A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Gardening in the Shade Share space with Japanese Painted Fern

I have a problem. Don't I always.

I got a Japanese Painted Fern that was on my want list. I thought it died over the summer but it didn't Yea! What it did do was go dormant. Now I need something that will take center stage while it is dormant over the summer.

The planting is rigt next to a garden bench in the shade of some mature trees that loose their leaves in the fall. The zone is 7b. The temperatures are easily in the 90's and the conditions are drought during the summer. Can anyone suggest what I should plant here to take over when the fern is dormant that will share space with the fern without hurting it?

Thanks for all your help.

Is there room to plant a Sword Fern or Deer Fern just behind it? The dark green ferns will show off the Painted Ferns colors when she is growing, but the green ferns will remain evergreen when she goes dormant...

There is certainly a bunch of room. I'll look them up. I could use something taller. Not more than 3 feet but about that large.