Ferns have earned a spot in shade gardens

▪ I’m in love with ferns! These long-lived perennials deserve a prominent spot in your shade garden. These plants prefer morning sun and afternoon shade or shade all day. Ferns grow in a vase shape, but heights vary. Some are evergreen, like the autumn fern, but some are not, like the painted fern. Check the labels to know what you’re buying. They are tough, hardy and easy to maintain once established.

▪ What’s blooming this week: Gardenia, daylily, roses, hydrangea, oakleaf hydrangea, clematis, spring perennials, confederate jasmine, dogwood kousa, privet (intolerable), ligustrum (tolerable) and several annuals.

▪ Add some landscape lighting to accent your home, trees and walkways. Check fernvalley.com for more information.

▪ Knowing how to plant, where to plant and what to plant can be a daunting task. Stop wasting time and money. Take a class, read a book or hire a design professional.

▪ Plastic is out. As the hotter months approach, invest in a galvanized watering can. Watering cans are great to spot water a container or plant, and they are an attractive addition to the garden. Buy as large as you can safely lift when filled with water. Spend a little more money and invest in quality.

▪ Prune azaleas after the flowers fade. Do not shear these plants. Prune individual limbs to keep these shrubs neat and tidy. Keep in mind that the best time to prune shrubs is after they bloom.

▪ Fertilize perennials with a slow-release fertilizer. Slow-release fertilizers feed the plants for an extended period of time — usually three to six months — and do not burn the roots and foliage of plants like some of the regular granular varieties.

▪ Humid weather often brings fungus problems to the garden. Powdery Mildew and Black Spot show up on the leaves of plants. Although rarely fatal, these diseases are unsightly and weaken the plant. Use a fungicide, such as Daconil, to control fungus problems. Buy disease-resistant plants whenever possible.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 9:03 PM with the headline "Ferns have earned a spot in shade gardens."