Dicksonia antarctica

The soft tree fern is the one that makes a garden look exotic in a hurry. A thick fibrous trunk, clothed in old leaf bases and roots, carries a crown of bright green fronds that can reach 2 to 3m long, filigree-fine and arching.

It holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit and is evergreen in milder spots, often deciduous in colder ones. New fronds unfurl in spring from the crown, which is the plant’s growing point.

Plant in a sheltered, shaded position in moist, humus-rich soil. Ferny ground or a woodland edge suits it perfectly. In winter, protect the crown with a plug of straw, horticultural fleece or the old fronds folded in.

A firm favourite for an exotic planting scheme, a courtyard corner, or alongside hostas, ferns and acers in a shady garden.