A Problem for Parsons Although expert as a fern cultivator, Anthony Parsons had his frustrations developing the Danesbury Fernery. In particular, he could not get one family of native ferns ‘the Royals’ to grow to their best advantage. He grew these large ferns “at a fair distance apart” and was not going to rest easy […]
History
May 2022 – The Rockwork Repaired
Following the closure of The Fernery and restoration of the rockwork by Alan Bishop & Associates over the past two weeks, (see earlier report on this website) the FODF and the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) have been very happy to sign off the work, and the Fernery has been re-opened to the general public. […]
Historical note – the Closure of Danesbury Hospital in 1993
Editorial Note: The following notes were kindly offered by Henry McIntosh when he learned that at some stage we planned to develop this website to include more historical facts about Danesbury House and its residents; to include the events leading to the relocation of long-term patients from the original Danesbury Hospital to their new premises […]
Building the Fernery
In 1851 William Blake employed a highly-regarded Head Gardener Anthony Parsons. His obituary published in The Gardeners Chronicle of 1881 ³ confirmed his gardening expertise and sound judgement: he was “successful in originating some fine new varieties of British and other Ferns, one being named in his honour Gymnogramma chrysophylla Parsoni. When Wiliam Blake (senior) died […]