A British fern collector Photo: From whatsthatpicture from Hanwell, London, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ferns just love New Zealand's temperate climate - we have about 200 species, and around 40% of those are only found in this country.
Who didn't have a maidenhair in the '70s? it is also our national symbol!
What you may not know about is the fern craze that swept the world in the 1800s.
Annette Bainbridge discusses this little-known piece of gardening history.
