grow on first. You can plant directly into a 25-30cm diameter patio container filled with good quality multipurpose compost. Plant the same way as described above for potting up.

— If supplied later in spring, bare roots often arrive with pale shoots or leaves. Plant with the roots fully submerged in the compost and the shoots/leaves exposed above the soil surface. They will soon green-up and continue to grow after being exposed to daylight.

— If potting and growing on, your fern will be ready to transfer into a border once it easily comes out of the pot with the soil held together by the root system. This normally takes a few months, depending on when it was planted and the size of the pot. Allow the soil in the pot to dry slightly before removing the plant, as this will help prevent the soil from falling away from the roots during transfer.

— When planting out, choose a partially or fully shaded position with rich soil that doesn't frequently dry out. Space the plants approximately 30cm apart. Add multipurpose compost to each planting hole to provide a soft medium which will help the new roots grow. Water well after transferring into borders and continue to water regularly throughout the first growing season, don't allow the soil to completely dry out around your new fern.

— Monitor your new Adianthum closely during the first growing season, ensuring the soil is kept moist and that more established plants or weeds are not encroaching/smothering.

Aftercare

— Adiantum prefers evenly moist conditions. Water in after planting, and water regularly during dry spells, particularly in sheltered or container-grown positions. It is important to never let the roots dry out, as this can cause fronds to die back quickly.

— Remove any old or untidy fronds as needed throughout the growing season to maintain a neat appearance.

— In early winter or early spring, any remaining dead fronds should be cut off at ground level to make way for fresh growth.

— Mulching annually in early spring or autumn with organic matter will help conserve moisture and improve soil structure. Apply mulch around the plant without covering the crown.

— Re-pot container grown plants in early spring every 2-3 years. Container grown plants should be topped up with some fresh compost each year in between, and will benefit from feeding at monthly intervals during the growing season.

— Read further general instructions about planting bare-root perennials