top of page


Show: Snowdrop & Plant Fair, Yattendon, 18 January 2026
The Exotic Fern Group were invited to attend the Snowdrop and Plant Fair organised by Edulis Nursery.

Matthew Reeve
Feb 282 min read


Show: Houseplant Event, RHS Garden Rosemoor, 24–25 January 2026
The Exotic Fern Group returned to the Houseplant Event again this year at RHS Garden Rosemoor.

Peter Blake
Feb 283 min read


Short notes on some pteridophytes in Southwest Ethiopia
Two trips to the Afromontane forests of Southwest Ethiopia in 2009 and 2014 were ideal opportunities to study the wealth of pteridophytes and other epiphytic plants in the region.

Jonathan Hutchinson
Feb 287 min read


Utrecht University Botanic Gardens greenhouse renovations—Part One
The ‘green light’ was given in October 2025 to move forward with the renovation of the Utrecht University Botanic Gardens glasshouses.
Marco de Jong
Feb 284 min read


Some ferns in the Western Cape region
Ursula Schell had the opportunity to join an expedition to Stellenbosch University Botanic Garden, in South Africa.
Ursula Schell
Feb 288 min read


Meeting at the house of Peter Blake and Nick Lodge in Norwich, 20 September 2025
The Exotic Fern Group had a joint Autumn meeting with the British Pteridological Society’s East Anglia Regional Group hosted by Exotic Fern Group President Peter Blake and Nick Lodge at their home in the centre of Norwich.

Matthew Reeve
Dec 1, 20255 min read


Culcita macrocarpa, a treasure of the Tertiary: cultivation preliminary results and conservation strategies
An interesting interim report on cultivation and conservation strategies for Europe's only native tree fern, Culcita macrocarpa.

Eva Martínez Veiga, Maria Pilar Castro Garcia & Jorge Lorenzo Salamanca
Dec 1, 20256 min read


Exploring Belfast’s Tropical Ravine with Colin Agnew, 4 October 2025
Members of the Exotic Fern Group and the British Pteridological Society’s All-Ireland Regional Group met with Head Gardener, Colin Agnew, to explore the Tropical Ravine at Belfast Botanic Garden.

Matthew Reeve
Dec 1, 20256 min read


Stenochlaena tenuifolia at Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Luigi Leoni explores frond dimorphism in Stenochlaena tenuifolia at Cambridge University Botanic Garden.

Luigi Leoni
Dec 1, 20253 min read


Book Review: The Queen Staghorn by Darryl Ruprecht
In his second book, The Queen Staghorn, Darryl Ruprecht focusses his attention on the largest of the four great Platycerium species, P. wandae, the others being P. superbum, P. grande and P. holttumii.

Peter Blake
Dec 1, 20253 min read


Extinct or overlooked? Revisiting the status of possibly extinct ferns in Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan National Red List (2020) has identified 25 pteridophyte species as Critically Endangered and Possibly Extinct, according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Ranil Rajapaksha investigates the plight of Sri Lankan ferns.

Ranil Rajapaksha
Dec 1, 20259 min read


Show: Ferns and Carnivorous Plants Show, RHS Garden Wisley, 26–27 July 2025
The annual Ferns and Carnivorous Plants Show took place on 26–27 July 2025 in the Hilltop Centre at RHS Garden Wisley. The Exotic Fern Group fielded Peter Blake, Matthew Reeve and Tom Bellamy.

Peter Blake
Sep 1, 20254 min read


Show: BBC Gardeners’ World Live, NEC Birmingham, 12–15 June 2025
As part of the BBC Gardeners’ World Live event at the NEC Birmingham, the Exotic Fern Group created a display stand as part of the UK International Orchid Show, organised by the British Orchid Council.

Matthew Reeve
Sep 1, 20257 min read


An update from Thwaite Botanic Garden
Yvonne Golding gives us some insights to how the fern collect at Thwaite Botanic Garden developed.

Yvonne Golding
Sep 1, 20254 min read


Richard Hayward, the first recipient of the EFG Special Award
On Friday 4 July 2025 we presented Richard Hayward with an Exotic Fern Group Special Award. This was for the contribution he has made to tropical fern culture.

Matthew Reeve
Sep 1, 20255 min read


Fern Day, Treborth Botanic Garden, 31 May 2025
On Fern Day, EFG members gathered to at Treborth Botanic Garden to explore there fern collection.

Peter Blake
Sep 1, 20258 min read


Variation in Davallia pentaphylla
Davallia pentaphylla is an attractive epiphyte that has been described as the Black Caterpillar Fern. Stuart Worth and Dick Hayward write on some variations they have found in the species.
Stuart Worth & Dick Hayward
Sep 1, 20255 min read


Hunting and growing native Florida ferns
Ben Merritt shares his passion for hunting and growing native Florida ferns.

Benjamin Merritt
Sep 1, 202511 min read


The genus Psilotum
The genus Psilotum contains only two species, P. nudum and P. flaccidum. Peter Blake explores this unusal genus.

Peter Blake
Sep 1, 20256 min read


My paludarium
After seeing a lushly planted paludarium in a local aquatic’s shop Sean Barton was inspired to create one for himself.

Sean Barton
Sep 1, 20253 min read


Show: Norfolk Plant Heritage Plant Fair, Hethersett, 4 May 2025
We were invited by Barbara Williams and Kathy Gray to create a display for the Exotic Fern Group at the Norfolk Plant Heritage Plant Fair at Hethersett, near Norwich.

Peter Blake
Jun 1, 20253 min read


R.H. Beddome, a naturalist and pteridologist in India
There is no question that R.H. Beddome advanced Indian pteridology, botany, herpetology and malacology enormously in the 34 years that he was in India.

Peter Blake
Jun 1, 20256 min read


Book Review: King of the Ferns by Darryl Ruprecht
Darryl Ruprecht’s enthusiasm is infectious and I would recommend this book to any current or would-be tropical fern grower.

Peter Blake
Jun 1, 20252 min read


Interview with Alchemy Ferns
In this article Matthew Reeve interviews Mark and Linda Taylor of Alchemy Ferns, a family-run nursery on the outskirts of York.

Matthew Reeve
Jun 1, 20256 min read
bottom of page
