Ferns reproduce quite differently than other vascular plants. Once you understand how they reproduce, you will be able to appreciate why they live in humid, low-wind places.
They have the gametophyte stage and the sporophyte stage. In the gametophyte stage, a spore grows into a gametophyte. The gametophytes look like tiny lettuce leaves. These little “leaflets” are known as prothalli (singular is prothallus).
Once the gametophyte matures, there is a female area (archegonium) and a male area (antheridium). Water and moisture in the environment makes it possible for sperm to swim to and fertilize the eggs.
Once fertilized the sporophyte generation will begin to grow out of the prothallus. The photo on the previous page shows prothalli plus the tiny sporophyte generation growing out of some of the prothalli. This generation, when mature, is the adult fern. Once mature, they produce spores and the whole process begins again. Some ferns grow quite quickly, like Maidenhair Fern. Others take a long time to get to the point that they will produce spores.
Most ferns require wet to medium soils, fertile soil, dappled sunlight, and low-wind areas. If you have these conditions, ferns may grow easily and may even reproduce. If you don’t, but would still like to include some ferns in your woodland garden, make sure to check in the fern description for the ferns that can stretch and bit and grow in drier conditions.