Autumn ferns in the garden offer beauty throughout the growing season, emerging coppery red in spring, eventually maturing to a bright, glossy, kelly green by summer. This ancient woodland plant thrives in partial or full shade and moist, rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. However, autumn fern can tolerate short periods of afternoon sunlight, but won’t perform well in intense heat or prolonged sunlight. It is not drought tolerant, and was included in the water feature at the Melbourne Flower Show 2011.