(Great Leopard's Bane)

The bright lemon yellow daisies of great leopard’s bane stand on tall thin stems and bloom from late spring to midsummer. It is a hardy herbaceous perennial native to western and central Europe. Though uncommon in the garden, it offers height and bright color to the early border.

The slightly heart-shaped of this daisy are light to medium green and form basal clumps that spread over time and form a substantial mass. The cauline leaves that line the flower stems are lance-shaped. From late...

(Cape Sundew, Sundew)

Native to marshes and other damp habitats in southwestern South Africa, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a favorite of collectors of carnivorous plants.

This tender perennial produces rosettes of pale green to red, spatula-shaped leaves that are held on long broad stalks. The upper surface of each leaf blade is lined with stout, red or purple, glandular hairs, each bearing a drop of dew-like resin at the tip. The hairs snare and digest small insects. The leaf rosettes arise from underground...

(Threadleaf Sundew)

A delicate, insect devouring wildflower, threadleaf sundew has grassy leaves lined with sticky "dew" and bears lavender-pink flowers in summer. It is native to sandy, piney bogs across the coastal plains of the eastern United States and maritime provinces of Canada.

During winter dormancy, the plant rests in a ground-hugging bud known as a hibernacula. In spring, its thin leaves unfurl like fern fiddleheads. Each bright green leaf is lined with fine, red or bronze hairs with sticky dewdrops on...

(Roundleaf Sundew)

The most widespread of North American sundews, roundleaf sundew exists in piney, sandy, acid bogs and swamps from Alaska and the northernmost provinces of Canada down to California and Georgia. It also exists across the whole of northern Eurasia. This amazingly hardy, insectivorous perennial has rounded foliage dotted with hairs tipped with deadly, resinous "dew" that draws, traps and digests insect prey. In summer it produces a delicate scape topped with pinkish white flowers.

During winter...

(Southern Threadleaf Sundew)

An insect-devouring wildflower, southern threadleaf sundew has grass-like leaves lined with sticky "dew", and in summer plants produce attractive lavender-pink flowers. Larger than its close relative, threadleaf sundew (Drosera filiformis), southern threadlead sundew is native to the sandy, piney, acid bogs of the American Gulf Coast, from Mississippi to Georgia and northern Florida. It is the only sundew species completely endemic to the United States.

During winter dormancy, the...

(Golden-scaled Fern)

Golden-scaled fern is a medium sized, semi-evergreen fern with arching dark green fronds that have golden brown scales. It is native to Europe and southwestern Asia, eastward to the Himalayas. The fronds emerge pale green with golden brown midribs as they unroll from the central crown of leaves above the upright rhizome. At the base of each pinna (or leaflet) on the frond is a dark spot.

Alhough this fern excels with shade and moist soil, it will tolerate sunnier conditions if the soil does not...

(Golden-scaled Fern, The King Golden-scaled Fern)

Golden-scaled fern is a medium sized semi-evergreen fern with arching dark green fronds that have golden brown scales. Considered the most beautiful of this species' cultivars, it is native from Europe to southern Asia and also known as 'Cristata The King'.

Even though this fern prefers shade and moist soil, golden-scaled fern will tolerate sunnier and slightly windier conditions if the soil never dries out completely. Add organic matter to the soil when planting this fern. It makes an excellent...

(Coastal Fern)

Native to the shaded woodland slopes of North America's west coast, from British Columbia to Baja California, coastal fern is an evergreen perennial that is typically found growing under tall trees in leaf mulch where there are few understory shrubs. The lacy fronds are long and are usually sprawling or arch-drooping. These are lined with glossy, finely cut, medium green pinnae, or leaflets. In summer, its fertile fronds develop round, green-yellow to brown-gray, spore-bearing “sori” that dot the...

(Shaggy Shield Fern)

Shaggy shield fern is a semi-evergreen fern with an erect rhizome producing green fronds with dark brown scales. It is native to much of eastern Asia, from northern India eastward into China and Japan.

Like most ferns, it performs best in shade and moist soil, though once established will do well in partial sun and drier conditions. Shaggy shield fern makes an excellent addition to the woodland garden, a shaded rockery, along the edge of a bog, or in a mixed border.

(Leatherwood Fern, Narrow Buckler Fern, Toothed Wood Fern)

A delicate fern for woodland gardens and shaded dells, the toothed wood fern offers finely divided, light green to yellow-green fronds with distinctive stems covered with soft, brown scales. This deciduous perennial is native to the northernmost reaches of Europe and Asia. It is clump-forming and slowly spreads via creeping rhizomes (underground stems). In summer, its fertile fronds develop round, brown, spore-bearing “sori” that dot the undersides of the leaves in two rows along the pinnae, or leaflets....