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 shall be at the Kingston Bagpuize Snowdrop & Plant Fair which is held in a permanent marquee (so relatively weather proof) at Kingston Bagpuize House in Oxfordshire. We will have a wide range of snowdrops, woodland perennials and ferns and can take orders to the sale for you to collect.
 Upcoming - Plant Fair
Rare Plant Fairs

Rare Plant Fairs

 We shall be at many of the Rare Plant Fairs in 2026. 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.

Upcoming - Plant Fair

We shall be at the fabulous Yeo Valley Organic Garden which will be open at the same time as the plant sale. We will have a wide range of woodland perennials and ferns and can take orders to the sale for you to collect. 		Upcoming - 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!

Best Selling Plants

Corydalis calycosa

Corydalis calycosa

£7.00 (2 or fewer items) £6.45 (3 or more items)

Fragrant, piercing blue flowers in May and June and all Summer if not too dry. Easy in a soil that retains a bit of moisture, does very well with us under an apple tree. More perennial, easier and a better garden plant than flexuosa.


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Hylomecon japonica

Hylomecon japonica

£7.50 (2 or fewer items) £7.00 (3 or more items)

A Japanese, yellow flowered woodland poppy. Low growing with pretty leaflets below the flowers. Spreads to form a mat.
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Diphylleia cymosa

Diphylleia cymosa

£12.00

North American species with pointy rounded leaves, plum purple in Spring sometimes mottled. White flowers and blue berries. A choice woodlander.
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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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Special Offer Cyclamen hederifolium AGM - 8 mixed leaved forms.

Special Offer Cyclamen hederifolium AGM - 8 mixed leaved forms.

£40.00

{About}
A mixed batch of leaves and flower colour, 8 x 9cm pots. Super in dry shade, August - September flowering, with flowers appearing in ethereal ring like clumps and with the good looking marbled leaves remaining all Winter long. This collection offers great value for money. Please remember that Cyclamen hederifolium are Summer dormant.
{Cultivation}
Cyclamen hederifolium is very easy to grow in any well drained shaded spot and is one of the most tolerant of the driest dry shade. Looks glorious in drifts under deciduous trees. Plants at 20cm centres and at the same depth as the pots. Summer dormant.


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Anemone ranunculoides AGM

Anemone ranunculoides AGM

£5.90

A mid yellow flowered European native species, similar growing to A. nemorosa.
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