There’s a noticeable change in the light come mid-February, there is a glimmer of hope in the air as things brighten and it looks like Winter is almost behind us. Plants notice this change too and as the snowdrops pop up and the spring bulbs start to sprout, it provides us with colourful displays that help to lift our spirits. By the end of the month, and as the weather warms up, there are more opportunities to get out and about and appreciate nature as it awakens from its winter hibernation.

Dryopteris wallichiana is considered one of the most beautiful garden ferns. Being evergreen It provides valuable architectural form in the garden all year round. It has narrow, dark, glossy black and green foliage, making a spectacular giant clump.

Although sometimes called the "Himalayan Fern" probably for the origin of the usual cultivated strain - it is more widely distributed than that, and can be found in India, China, Japan, Mexico, South America, Africa, Madagascar, the South Seas & Hawaii.

A tough, hardy fern, Wallich's wood fern produces bright green, shuttlecock-like fronds on upright, hairy stems up to 90cm high. It makes a dramatic statement in a woodland garden or under deciduous trees.

Once established, it will even grow in dry shade. The emerging fronds are covered in fine red hair like scales, appearing gold-green as they unfurl and maturing to a dark-green once established. Up close this fern also proves to be mesmerising, with the dark brown to black rachis (stem) contrasting with the finely dissected green pinnae.

Dryopteris is a fern genus of 225 species from around the world that give us the majority of our great garden ferns. The genus name comes from the Greek words drys (tree) and pteris (fern) in possible reference to this fern's typical habitat in woodland areas.

It is a good idea to put Dryopteris (male ferns) near Athyriums (lady ferns) to encourage reproduction. They also pair really well with Hellebores in a planting scheme, add one of my favourite shade tolerant grasses Hakonechloa macra, then you have a great trio of complimentary plants.

Dryopteris species come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most gardeners assume that all ferns are green but Dryopteris species have variation in that regard - which ironically makes many people think they are dying or drying out. The new growth on some species may be copper or cinnamon or even black. Like most garden ferns, Dryopteris plants prefer light shade, almost full shade. Soil wise they grow in anything that isn't too extreme, they are particularly suited to pretty much all soil types in the Sussex Weald and Downland making all Dryopteris varieties an ideal addition to any shady border.

Jobs to be done in February:
Ornamental Garden
•    In late February cut back hard (coppice) all the Cornus (Dogwood) to low buds.
•    If snow falls – do not let the snow sit on the shrubs, gently shake off to prevent damage.
•    Prune Roses creating an open outward facing framework.
•    Prune Clematis (late/summer flowering)
•    Shape borders to neaten edges.
•    In late February – cutback deciduous grasses.
•    Remove weeds from borders as necessary.
•    Prune out dead; diseased or damaged wood from trees and shrubs.
•    Complete pruning of Apple / fruit trees if not already done.
•    Mulch borders if not already done in Autumn – taking care of emerging bulbs.
•    Cut back Hydrangea Preziosa to first healthy buds on stems.
•    Cut back Hydrangea Annabelle to a half/third to retain a compact shape.
•    Cut back side shoots of wisteria, pruning to two to three buds.
•    Plant new climbers such as clematis / honeysuckle
•    Prune summer flowering deciduous shrubs that flower on the current year's growth eg., Buddleja, lavatera etc.
•    Sow hardy annuals for summer colour.

Vegetable Garden:
•    Buy seed potatoes and chit tubers by placing them eye end up in trays or egg boxes in a light, cool, frost-free place.
•    Sow crops like broad beans, lettuce etc and place in greenhouses or coldframes for an earlier harvest.
•    Now’s the time if you want to think about planting asparagus – keep weed free and mulch with a thick layer of organic matter.
•    Apply general fertiliser like growmore / blood fish and bone to beds.
•    Mulch tree and cane fruit after pruning.
•    Plant garlic.
•    Spray dormant fruit bushes with a plant oil based winter wash to kill overwintering eggs or aphid pests.