Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Red Beauty' (Painted Lady Fern) is a striking deciduous fern forming a pretty rosette of arching, lacy fronds. Emerging green, the graceful fronds often develop a silvery gray colouring, with a contrasting burgundy-red flush to the stems and midribs. Slowly spreading, this fern adds elegance to the shade garden or containers. Perfect for brightening up a dark or shady garden area, plant this graceful fern in drifts and underplant with small, early flowering bulbs, such as snowdrops (Galanthus), as these will appear before the fronds, extending the season of interest of your planting. This painted lady fern makes an excellent groundcover for moist shady sites.