Ferns for sunny locations
Most ferns thrive in shade or semi-shade as they are descended from woodland plants. For a site in full sunshine, choose from this list of ferns that tolerate full sun. Top tip: give these ferns a good long drink every week when the weather is dry to help them cope with the sun (a watering can of water for each mature plant).
Plants (73)
Phlebodium aureum
Golden polypody, Rabbit's foot fern, Hare's foot fern
Adiantum venustum
Evergreen maidenhair, Himalayan venus maidenhair, Kashmir maidenhair
Athyrium 'Ghost'
Lady fern, Common lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina
Lady fern, Common lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina
Lady fern, Common lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina 'Frizelliae'
Spiral lady's fern, Tatting fern
Athyrium filix-femina 'Minutissimum'
Dwarf lady fern, Small lady fern, Lady fern, Common lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina 'Vernoniae'
Lady fern, Common lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina Cristatum Group
Lady fern, Common lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina subsp. angustum
Crossed lady fern, Lady fern, Victorian lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina subsp. angustum f. rubellum 'Lady In Red'
Northern lady fern, Lady fern
Athyrium niponicum
Japanese lady fern
Athyrium niponicum var. pictum
Japanese painted fern, Japanese silver painted fern, Japanese lady fern
Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Pewter Lace'
Japanese painted fern, Japanese silver fern
Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Red Beauty'
Japanese painted fern, Japanese silver painted fern
Athyrium otophorum var. okanum
Stalked lady fern, Eared lady fern, Red-eared lady fern, Auriculate lady fern
Athyrium vidalii
Vidal's lady fern
Cheilanthes lanosa
Hairy lip fern
Cheilanthes tomentosa
Woolly lip fern
Coniogramme emeiensis
Mount Emei bamboo fern
Cystopteris fragilis
Brittle bladder fern, Brittle fern
Dicksonia antarctica
Australian tree fern, Soft tree fern, Woolly tree fern, Tasmanian tree fern
Dicksonia fibrosa
Soft tree fern, Wheki-ponga, Golden tree fern, Woolly tree fern
Dicksonia squarrosa
Wheki, New Zealand tree fern, Rough tree fern, Harsh tree fern
Doodia aspera 'Rough Ruby'
Common rasp fern
Dryopteris affinis
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa Group'
Curled golden-scaled male fern, Wood fern, Buckler fern
Dryopteris affinis 'Cristata Angustata'
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern, King of the male fern, Crested golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis 'Cristata'
King of the male fern, Crested golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis 'Polydactyla Dadds'
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis 'Polydactyla Mapplebeck'
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis 'Revolvens'
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri
Gold shield fern, Scaly male fern, Golden scaled male fern
Dryopteris crassirhizoma
Thick-stemmed wood fern
Dryopteris cycadina
Shaggy wood fern, Black wood fern, Shaggy shield fern
Dryopteris dilatata
Broad buckler fern, Florist's fern, Mountain wood fern, Broad wood fern
Dryopteris dilatata
Broad buckler fern, Florists fern, Mountain wood fern, Broad wood fern
Dryopteris dilatata 'Crispa Whiteside'
Broad buckler fern, Florist's fern, Mountain wood fern, Broad wood fern
Dryopteris erythrosora
Japanese shield fern, Copper shield fern, Autumn fern
Dryopteris erythrosora var. prolifica
Japanese shield fern, Copper shield fern, Lacy Autumn fern
Dryopteris filix-mas
Male fern, Sweet brake shield fern, Knotty brake, Bear's paw
Dryopteris filix-mas
Male fern, Sweet brake shield fern, Knotty brake, Bears paw
Dryopteris filix-mas 'Barnesii'
Male fern, Sweet brake shield fern, Knotty brake, Bear's paw
Dryopteris filix-mas 'Crispa Cristata'
Male fern, Sweet brake shield fern, Knotty brake, Bear's paw
Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Polydactyla'
Male fern, Sweet brake shield fern, Knotty brake, Bear's paw
Dryopteris tokyoensis
Tokyo wood fern
Dryopteris wallichiana
Wallich's wood fern