A Parcel of Ferns from Stephens County, Georgia

Abstract

mental. The back end of the lath house is a stucco wall, now covered with ivy, where originally there was a beautiful old pepper tree. In recent years, with the construction of storm drains, the water table has gone down and after several drought years all the old and beautiful pepper trees in the neighborhood died, including ours. In the completed lath house we laid out brick walks and constructed a little ravine where some rock ferns could be grown. I also planted an English yew tree, to satisfy my desire for the woods. In the center of the area I planted a Woodwardia radicans at the time the house was enlarged. It is tremendous now. The arching fronds produce buds which root and form new plants in the winter and late spring. These I cut away and hope I can find someone who wants them. The central area has several tree ferns also. The design for a lath house planting, or any other kind of garden for that matter, is a personal matter, like painting a picture: Two can't do it. Really, if you want a fern garden, it is because you love ferns. It is the gardener who hasn't much money to spend but has lots of love to give his plants who has the best luck with ferns, for every fern must be studied and loved for itself alone. In future articles I shall write about the kinds of ferns suitable for a lath house in the Los Angeles area and about some of the problems to be solved in growing them. 5450 CARLIN ST., Los ANGELES 16, CALIFORNIA.