Ostrich fern

The shuttlecock fern is one of the easiest to identify, its fronds making a large, striking and unmistakable shape. Although happy in shady, humus-rich borders among other plants, it looks best grown in groups on its own in dappled shade, in woodland, rich damp grass or in a shady pond margin. The plant spreads slowly by underground rhizomes and, in time, builds up large groups on its own. The offsets can be dug up and moved in spring, but plants look best left to form colonies. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).