Athyrium This is a large genus of woodland ferns, most of which like shade but resent droughts and wind. The genus includes some of the best garden ferns, with fine, delicate foliage. Despite the qualifications listed above, the plants are tough and easy to grow. A. niponicum ‘Pictum’ AGM (D) (syn. f. metallicum) Hight/Spread 40cm or more. A the most basic and typical form of the Japanese painted fern with lanceolate bipinnate fronds coloured in cream, grey and pink variegation. Perhaps the most colourful of all ferns, it is much more common in cultivation than the species. There are many selected and named types, but buyer beware, as the plants on sale in the trade may not be true to their type. Cultivation also makes a big difference to the colour, the best show being from those plants growing in the deepest shade, which may well make a bigger difference to the final colour than the variety planted. Good forms include: 'Applecourt' a very good crested form, 'Burgundy Lace' which has a deep rich colour, and 'Pewter Lace' with light silver colour, though despite the 'Lace' element in the name neither of these are crested. There are also several forms which claim to be red in colour, including 'Ursula's Red' and 'Regal Red', generally they are slightly more red than the type, but press photographs have often overstated the colouring.