Ferns are low-maintenance plants, as long as you site them in a spot they will like.

•"Too much shade is usually the first mistake gardeners make," says Brice Creelman, grower for Frisco's Shades of Green Nursery. "They do well under the high shade-canopy of deciduous trees, but not the dense, impenetrable shade of live oaks and magnolias."

•Most ferns need dappled light or at least a few hours of morning sun to grow lush and full. Ferns with colored foliage have especially sensitive needs: Plants will fade to pale green, lose vigor and produce spindly fronds without enough sun. Mr. Creelman also warns: "If you can't dig a hole under a tree or in the garden, then a fern certainly won't grow there. Tree roots will always win out."

•It is important to amend the soil, according to Bob Wilson, manager of Nicholson-Hardie Nursery in Dallas. "I always till the soil 8 to 10 inches, then add at least 6 inches of compost before attempting to plant anything." Annually adding an inch or two of compost as a top-dressing, along with mulch, will keep your ferns healthy and lush.

•Ferns are susceptible to over-fertilization, according to Naud Burnett, founder of Casa Flora. He suggests cutting the recommended fertilizer rate in half for ferns.

•Deciduous ferns can be cut back entirely in late winter or fall, if the winter-nipped brown foliage is unsightly. Evergreen ferns, on the other hand, should not be cut to the ground or you may lose the entire plant. Wait until spring when new fronds start unfurling to trim away tattered or freeze-burned leaves.