Winter care: we are into the colder months. Protect newly planted or tender specimens from hard frosts, and hold off planting out until the frost risk has passed.
One of our most elegant hardy ferns, Polystichum setiferum, the soft shield fern, brings a soft, almost feathery texture to the shade garden that few other plants can match. Native to the woodlands of southern and western Europe, it has long been a connoisseur's favourite, and it holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit in recognition of its reliability and good looks. The finely divided fronds are softer to the touch than those of most ferns, arching outwards from a central crown in a relaxed shuttlecock that catches low light beautifully.
As one of the best evergreen ferns for UK gardens, Polystichum setiferum earns its keep year-round. In all but the harshest winters it holds its fresh green fronds, providing structure and colour when the border is otherwise bare, before sending up a flush of tightly coiled croziers in spring. It is fully hardy, shrugging off temperatures down to around -20C, which makes it a cornerstone plant for any hardy exotic planting.
How and where to grow it
Like most hardy ferns in the UK, this is a shade-lover. Give it partial or full shade, a north or east-facing border, the base of a wall, or a woodland-style planting all suit it perfectly. It is wonderfully unfussy about soil, growing happily on chalk, clay, loam or sand, provided the ground is moist but well-drained and enriched with leaf mould or compost. Mulch in spring to lock in moisture and the fern will all but look after itself.
Position: partial to full shade, sheltered from harsh wind
Eventual size: around 60-90cm tall and wide, reaching full size in 5-10 years
Care: simply cut away tired old fronds in late winter before new growth appears
Clump-forming and well-behaved, Polystichum setiferum never becomes a nuisance, instead settling into a graceful, slowly expanding crown. It is equally at home in a large shaded container or threaded through a mixed border alongside hostas, heucheras and spring bulbs. Every fern we send out is a strong, well-rooted specimen, grown on with care and ready to establish quickly in your garden.
Live Arrival Guarantee
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
Ordering in autumn or winter? Many hardy exotics arrive dormant or cut back right now. This is normal, and the best time to plant.
Seasonal by nature: what to expect
Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.
Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal.
Read what to expect through the seasons
Delivery and returns
See all delivery pricing tiers
Based on your basket total, confirmed at checkout. Free delivery: Economy over £60 · Standard over £100 · Express over £150.
Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.
Outdoor plants are sold by the size of their pot — measured in litres, with the pot diameter in cm.
A larger pot means a more established plant for quicker impact in the garden; a smaller pot is better value and
soon catches up once planted out.
9cm · 0.5L
Young plant
A young, vigorous plant and the most economical way to build up a planting. Give it a season or two and it will romp away.
~13cm · 1L
Starter
A well-rooted young plant, ready to grow on in a border or container. Great value for filling space over a season or two.
~15cm · 2L
Established
A bushier, more established plant with a developed root system — a dependable middle ground that suits most gardens.
~17cm · 3L
Garden ready
A strong, garden-ready plant that establishes quickly and makes a visible difference in its very first season.
~19cm · 5L
Instant impact
A larger, fuller specimen for immediate presence — ideal when you want the planted look straight away.
21cm+ · 7.5L+
Specimen
A mature, substantial specimen — the quickest route to an established, fully planted-up feel.
Pots that fit this plant
We recommend
How to care for Soft Shield Fern
Give me sun with a little shade and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.
In their words
What our customers say
EP
Emily P.
Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.
JR
James R.
Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.
SL
Sophie L.
Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.
Get to know me
About Soft Shield Fern
Polystichum setiferum needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.
ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Moist, humus-rich, free-draining soil.Read moreShow less
Moist, humus-rich, free-draining soil.
Watering
Keep moist; very tolerant once established.Read moreShow less
Keep moist; very tolerant once established.
Mature size
Height60–90 cm
Spread60–90 cm
Reaches full size in 5-10 years
Growth habit
Clump-forming
Seasonal colour
SpringSummerAutumnWinterFlowerFoliageBerries
Foliage
Evergreen
Pruning
In early spring, cut away last year's tired or damaged fronds to the base so the new croziers come through cleanly.
Toxicity
No reported toxicity to people or pets.
Native range
S. & W. Europe
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Also known as
Polystichum setiferum
Genus
Polystichum
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polystichum setiferum hardy enough to survive a UK winter?
Yes. The soft shield fern is fully hardy throughout the UK (RHS H6, tolerating roughly -20C) and keeps its fronds through winter, so it earns its place in a hardy exotics border with no protection needed.
Does it prefer sun or shade?
It thrives in partial to full shade, making it ideal for that tricky north-facing or woodland-style spot. Avoid hot, dry full sun, which scorches the delicate fronds.
Is the soft shield fern evergreen?
Largely, yes. It is evergreen to semi-evergreen in milder areas, holding its lacy green fronds over winter. In colder gardens the old fronds can look tired by late winter and are simply cut away before the new croziers unfurl in spring.
How big does it get and how fast?
Expect a graceful shuttlecock around 60-90cm tall and 90cm wide, reaching its ultimate size in about 5-10 years. It forms a steadily expanding clump rather than spreading or self-seeding aggressively.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It does well in a large container of loam-based compost with added leaf mould, kept in shade and never allowed to dry out. Containers benefit from winter shelter against repeated freeze-thaw of the rootball.
Is it safe around pets and children?
Polystichum setiferum has no reported toxicity to people, cats or dogs, so it is a reassuring choice for family gardens.
Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.
If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.
If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.
Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Perfect for Gifting
From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.
Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.
Sustainability at Heart
All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.
