Fern grew up in the West Country, where she gained her O and A levels in a number of subjects , including Art A level.She went on to study Home Economics at Plymouth Domestic Science College to become a Home Economist. She worked for Imperial Foods and Kraft Foods creating new products , recipes and the preparation of food for photography.
She took a career break to have her children, then retrained as a Florist, adding Adult teachers certificate to teach at Evening Classes. Her love of the plant world led her to take a Course in Botanical Art at Cheltenham College run by botanist Micheal Hickey and artist Stuart Lafford. She started to specialise in iris , joining the West and Midlands Iris Group and the British Iris Society , where she is Artist in Residence for both groups.Because of her involvement in the Iris world ,she has had an Iris named after her “Fern Harden” a beautiful tall bearded Iris in shades of lavender and pinky peach colours with a very striking orange beard.