Oh great a fern forum!!!!!

I have never been able to keep ferns alive indoors but love them outdoors..

I am attempting to create 3 theme garden areas.
Meditation garden
Shade garden
Japanese gardens

The only tall ferns I am aware of that will grow in my area. I would love some input of any others that might grow and survive in a colder climate.

Here are a few pics for eye candy purposes.
A standout Fern Brilliant surrounded by the greens.


Painted Fern tucked in with Heuchera, Hostas and other shade plants.'


Lady fern and Ostrich fern tucked in the shade garden.

I'd love to be able to grow the Painted ferns here. Our summers are just too warm here tho.

We always want what we cannot grow. I want some of the tall ferns that grow in your climate.

Have you tried Dicksonia antartica Fern Cinta?

its an outdoor Fern.

kate007, to All Things Plants! That's a beautiful fern in your photo ... I found it in our database, the botanical name is Balantium antarcticum with Dicksonia antarctica being a synonym:

Soft Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica) but it's only showing zone 9 ... wonder if that's a mistake?

This site shows winter hardiness of 20º to 25º: http://www.smgrowers.com/produ...

and MOBOT shows it zone 9 & 10: http://www.missouribotanicalga...

I've always thought it was a fern for temperate zones and I'm thinking it might take some cold but consistent freezes would probably kill it.

No that would not live in my garden. We had the worst winter last year than I have seen since I was a teenager. We were down below 0 for weeks. So it would be dead.

Hi Cinta... I'm also from PA...near Pittsburgh. Where are you??

Hi Kim, I am not far. I am in Pittsburgh.