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 - Rare Plant Fair

We will have a range of spring 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 - Rare Plant Fair
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!

New Woodland Plants

Hypolepis millifolium

£9.00

From New Zealand fronds 50 x 15cm very divided with a bluish look and can take dry conditions. Can spread
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Polypodium glycrrhiza 'Malatense Sterile'

£9.00

A form of licorice fern or sweet root. a plant widely use by first nation peoples of the pacific north west. ...
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Chelonopsis moschatus 'Album'

£8.80

A white form of this Japanese woodlander, penstemon like flowers in late Summer and Autumn./ Betetr on a north wall in ...
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Best Selling Plants

Polypodium vulgare 'Bifidomultifidum'

Polypodium vulgare 'Bifidomultifidum'

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

Crested form of the native polypody, good ground cover particularly for dry shade. In common with other species looks best in Winter.
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Polypodium cambricum 'Whitely's Giant'

Polypodium cambricum 'Whitely's Giant'

£8.00

A superb large growing form of this easy native Polypodium. Slightly serrated edges to the pinnules to 45cm tall. Summer dormant when you don't notice it anyway.
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Asplenium trichomanes AGM

Asplenium trichomanes AGM

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

The native maidenhair spleenwort, common around here in walls, but good at the front of a shady border, trough or rock garden. Evergreen. A little beauty.
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Saxifraga stolonifera 'Maroon Beauty'

Saxifraga stolonifera 'Maroon Beauty'

£6.50

Very attractive dark purple/green/silver mottled foliage all year, somewhat larger than 'Cuscutiformis' and white red bracted flowers in Spring. Spreads when happy. Stunning when planted as a mass or even in a container.

Photographed here with Astrantia, Tiarella and Geranium.
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Polypodium calirhiza 'Sarah Lyman'

Polypodium calirhiza 'Sarah Lyman'

£8.00

A species from Western USA and Mexico. Quite vigorous. In this form has a very upright habit with cut and acute pointed pinnae and fronds. A very lovely introduction looking like some of the P. cambricum forms.
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Polypodium cambricum 'Grandiceps Fox' AGM

£8.95

A mid growing cambricum form with a broad terminal crest and smaller side crest. Summer deciduous.
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