The Shade Plant Specialists

Long Acre Plants is essentially a mail order plantsman's nursery, situated in a hidden triangle of Somerset that slides into Dorset and Wiltshire. We specialise in unusual woodland plants and plants for shade, by mail order. This includes Erythronium, Epimedium, hardy ferns, hardy geraniums, hellebores (Helleborus), snowdrops, Viola odorata and Hepatica amongst many other shade loving plants.
Plants are the reason for this business and with a very few exceptions we grow what we like, for all the usual human reasons of association, perception of what is beautiful or just inexplicable love.
We try and grow in an environmentally aware way, including peat free compost, collecting and recycling rain water and using recycled paper. Plus all electricity used in the nursery and office is generated by wind or hydro, not through burning fossil fuels. We endeavour to make our packaging as environmentally friendly as possible. The packing cases we use are made from recycled PET which can be recycled again so creating a closed loop and having the best carbon footprint. 		The Shade Plant Specialists

Hardy Ferns

We offer an extensive and large range of wonderful hardy woodland or shady garden ferns, evergreen and deciduous. As a rule, ferns are best in shade, but some ferns will take almost full sun. Some are good in dry soils others in moist. Ferns fit into many different styles of garden, Japanese gardens, woodland gardens, cottage gardens, courtyards and containers, city gardens, tropical/ foliage style gardens even alpine gardens can look wonderful with a range of dwarf ferns, as well as pure ferns gardens or stumperies. Ferns fit into practically all garden situations and combine well with other plants. For example, deciduous ferns can be grown successfully in the same situation as a large Winter/Spring bulb displays, with aconites, Cyclamen, Galanthus, Narcissus and Erythronium etc. 		Hardy Ferns

Upcoming - Plant Fair

We will have a range of Autumn woodland plants including evergreen ferns available on the days. We are happy to take orders for collection to the sale.

We always take a wide range of hardy and unusual ferns and woodland perennials suitable for semi or full shade. Both moist and dry situations.

 Upcoming - Plant Fair
Rare Plant Fairs

Rare Plant Fairs

 We shall be at all but two of the Rare Plant Fairs in 2025. The details of our unusual plants fair schedule can be found the shows tab at the top of the page, or click on the image to the left..

We are happy to bring orders to sales for collection saving you the shipping charge.

All of the fairs are within lovely gardens and they usually have good catering facilities. So all round a good day out.
Cyclamen

Cyclamen

 Cyclamen is a genus with a number of non-hardy species, but there are also some very hardy species of Cyclamen which thrive in a woodland or shady garden. Early Autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium will just about grow anywhere. Winter flowering Cyclamen coum is also is very tolerant of shade, even thriving under walnut trees, where growth in many other plants is greatly supressed.
Geranium

Geranium

 Hardy geraniums are amazingly good in shade, even dry shade. The geranium forms we offer are Summer flowering so often give colour to shady areas during the most difficult time. We find that hardy geraniums combine well with Spring bulbs; eg snowdrops through to Erythronium. Geraniums cover the gaps after the bulbs finish and give another season of colour. A few will even keep their leaves through a mildish Winter too!

Best Selling Plants

Asplenium scolopendrium AGM

Asplenium scolopendrium AGM

£6.95 (2 or fewer items) £6.50 (3 or more items)

The native wild form of this easy and very useful evergreen fern. Strap shaped, long undivided fronds giving the plant it's common name Hart's (deer) Tongue fern. Grows better on alkaline to neutral soils. Happy in damp shade but also in dry shade once established. This fern works brilliantly with other ferns, hostas and bergenias.
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Polystichum setiferum 'Herrenhausen'

Polystichum setiferum 'Herrenhausen'

£7.00 (2 or fewer items) £6.50 (3 or more items)

A fine divisilobum form of the soft shield fern. A beautiful, elegant form of this easy very tolerant fern even of dry soils. Makes a very good subject for a container.
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Blechnum spicant AGM

Blechnum spicant AGM

£7.00 (2 or fewer items) £6.50 (3 or more items)

Native ladder fern, with the fronds resembling the steps of a ladder, needs neutral to acid soil. Very attractive in growth with both upright and arching fronds. Evergreen and very popular with flower arrangers.
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Microlepia strigosa

Microlepia strigosa

£7.00 (2 or fewer items) £6.50 (3 or more items)

Even though this fern is native to a wide area from the Himalayas through South East Asia, it is proving surprisingly hardy in the UK. Lace fern is the common name and describes the pale green fronds. To 60cm high or so.
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Drynaria sinica

£9.00

A lovely hardy fern. Red flushed new frionds emerge in Spring and gradually turn to greysih green. Deciduous but but leaving the brown dried old fronds overwinter. Ver distinct and proving very growable in a wll drained bed in some shade.
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Phegopteris decursive-pinnata

Phegopteris decursive-pinnata

£7.00 (2 or fewer items) £6.50 (3 or more items)

Japanese beech fern, fronds pale green to 15" tall gradually forming an elegant clump.
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