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Description

An extraordinary colour-changing fern, the Copper Shield Fern produces a spectacular seasonal display that begins anew every spring.

Fresh fronds emerge in vivid shades of copper, orange and blush pink before slowly maturing to a rich, deep glossy green as summer takes hold - a living colour transformation that makes this fern unlike almost anything else you can grow in a shaded garden space.

Holder of the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit. Fully hardy to around -10C and highly resistant to pests and disease, it is among the easiest and most rewarding ferns to establish in a UK garden. Requiring only consistently moist, well-drained soil and a shaded or partially shaded position, it will thrive with minimal attention once settled in.

At maturity it reaches approximately 90cm in height and width, forming a compact, weed-suppressing clump. It grows well in containers - ideal for shaded patios or balconies.

Supplied as an established plant in a 2 litre pot, ready to plant on arrival.

Top Tips

Don't be afraid to plant in dry shade, just make sure it's kept well-watered.

Care Information

Planting Advice:

Before planting, prepare the soil by digging over and removing any weeds. Incorporate some well-rotted manure or mulch to enrich the soil if necessary, as ferns enjoy a rich, fertile soil.
When planting several ferns arrange them on the surface so you can see how they will look before planting.
Individually knock out each plant from its container. Look at the roots � if they are circling around the compost, it is best to tease them out. To do this, push your fingers into the root ball along the bottom edge and pull. Do this in a couple of places. This should encourage the roots to spread into the surrounding soil.
Next use a trowel or spade to create a hole just deep and wide enough to set in the root ball - the aim is to bury just the roots, leaving the crown of the fern above ground.
Firm back around the soil, using your hand for small clumps and your heel on larger areas.
Water in well from below the fronds to settle the soil and prevent desiccation.

Aftercare Advice:

Low maintenance and easy to grow, just feed and water ferns regularly from below the fronds until they are fully established.
In spring, after tidying, add a mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the crown of each plant.

Pruning Advice:

Little pruning is needed and don't cut back ferns in the autumn - leave the fronds as protection for the crowns of the plants.
Clean up old, dead fronds in the early spring before the new fronds uncurl. Clear away any debris to encourage good air circulation.

Delivery Information

Our experienced team at the nursery will always carefully package and send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive once you receive and plant them. Although most plants are extremely tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme of weather conditions, we always avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme frosts or heat is forecast. We also avoid dispatching orders over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. If you have ordered a 'pre-order' item, these will be sent out as soon as possible after the quoted dispatch date and we generally ship your entire order with any pre-ordered items. Once your order has been dispatched, we will send you an email with details on how you can track it.

We send most of our orders via a fully tracked courier service with Yodel. We will send you a tracking link as soon as your order has been dispatched. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, we will not require a signature on delivery, and we ask out couriers to leave your item in a safe place ad your delivery address.

*Please note, once your item has been delivered, we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your delivery address. If you have delivery instruction and require our courier to leave your item in a specific place, please let us know - there is an option to leave a message for the courier at the checkout.

For smaller and single-item orders, we may send these via the post with Royal Mail - Tracking will not be available for orders sent via this method.

**Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.

For all orders, a small delivery fee of £4.99 will be charged or spend over £49.99 for FREE Delivery!

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