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Danesbury Fernery

Researching and Restoring the Danesbury Victorian Fernery

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You are here: Home / 2019 / Archives for March 2019

Archives for March 2019

Report of Working Parties – Thursday 21st March 2019

27th March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

On a bright Spring-like morning 16 volunteers split into two groups.

Nature Reserve Working Party

Led by Andrew, 5 volunteers continued their work clearing the ancient track pathway and scrub on the Park Field leading down to the B656 Codicote Road.

  • Photo by Andrew Beattie

Fernery Garden Working Party

Led by John and Sarah, 11 volunteers continued the work of planting and weeding.

Bexit

We are grateful to Mike Smith for donating a teak bench that had become redundant since his recent house move. Harry had rubbed it down and treated it with teak oil ready for installation.

However, although the 11 volunteers present had agreed unanimously where the bench should be sited, our two representatives Harry and Alan, after extended negotiations with Chris, the WHBC Officer, failed to meet her demands for securing it.

With some loss of dignity a backstop agreement was nevertheless reached, and our two cross benchers, Harry and Alan, wearily took the unwanted concrete posts back to the hardware store, and replaced them appropriately with chains (!)

In doing so they missed their Tea Break and flapjacks, and the (above) photo-shoot.

Rabbit rabbit rabbit…

The WHBC have secured the large hole on the South East corner with very strong galvanised wire, and a rabbit proof board has been placed directly beneath the field gate on the North west side.

But, the rabbits still cause us problems, and they are enjoying Jenny’s wild flowers more than they are supposed to.

We have tried laying chicken wire flat on top of the flowers to stop rabbits accessing the roots, but suspect that they will simply wait for the tops to show through and try nibbling them instead of pulling the roots out of the ground.

In the short term, apart from continuing to screen off planting areas with chicken wire and posts, we will probably delay cutting the grass on the banks until later in the summer, in the hope that the rabbits will prefer nibbling grass to wild flowers.

Flora and Fauna

The planting beds are beginning to show their colours and contrasts, and bees are beginning to get busy pollenating.

This bee found just inside the Entrance Gate is a bit of an unknown, and has been referred to the County Recorder for his opinion.

Since identified as Apis mellifera Linnaeus – Western or European Honey Bee | Caste: Worker

Identified by Steve Lings, Bees & Wasps Recorder for Herts Nat Hist Soc.

Filed Under: News, Work Parties

Thomas Bates Blow

27th March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Sourced from Dr Sarah Whittingham

Thomas Bates Blow

         ‘Successes and Failures” British Fern Gazette vol 6 No.7

          December 1932 pp 185-6

Re: Danesbury

p.185 – “ 7 or 8 years ago this fernery was abandoned and ferns went to Mr Fitt at The Frythe“.

Conclusion: Danesbury Fernery was not abandoned until 1924?

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery

Notice of Work Party – Thursday 21st March 2019

18th March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Weather Forecast (Long Range)

Light cloud and a gentle breeze. Mild

Tasks

As with the earlier 2019 working parties we will aim to operate two separately managed groups. We will all meet at the Fernery for initial briefings, allocation of tasks, and distribution of appropriate tools.

Leaders will be on site by 9.30am to open the shed and prepare the tools. It would help matters if volunteers could arrive early at, say 9.30 am., and make their work preferences clear (i.e.scrub bashing or gardening) so that we can make a prompt start.

Local Nature Reserve Working Party

Andrew will lead a party to continue the work of clearing the Ancient Track on the lower slopes of the Park Field. Please meet at the Fernery to collect tools. (If you have not already seen the difference these work parties are making have a look at the Report of last months Working Party).

Fernery Garden Working Party

John will lead this group.

The principal task for the gardener will be to suppress the nettles.

This month Jenny will be planting more large plants of oxeye daisy, field scabious & wild clary on the chalk bank. But she is concerned that the rabbits are eating the wildflowers even the ones on a list they supposedly dislike!!.

