Athyrium filix-femina, aka as Lady Fern is a beautiful thing. It was one of the favourite ferns grown during the Victorian Fern Craze (Pteridomania) from roughly the 1840s through the 1890s. According to https://ebps.org.uk/ferns/growing/fern-cultivars/athyrium-filix-femina/ , "cultivars of the Lady Fern include some of the most beautiful and elegant fern cultivars in existence." I read once that many of the cultivars developed during the VFC are no longer in existence. That being said, I resist growing Lady Fern in my garden even though I love ferns and native plants. The reason is that it self-spores so readily and I often find small ferns growing in places where it is very difficult to remove them. The only way to get rid of them is to consistently pull them up before they have an opportunity to spread spores. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ATFI
I find I can work them in to the garden design and containers - because with our water restrictions by end of June - these have faded and are nothing except a stubble in winter (minimal tidy up with scissors) i like them as they are harbinger of our spring equinox release from long cold dark snow rain dark days plus I like the colour yes @Margot is correct - they spore “seed” freely - a photo attached showing various ferns / Hosta (Midwest Magic) / columbine / rugosa rose / pink unknown Rhodo
