Enter the “Children’s Garden”. On each side of the path, you will find the Soft Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica) which is naturally found in the lower layers of cool-temperate, warm-temperate and cooler subtropical rainforests and some eucalypt forests from Tasmania to Queensland. They are long lived, slow growing, withstanding freezing conditions, regenerate after fire and are commonly found in the home garden.
“Hey man! Welcome to the Children’s Garden. Fern’s the name. My actual name is Dicksonia Antarctica, but my friends call me Fern. I like to think of myself as the Children’s Garden welcome party. So…. welcome!”
Transcript
The Soft Tree Fern: “Hey man! Welcome to the Children’s Garden. Fern’s the name. My actual name is Dicksonia Antarctica, but my friends call me Fern. I like to think of myself as the Children’s Garden welcome party. So…. welcome!
We’ve got a good groove going on here – We like to keep things cool, calm and collected. We have relaxing music, there’s couple of goblins, a few fairies, lots of bamboo, there’s a little veggie patch and of course the dinos. Everything digs the dinos. Everyone digs the dino dudes. Me and the dinos - we go way back. I mean way way back - all the way back to the Jurassic period! That’s some history right? You’ve gotta be chilled to last that long.
This garden is not for the anxious type, it can get hectic – I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been stepped on, rolled over or hit with a ball, but I’m happy just to grow where I’m planted and to feel the wind in my fronds and the sun on my sorus. Not like old Flame Tree over there. He is the most hot-headed dude you’ve ever met. And people say ferns are high maintenance! “Chill out man!” That’s what we say to him. But he never listens. Probably cause he’s rocking Jimmy Barnes in his pods all day – surprised he can hear anything. I keep sending him good vibes through the soil – it’s all you can do, you know? Well, I’ll catch you later. Make sure you feel the sun on your face and your feet on the ground!"
