Responding to a comment on my dealings with the dreaded convallaria (lily of the valley?), for the first time since I got this house (4 yrs) I cut back 4 large ferns down to about 2" high. They had indeed become terribly "floppy"! They new fiddle heads are emerging and I think they will be fine..... HOWEVER, at the sight of the now cleaned up area, the dratted convallaria shrieked "whoopee" and moved in at lightening speed. I can now only hope that the fresh "floppy fronds" will discourage the wretched lily pest..... we shall see!