John Roper

Dependant as we are on the constraints of the weather, and the number of volunteers on site, we are planning to operate two Work Parties on the 16th January:

1. Local Nature Reserve – Leader Andrew Beattie
2. The Fernery – Leader Harry Ward

Weather Forecast- long range

Light rain showers and a moderate breeze, but the rain is forecast not to arrive until 1300hrs!

Work Party No 1 – Local Nature Reserve – Leader Andrew Beattie

Volunteers for the Local Nature Reserve Working Parties should collect the spare First Aid Kit, bow saws, loppers and springy wire rakes from the Fernery shed before moving to the allocated work site.

Park Field – Ghylls Hill – The Ancient Track – Habitat Improvement

We will continue the work of recent months continuing the clearance of the Ancient Track on the Park Field. We await the delivery of primrose plugs from the Borough Council.

The work area is reasonably sheltered and whatever the weather we look forward to a good turnout of non-gardening scrub-bashing volunteers.

Clock Meadow – January and successive months.

Clock Meadow is the name we have given to the newly managed area at the South East Public Footpath entrance to the Fernery Field by the Old London Road and behind Clock House Gardens.

Having started and made such early progress with this area Chris James (WH Borough Council Landscape & Ecology Officer) is keen for us to continue to undertake more pruning, and the removal of elders and some cherry suckers.

Work Party No 2 – Fernery Garden – Leader Harry Ward

Garden Maintenance Tasks – specified by Sarah Marsh and Harry Ward

1. Cut down necessary perennials and shrubs plants etc
2. Cut Hellebore leaves off
3. Cut down ‘full stop’ area on North East corner of the Dell
4. Plant 2 new holly trees
5. Continue planting new epimediums
6. Bulb planting – we have a supply of spring bulbs from the Borough Council which need to be planted – the scale of this task might entail further ad hoc meetings Weed out large perennial weeds
7. Move foxgloves where there are too many
8. Jenny needs support to weed and maintain the wild flower beds on the North Bank
9. Colin has ferns to be planted in the tanked bed, and further fern transplanting and weeding.
10. Rake the leaf drop for storage on the compost heap.

Soft Landscaping tasks – specified by Harry Ward

1. We have more old branches to fix in position to aid soil retention on the North Bank and further work to cover the terram with a mix of soil and bark chippings.
   

Meeting Place – both Work Parties

All volunteers should meet at the Fernery at 9.30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. start, where the leaders will allocate tasks and distribute tools as appropriate for the working parties. Before arriving, volunteers are asked to consider which of the two working parties they would prefer to join, i.e. the Nature Reserve, or the Fernery, as this helps team organisation.

How to find the Fernery

If you have not visited us before you will be made very welcome. Please read the directions to find us.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves. All tools will be provided.

On your first visit the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (the Owners) require that you complete a Personal Details Form which will be retained by them for Public Liability Insurance purposes only.

Given the constraints of the weather, and the number of volunteers on site, we are planning to operate two Work Parties on the 21st November:

1. Local Nature Reserve – Leader Andrew Beattie
2. The Fernery – Leader Harry Ward

Weather Forecast- long range

Light rain showers and a moderate breeze

Work Party No 1 – Local Nature Reserve

Park Field – Ghylls Hill – The Ancient Track – Habitat Improvement

With next month’s December meeting in mind when, for practical reasons, we will want both working parties working closer together to more easily join up for Seasonal celebrations, we have decided to return this month to the Ancient Track to continue the maintenance work of earlier work parties. The work area is reasonably sheltered and whatever the weather we look forward to a good turnout of non-gardening scrub-bashing volunteers.

A lot of scrub is re-growing at the bottom (Codicote Road) end of the Track and at the kissing gate access, which will be cleared once again with the strimmer.

We will also use loppers to clear scrub and bramble trailers along the banks, and rakes to reveal more of the established ferns and hopefully the bluebells that have been smothered (although not visible at present). We will also prepare the ground for the expected arrival of primrose plugs in the New Year.

