Five Autumn Ferns Planted - November 2023

#10 on my 2023 to-do list was to do a 'fern upgrade'.  That means replacing the Ostrich Ferns (my first love) with ferns that do better and last longer.  I've written about this a few times before and even tried to implement this last Fall with planting a number of Autumn Ferns late.  But...not all of them made it. 

Despite that, I decided to roll the dice (again) and plant Autumn Ferns late in the growing season.  This time, they're slightly bigger, though.  (Last year, I planted 12 and only six small ones came back.)

Also..of note...I planted two Crested Wood Ferns earlier this year - as part of my #FernUpgrade project.

One of the things that I'm evolving on in my garden are hostas.  I was a hosta guy.  But, the thing that I'm starting to notice - over time - is that Hostas totally disappear come dormancy.  That leaves BIG swaths of NOTHING in the garden all winter.  Are hostas going to stay in my garden?  Yes.  But, I'm done dividing any of them that aren't what I'm calling 'interesting ones' - wavy, deep varigation, etc.  Common Hostas?  To the back of the property for you!

That Hosta replacement project is a 2024 focus area, I think.  So, for now...back to the ferns.

Below is a photo showing (a reminder) of the impact that mature Autumn Ferns can have:

I decided to focus on the border by the 2nd large Oak Tree and took out a few Lancifolia Hosta clumps.  Here, below, is the before showing a border of hostas.

I dug a few clumps out and moved them around to the back of the yard - below are some photos of the newly transplanted hostas:

I divided one of them - adding 1 'free plant':

And moved a few others closer to the fence - after dividing:  +1 (another one) free plant.   Below for division and transplant:

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That created a few holes that I could fill with Autumn Ferns.  First, closer to the Crested Surf Japanese Ferns, I put two small Autumn Ferns in near the front:

Below is a look at the second 'hole' from hosta removal.  The first two ferns are on the left of the image below:

I popped three Autumn Ferns into this spot - bringing the total to five new ferns and 2 new hostas via division.

I'm posting this in November 2023, but I did this dividing and transplanting in mid-October 2023.

My 2023 Fall Planting List - so far - includes a number of new and divided plants.  

Now up to 58 new plants.  And 10 new via division.  68 total for 2023 #FallPlanting.  25 of them are groundcover plants.  Eight sedums.

• Five divided Everillo Sedges - Carex Everillo - from one sedge with Center rot in the backyard.
• A Sempervivum ‘Hopewell’ - a succulent-looking Chicks and Hens planted down by the sidewalk - IB2DWs. 
• Two Sedum spurium 'Voodoo' - IB2DWs - to attempt to outcompete the Creeping Jenny.
• Split three Elijah Blue Fescue clumps into six - IB2DWs along the driveway.
• A single Burgundy Glow Ajuga along the driveway IB2DWs.  Lots of groundcover IB2DWs, this Fall.
• Eight Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' planted - five in the island bed.  Three along south front porch bed border. 
• A Cardoon - IB2DWs - that I'm not sure is going to make it.  I'm going to mulch it in VERY heavily this Winter. 
• Two Silver Mound Artemisias planted IB2DWs - close to the current planted bed. 
• A dwarf, fern-like shrub:  Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spirea planted in the front porch bed. 
• Three Pentsemon 'Midnight Masquerade' dark foliage perennials planted in the new/extended IB2DWs bed.  
• Two Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' plants, in the front yard by the Sweetspire. 
• Three Greenlee Moor Grasses - Sesleria Greenlee Hybrid in front of the Sweetspire shrubs in front.
• A dwarf conifer: Baby Blue Spruce - planted IB2DWs extended down by the sidewalk.
• Two John Creech Sedums - planted by the Little Henry Sweetspires.  Hoping to cover and outcompete the weeds that creep up in this border. 
• Three Ruby Muhlygrasses - Planted at the end of the boardwalk in back.
• A #1 Bird's Nest Spruce planted IB2DWs by the Nepeta Cat's Pajamas, near the driveway.
• A ball-and-burlap Weeping Norway Spruce in the middle of the established IB2DWs bed.
• A second Norway Weeping Spruce Tree - IB2DWs in the new 'Conifer Garden'.  
• A narrow, upright conifer tree - Montrose Charm White Spruce in the 'Conifer Garden' IB2DWs.
• The 2nd Baby Blue Spruce tree planted IB2DWs in the new 'Conifer Garden' closer to the Bald Cypress. 
• A 3rd Baby Blue Spruce tree planted in back by the Lindens - viewable from the Kitchen.
• I'm calling it a tree (not a shrub) - a Royal Purple Smoke Tree planted IB2Dws.
• A true dwarf - Golden Mop False Cypress - planted IB2DWs in the Conifer Garden.
• One of Two Blue Star Junipers - Planted in back stoop north bed with Spring Grove Ginkgo.
• The second Blue Star Juniper that is planted by the Disneyland Roses on the south side.
• The second (new) Bird's Nest Spruce planted in the new Conifer Garden IB2DWs.
• Three small Green Velvet Boxwoods planted in between the espalier'd Dogwoods along the garage.
• Three small Japanese 'Soft Touch' Holly shrubs planted back by the Weeping Nootka Cypress bed.
• Three new (five total) Allium Serendipity via Division - planted IB2DWs and in the new Conifer Garden
• Two new All Gold Hakonechloa Japanese Forest Grasses via division from IB2DWs to back border. 
• A 2nd Burgundy Glow Ajuga - planted by the screened porch door - via a Fairy Garden.
• Three Variegated Sedums. One in Front Porch Bed, two down by sidewalk IB2DWs. 
• Five new Autumn Ferns by 2nd Oak Tree as Hosta replacements.
• Two new plain Hostas via division and transplanting closer to the fence and back of property.