Ferns are seedless vascular plants that produce spores instead of seeds. Ferns are a very ancient lineage of plants that date back over 400 million years. Today, ferns are used as specimens in atriums, greenhouses, and conservatories and can be found in the smallest apartments to the largest homes. They offer a quiet, graceful beauty by softening landscapes indoors and out. Although ferns lack the bright colors of flowers, they are tremendously diverse in frond size, shape, division, texture, and color. Ferns are especially useful in the shady garden and landscape. When ferns are grown outdoors during summer, they should be located in the cooler areas of the garden, usually in deep shade. Never expose ferns to full sun in summer. Ferns prefer a slightly moist media with good drainage.