The rabbits are being a nuisance and discussions are underway with the Borough Council to get the large hole in the fence on the South East corner repaired once and for all. A wooden guard is also needed under the field gate on the north side.

For this reason Jenny is planning to pot on many wildflowers for planting out in May when they have decent size roots so they’ll have a chance against the rabbits.


How to Find Us

If you have not visited the Fernery before please go to the website for directions.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots and good quality gardening gloves.

Filed Under: News, Notices

Planting Snowdrops – Monday 11th March 2019

13th March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

On a bright morning a small dedicated team of 8x gardeners led by Sarah reached speeds of 2500 s.p.h. and completed the task of planting 5000 snowdrops by mid-day. These plants (in green) had been offered at short notice by the Borough Council and we can now look forward to a splendid showing early in 2020.

The principal planting areas were on the grassy banks near the Entrance, with the bulk being planted on the grass bank on the South side of the path.

Elevensies were taken as soon as the snowdrops had been planted, and after stoking up their energies, the team turned to the task of weeding the planting beds, and in particular the slope in the gorge where the new bluebells are beginning to come through.

Sarah completed the planting in the Parsons bed, which will look spectacular as it matures.

Filed Under: Garden News, News

Grotesque Welcome (3) – 7th March 2019

8th March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Harry and Alan at work finishing the side poles.

Filed Under: Garden News

Grotesque Welcome (2) – Wednesday 28th February 2019

1st March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Harry and Alan have been busy further developing techniques for dressing the Entrance Poles.

And nearly finished – Grotesque Welcome (3)

Filed Under: Garden News

Report of Scouts Tree Planting – 23rd February 2019

1st March 2019 By John Roper 2 Comments

A very successful work party was led by Andrew, with 4x other volunteers in support, with 8x scouts and 7x parents in attendance. Tony Cragg from the Welwyn Film Record Society was kept busy too.

Sarah supervised all the plantings, which were performed by small groups of scouts, each with a parent/helper. Sarah had marked out planting places in advance and each group got digging.

All roots were dusted with Sarah’s magic root powder. Specimen trees were staked and protected with rabbit wire.

Whips around the perimeter were protected with plastic tubes.

At the tea-break, John gave a brief introduction to the work in 1859/60 of the original Fernery Gardener, Anthony Parsons, and the rock-work construction by James Pulham & Sons of Broxbourne.

A few of the parents helped further by clearing out the water and debris lying in the dropping well.

All the scouts enjoyed themselves, and it was a first-time visit to the Fernery for many of the Parents.

The scouts are expected to pick up a hat-full of badges and awards for undertaking this valuable work with the Friends of Danesbury Fernery volunteers.

Filed Under: Garden News, News

Report of Working Party – Thursday 21st February 2019

1st March 2019 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Weather

Sunny and mild as forecast. The ground was dry underfoot.

Tasks Completed

Nature Reserve – Park Field

Andrew led a team that continued last months work to clear the Ancient Track from the bottom (Codicote Road) end.

Brash was half hidden on the North Side of the bank, but will probably need to be burned off at some future date to keep things tidy.

The Fernery Garden

John led a team that planted more perennials in the Parsons Bed under Sarah’s supervision, and more wild flowers on the North Chalk Bank under Jenny’s supervision.

Alan dug out the shape of the Jigsaw bed at the North end of the Dell ready for grass seeding next month.

Filed Under: News, Work Parties

Primary Sidebar

Earlier News

Danesbury Fernery Closed until 30th January 2021

Resulting from the recent extremely wet weather the Fernery Paths have … [Read More...] about Danesbury Fernery Closed until 30th January 2021

Work Parties re-commence

The Borough Council have given us permission to re-commence Work Parties on the … [Read More...] about Work Parties re-commence

A Time to Reflect

The Talking has to stop! On Thursday 5th March 2020 John and Colin gave a … [Read More...] about A Time to Reflect

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Copyright © 2021 Friends of Danesbury Local Nature Reserve. Non attributed Photography by John Roper.