A long standing tradition at Linderhof are the ferns. Started by "Big Fern" which is nearly 100 years old and for many summers when Ruth was mistress of Linderhof, lived on the front porch and in the winter in the south window of the dining room.She, too, hung ferns from the portico and when I found out about that tradition, I, too, started hanging ferns each summer.
I've not had much luck with ferns inside. I don't seem to have Ruth's magic touch and for the last several years I treated the portico ferns as annuals. Buying two new ones each summer.
But this year, the ferns were exceptional. They were big and grew well (but this was an exceptional summer) and so, I decided that once more I would try to bring them inside.
Alas, there is no room in front of the south dining room window so new homes had to made for the ferns.
One's on a pedastal in the living room. It is a south window and I hope that there will be enough light that the fern will thrive at Ruth's fern thrived.
The other we put in the west window of the guest room window on a plant stand. It too, seems happy.
One's on a pedastal in the living room. It is a south window and I hope that there will be enough light that the fern will thrive at Ruth's fern thrived.
The other we put in the west window of the guest room window on a plant stand. It too, seems happy.They've been inside for almost a month now and things are going well. And although in winter plants never thrive, at least hopefully, they will survive until spring when once again they can hang from the portico.
10 comments:
I've got my fingers crossed for you. Remember humidity, or lack there of, is what does in most ferns.
Good luck with those beauties! A friend has had the same fern in her living room for 12 years now - it's a very sunny spot, rather cool. Please let lus know how this experiment goes.
Those ferns are gorgeous! I have never had good luck with them hopefully your's will survive and make it out to the portico again! Cindy
I share your love of ferns. I don't have any in the house at present though. I like watching how they change with the seasons and over autumn I think they're like filigree. You have a very beautiful home.
My grandmother had two massive ferns that, in summer, graced both sides of the front door. In the winter, they resided in a large window at one end of her living room. I've tried to over winter ferns by cutting them back. Alas, forgot to water them enough. We are trying, this year, to leave them as is. They are in our sunny basement and, so far, thriving. We'll see. Of course, my grandmother lived in Virginia and we live in Chicago. Much colder winters (even in the basement). I wish us both luck!
Beautiful ferns, good luck in overwintering them. They look wonderful on the portico.
It's nice that you are carrying forward one of your house's traditions. Your house must be very happy with you.
Your ferns are so pretty. I haven't had much luck with indoor plants...
The ferns are spectacular on your lovely porch. I love them but never have had much luck with them.
Good luck with your ferns! Boston ferns aren't always happy inside, but they usually soldier on for quite some time and may make it to May for you! Wouldn't that be nice?
I have switched from hanging Boston ferns on the porch to hanging asparagus ferns instead -- they grow like CRAZY over the summer, and require much less water and care, and no shedding either. And they even thrive inside, but I treat them as annuals. I hung 2 Boston and 2 asparagus this summer to experiment -- the latter won hands down, lasting till Thanksgiving!
The only outside plant that came inside for the winter is my Rosemary.
How sweet that you know that Boston ferns used to be part of Linderhof; what a lovely tradition.
Cass
PS. Like you, I use fresh roping for Christmas, and pots of growing poinsettias. I love the freshness of the greens, but don't love the cleanup in early January! :-) Luckily we have several wholesale growers in the area!
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