Ferns do well here. Despite our drought this summer and autumn, they have all survived with just a little care.
Another reason I plant them, apart from the fact my garden is normally very damp,
is because they add structure and colour to a winter garden. 
We have a lovely shop in our village that sells antique and retro garden 'bits and pieces'. When I passed last week I noticed several of the above outside the shop. The lady had cleared a barn but could not tell me what they were used for as the owner had not been there. It is around 200cm (6ft approx) in length. 
Getting it home was not easy, it is very heavy. I love the aged wood......
and knew I could put it to good use in the garden......
It is now situated in the woodland walk.......
and planted with mind your own business and ivy.....
and surrounded by native and non native ferns. With time, as the wood becomes damp, I am hoping mosses, lichens, and fungi will take hold. I can imagine the MYOB scrambling over the edges and knitting together with the ivy. It should eventually be a mini habitat. I am pleased with this buy.....the lady let me have it for ten pounds....I felt that was very reasonable.
It is raining today.....just what my new feature needs........
27 comments:
Cheryl, the ferns look so good in your gardens and seem to have done very well with 'just a llittle care'. :) Ours all die back here in the winter.
I love your new find and what you have done with it. It kind of looks like a feeding trough for pigs or goats. Those ferns and ivy will soon provide a wonderful home for the little critters of your garden.
Hope you are doing well.
I love the ferns Cheryl, I have something similar planned in my front, shady garden... A mixture of green and white me thinks, so ferns, lily of the valley, white cyclamen... But that's all my dream, perhaps some day I'll get round to it :)
The wooden trough was a really good buy, I love the silvered wood, very nice!
What an interesting find. It is exciting to find something new for the garden. I be this was an old feed trough. It looks great as you have it situated and planted. I am not familiar with MYOB. I will like to see it when it gets established.
It looks great....I love finds like that!
Hi Beckie....I was thinking about you this morning.
Tku for the id....I wondered if it might be for feeding farm animals.
Some of my ferns die back, but plenty stay green through the winter.
Hope you and yours are all well.....
Lovely combination Liz....whites and greens, perfect.
I sometimes find little ferns in damp areas of the garden.....if I can get some together at some point, would you like me to send them to you. It would not be until the spring.....I think I have a few dotted about.....
Hi Lisa......MYOB is quite an insignificant plant to look at but I adore it's creeping habit. Very similar to creeping thyme, but without the gorgeous fragrance.
It travels well if it is happy......and forms a beautiful mat around other plants.......
This never occurred to me before, but, sure, ferns like moisture, what with being tropical and all... and yet they grow really well under some huge evergreens at my mom's house and it has to be dry there with all those big tree roots. And a gardening client of mine had ferns, and they too were in a dry place. Hmmm... I've often thought some plants just don't read up on themselves in guidebooks! :)
Actually Cheryl, now you’ve inspired me…. I think I’ll create a woodland area at the back of the garden under our Autumn Cherry… The area in general doesn’t see much light due to the (immature) cherry, privet hedge, red robin and summer house, as it’s at the back of the garden it’s in theory the north-side. At the moment very little is under there, I do have English Bluebells, Verbena bonariensis and two hardy geraniums… So I could move the Geraniums (which really aren’t very happy there, it’s too dark!) and the Verbena and plant my Dicentra’s under there, add some ferns, ivy, cyclamen and such…
I would love some of your ferns, but please do not go to any expense for me!
I see you also have Foxgloves in your area, I’m sure I’ll have plenty next year as I allowed mine to go to seed this year… What else do you have in your woodland area? Perhaps it could make a great blog topic? ;)
Cheryl, we ARE on similar wavelengths lately:) I was just out snapping a few pictures earlier and noticing how good all my ferns look right now when everything else seems to be dying back. I love your new trough; I'm not sure what it is, though. I thought it might be some kind of winnowing implement for sorting grain...but it could be a feed trough, too. Whatever it is, it certainly looks good in your garden. I've never heard of Mind Your Own Business, but I love the name!
