Long Description
With their beauty and versatility, often combined with a toughness that belies their delicate appearance, ferns are among the most useful and rewarding plants that any gardener can grow. Ranging from diminutuve rock-garden gems to the stately tree ferns of the Southern Hemisphere, ferns offer a staggering variety of habit and shape. Their foliar color comprises not only endless variations of green, but also bronze, pink, silver, and blue gray. It all adds up to a dazzling array of choices, with new introductions pouring in from Asia and Central and South America to augment the already plentiful choices to be found among the more familiar species.
In the comprehensive reference, Olsen presents succinct descriptions, habitat information, and cultural recommendations for more than 960 ferns, nearly 700 of which are accompanied by color photographs. From Acrostichum to Woodwardia, Olsen leads the reader through every genus worthy of horticultural use. Early chapters focus on cultivation, propagation, and structure, and appendices highlight qualities that will enable gardeners to further refine their choices. Whether you are a beginner, a committed pteridophile, or anything in between, the expansive, well-organized, and lavishly illustrated volume will be the first place you'll turn to deepen your knowledge and appreciation of the fascinating world of ferns.
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