I love the look of wild ferns and would like to grow some on my wooded property so they can be seen from the deck.

Do I have to buy and plant ferns, or are there other ways to get them to cover the ground in my shady woods?

I read that you can collect their spores by placing the fronds between pieces of paper and letting them dry for a couple weeks.

Couldn't I simply lay fronds on the bare ground in the area where I want ferns to grow? Seems to me this would mimic the natural way ferns reproduce.

Thanks for your help.