Volunteers for the Local Nature Reserve Working Party should collect bow saws, loppers and springy wire rakes from the Fernery shed, and the spare First Aid Kit, before moving down to Ghylls Hill.

Clock Meadow – December and successive months.

This is the name we are giving to the newly managed area at the South East entrance to the Fernery Field by the Old London Road and Clock House Gardens.

We will re-visit the Clock Meadow in December 2019, because it is in line of sight of the Fernery (almost). In December the Clock Meadow volunteers will more easily be able to join up with the Fernery Gardeners for Seasonal Celebrations.

Having started and made such good progress with this area behind Clock House Gardens Chris James is keen for us to undertake more pruning, and removal of elders and some cherry suckers in December and beyond.

In the New Year we will begin wider publicity for this exciting new area of Danesbury which offers so much opportunity for habitat improvement, It is an area on the Nature Reserve which hasn’t previously felt the impact of the volunteer Friends of Danesbury. It will be seen by a different set of visitors to Danesbury Park as they follow the Public Footpath from the old Service Road behind the former Clock Hotel.

Work Party No 2 – Fernery Garden

1. We have more old branches to fix in position to aid soil retention on the North Bank and further work to cover the terram with a mix of soil and bark chippings
2. Bulb planting – we have a supply of spring bulbs from the Borough Council which need to be planted – the scale of this task might entail further ad hoc meetings
3. Jenny needs support to weed and maintain the wild flower beds on the North Bank
4. Colin has ferns to be planted in the tanked bed, and further fern transplanting and weeding.
5. We will undertake general maintenance tasks including raking the Leaf drop for storage on the compost heap.
   

Meeting Place – both Work Parties

All volunteers should meet at the Fernery at 9.30 am where the leaders will allocate tasks and distribute tools as appropriate for the two working parties. Volunteers are asked to decide before arriving which of the two working parties they would like to join, as this helps the organisation.

How to find the Fernery

If you have not visited us before you will be made very welcome. Please read the directions to find us.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves. All tools will be provided.

On your first visit the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (the Owners) require that you complete a personal details Form which will be retained by them for Public Liability Insurance purposes.

Objectives

We will operate two Working parties:

• Local Nature reserve – Habitat Management
• Fernery Garden – maintenance and some excavation

Weather Forecast – Long Range

Sunny Intervals and a moderate breeze.

Nature Reserve – Habitat Management

Andrew Beattie will lead this group which will start working in the new area identified by Chris James at the South East corner of the Fernery Field, and described last month.

The area of land between the start of the Public Footpath behind Clock House Gardens and the Fernery Field cattle fence, is owned by the Borough Council and for many years has been undeveloped scrub and grassland.

Earlier this year Maydencroft stripped the area of long standing brambles and scrub in readiness for management of the area and bringing it under control.

It is expected that volunteers will start planning and shaping the area to encourage wildlife, and better use and enjoyment of the space.

Fernery Gardening Group

The Fernery Team led by Harry Ward has been busy over recent weeks in ad hoc groups working on pressing tasks. Details of some of these tasks are included in the Report of the 19th September Working Party; they include opening the Parsons zigzag planting bed, and positioning and planting the recently installed Oak logs on the East Bank.

Tasks for Thursday 17th October are expected to include the following:

• Planting ferns and weeding with Colin and Sarah.  
• Working with Jenny on the wild flowers beds.  
• Raking leaves and twigs off the grass banks and paths. 
• Work on the north slope; cutting out areas of terram where the mulch has washed away, and infilling with soil and mulch. 
• Starting to excavate the newly exposed South Bank around the terracotta brickwork to establish its depth and possibly uncover another Parsons bed with a hard base and drainage.  

Meeting Place – both Work Parties

All volunteers should meet at the Fernery at 9.30 am where the leaders will allocate tasks and distribute tools as appropriate for the two working parties. Volunteers are asked to decide before arriving which of the two working parties they would like to join, as this helps the organisation.

How to find the Fernery

If you have not visited us before you will be made very welcome. Please read the directions to find us.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves. All tools will be provided.

On your first visit the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (the Owners) require that you complete a personal details Form which will be retained by them for Public Liability Insurance purposes.