Comments on: Guest Blog: Hugh Glass On Ferns

By: Robert E. Darling

Robert E. Darling — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:11:52 +0000

Dear George:

Thanks for the article on ferns. Many featured ferns delight my garden design customers and I grow most of the ones mentioned. Currently, I’m working on a large garden in Potomac Maryland. What info do you have on deer likes and dislikes in ferns. Also, any thoughts (other than they are omnivores if hungry)do you recommend for living with deer?

By: Hugh Glass

Hugh Glass — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:15:42 +0000

Dear Kay,

Your garden sounds great – just the sort of use of fern that I was thinking of.

I don’t know for sure the answer to your question. My guess is that rabbits liking one fern and not another has nothing to do with native status. Rather there are too many rabbits (or deer). The number of rabbits that live in residential areas is much greater than you would find in the wild where the rabbit population would be reduced by predators and limited food.

By: Kay

Kay — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:05:48 +0000

As our trees become larger, our back yard has necessarily become a shade tolerant plant venue.
I have created a meandering forest path with a variety of ferns on each side. Not being a green thumb, I chose the ferns for aesthetic qualities
above other concerns. I have noticed that the rabbits munch a few all the way to the ground while leaving others quite untouched. Does this have anything to do with the ferns being native to the area ?

By: Hugh Glass

Hugh Glass — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:30:46 +0000

Dear Patty: To my knowledge, there’s no single perfect answer to this question. Probably the “best” thing is to grow plants that deer (or rabbits) don’t like, but that’s pretty restrictive.

There is fencing – electric and otherwise, but deer can easily jump over a 5-foot fence.

I’ve heard that human hair strewn around the perimeter of a garden will keep deer out. Hand soap (the smellier the better) is supposed to work. Hanging strips of cloth around a garden is another remedy.

Dogs could be useful too.

Good luck.

By: Patty

Patty — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:27:10 +0000

I know this is off topic, but would appreciate any advice on keeping deer out of my gardens. The sprays only work short-term.

By: George

George — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:23:01 +0000

Thanks, Jacqueline. I attended college for a couple of years at Bard, near Tivoli, New York, across from, of all places, Kingston. Good luck and happy gardening.

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:51:04 +0000

I have always adored ferns, especially the wild ones from my childhood in the Hudson Valley, New York. I am incorporating a variety in my garden, scattered about and in groups, around fallen branches, and rotting logs. Painted ferns in the rock garden ares, christmas fern in a bed, autumn fern on a slope. So, far only my newly planted hay-scented ferns (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)are not doing well… Thank you for your piece on ferns.

By: George

George — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:21:39 +0000

Please see previous post, titled “Kingston Ramble”. Thanks.

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:15:47 +0000

I would like to see pictures of the Nursery you are describing. Sounds amazing.

By: George

George — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:00:51 +0000

Thanks for your thoughtful post. The “right connections”? You do not mean the Heronswood Opens we held from 2006 to 2009, with proceeds going to The Garden Conservancy, do you? The half-dozen Opens were advertised widely to the public, especially to those in your area, via the Conservancy’s emails as well as Heronswood’s and Burpee’s. Well over a quarter million emails, some with follow-up emails. Newspaper ads didn’t work, especially when one of your area’s major dailies closed down in early 2008. A “select few”? We averaged about 700-800 attendees per 6 hour day. Multiply by six Opens and you have well over 4,000 visitors during a 3 year period. Would you tell me another private garden or small public garden—with staff committed to guest activities—who get these numbers? How about a nursery that holds Open Houses in off-site private gardens with proceeds going to charity? Please name a single one. I shall certainly look into the hiccup that occurred in your particular case. Sorry! At any rate, it’s not as accessible as it was from 2000 to 2006. That is because we moved the nursery. Thanks again.