I'd tuck it back in a nice semi/shaded spot. Ferns are slow starters (or so I've been told.) I have some this year in pots in my green house, started them in the house in early Feb., and there are some that are only *just* starting to break the surface...sooo sloooow!! Get it back in the ground and give it a good drink, hopefully it'll pull through. (If it's still fully dormant, then I'd guess it should be OK...as long as it didn't get baked.)

Last week I started pulling out some silver brocade (dusty miller) that I had planted last year (supposed to be an annual) tossed a couple on the compost (they dried right out in the sun), and then today found three I had missed pulling, and 'oh look' they have new growth coming...doh!!

Anyway, hopefully your fern survives it's little trip into the fresh air (and you won't get into any trouble. ;-)

Certainly is worth a try at revival. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?? ;)

It's only just a few days ago that I noticed my ferns were coming back. They looked deader then dead but, yup, they are coming back.

Ang

Glad to hear your ferns are coming, Ang. I haven't seen a sign of the two little ones I got last year - not that I can really remember exactly where I put them! I know they're somewhere in the shade bed I'm trying to renovate, and I'm just hoping I don't dig one out when I'm trying to move something else around.
Connie