Thank you for the dear comments you left on my last post; you really brightened my day! As I said in my reply, you have been such a faithful reader since Day 1 of blogging for me, and I consider you a dear friend. I often feel as though we're sitting here over a cup of tea or coffee.
Cheryl, your ferns are lovely. I love your re-purposed feeder. The old wood works so well in your garden. I hope it picks up some beautiful moss or lichen. Ferns are one of my favorites. I love the way the fronds unfurl and their soft draping habits. I haven't had much luck with foundation plantings, although many around town seem to do very well. I keep mine on the front porch flanking the front door, and they have gotten HUGE.
I hope your little wood trough garden works out well. Ferns bring such a graceful habit to the garden. They have survived drought here too which I would not have expected.
Marnie
Hi Monica....it really has surprised me just how well the ferns have done. They are all planted in leaf mould, so I suppose that helps a great deal.
For some reason your comments always make me smile, keep up the good work.....
Hi Liz...it would be a pleasure to dig up the small ferns...because the garden is damp the spores take well.....it would only be postage (no problem).
I have hosta, epimedium (so gorgeous), cranesbill, astilbe, wild garlic, herb robert, red campion, native foxglove, bluebells, wood anemones, lesser celandine and hellebores in the woodland garden. It is my most favourite area in the garden. It has such a magical feel to it. I think you would enjoy the planting because it is so different......
Dear Rose.....I personally think that ferns are very underated.....they are so useful and really come into their own during the winter. I do need colour in those dark and gloomy days....my conifers and ferns feed my soul and take me through to spring.
I love my buy, it is very tactile....the wood is so smooth.....I am very much a 'touchy feely' person......
It would be good to have a nice up of tea with you....somehow, I think that time will come.....
Hi Morning Glories....huge ferns at a front door...wonderful, such a bold statement....I like that....
Underplanting the trees and shrubs has been a joy for me. I have added lots of leaf mould and mushroom compost to the soil...another pleasure of mine.
Whenever I work that area the smell of the soil does it for me every time.
Hi Marnie...the ferns have really surprised me....I thought they would shrivel in the dry weather this year.....
I too love the ferns growing in the garden! This year I planted several species..Love that
piece of carved wood you added to your garden!!
Chery: you touched my heart w/ your comment at my nature blog.
hugs aNNa xo
What ever its original purpose...I love how you've repurposed it! It's wonderful filled with the sweet plants Cheryl.
My garden is very dry most of the summer...but there is one fern that does well here~~Christmas fern...Evergreen and a native!
gail
Dear Naturegirl....ferns add the woodland feel....my heart is in the wood....I love trees mosses lichens and ferns....
You have touched many bloggers hearts my friend.....
Hi Gail....thank you....Christmas fern, I like the sound of that. Why am I not surprised it is native!
I just love the trough. When I look at old worn farm pieces, I always think of the farmers who used them. It looks beautiful in your garden.
Hi ncmountainwoman....me to, that is why I buy. The history and the thoughts of those that had them before me. I am looking forward to seeing it age in the garden........
Oh what a lucky find! I like the way that planter was constructed. The wood looks old and well loved. I'm sure it will be very happy in your garden, housing your ferns, MYOBs and other plants.
I also like ferns. Unfortunately, ours are done for the winter, but I'm glad I can enjoy seeing yours!
Hi Cheryl
What a lovely find! Looks like it could have been used to house bits and pieces.
Never heard of "mind your own business" - will google it. Always love to read about new-to-me plants.
Beautiful pics as always ... xx
Dear Cheryl,
It is lovely!!!
A perfect addition to the woodland walk.
I also enjoy adding these charming pieces to the gardens.
Sherry
That is a great find, and I love how you put it to use. I'll have to look up the MYOB. At first, I was wondering if that was a plant, or you just didn't want to say what it was. LOL
I hope you show it again when the plants have grown.
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