Harts Tongue Fern

The fern collection at Harts Tongue is one of those specialist galleries that rewards genuine plant enthusiasts but might leave casual browsers wondering what the fuss is about. It's a working nursery and display space focused on ferns - proper obsessive territory if you're into botanical oddities.

What you get here are hundreds of cultivars, from common species to genuinely rare variants with frilly edges or unusual colouring. The displays explain the weird and wonderful differences between them, which is fascinating if you care about such things. Photography is excellent in the right light, and keen gardeners often leave with ideas for their own borders. Allow a couple of hours maximum.

Historically, ferns were Victorians' plant obsession - they collected them like we collect craft gins now - and this place taps into that tradition. You're looking at living specimens, not stuffed behind glass, so there's genuine greenery and growth to observe. The staff know their subject inside out.

It's genuinely free to browse, though they naturally hope you'll buy specimens if anything catches your eye. That said, it's not a major draw if you're holiday-letting at Ravenswing Park nearby and want a rainy-day activity. Worth a stop if you're already in the Reading area and ferns actually interest you, but don't make a special trip unless you're that way inclined. The garden centres around here have better all-round appeal for families.