Harry and Alan at work finishing the side poles.
News
Grotesque Welcome (2) – Wednesday 28th February 2019
Harry and Alan have been busy further developing techniques for dressing the Entrance Poles.
And nearly finished – Grotesque Welcome (3)
Report of Scouts Tree Planting – 23rd February 2019
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.
Report of Working Party – Thursday 21st February 2019
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.
Notice – Scouts Tree Planting Saturday 23rd February 2019
As a major next step in encouraging young people to get involved with our voluntary restoration activities in the Fernery, in a positive way, the 1st Welwyn Scouts are helping us with tree planting on Saturday 23rd February between 1100 hrs and 1300 hrs.
The scouts will be accompanied by parents and leaders and will be directed by the Danesbury Fernery Garden Adviser Sarah Marsh who, having agreed a planting list with the Borough Council, has sourced trees from selected suppliers.
The Tree planting includes:
- 1x malus silvestrus 8′ tall
- 2x clerondendrons 6′ tall
- 4x wild roses (small)
- 2x variegated hollies
- plus some whips in the perimeter.
All necessary tools will be made available on site by the Friends of Danesbury Fernery, and all attendees are being advised of the need to wear strong boots and suitable outdoor wear, and to bring a hot drink for refreshment.
This work will greatly help and improve the conservation area and will go towards the following badges and awards
- World challenge award
- Teamwork challenge award
- Environment conservation activity badge
- Community impact staged activity badge
Notice of Work Party Thursday 21st February 2019
Weather Forecast (Long Range)
Sunny intervals and a gentle SW breeze. Mild
Tasks
As with the January 2019 working party 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., 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 the first meeting made, have a look at the Report of last months Working Party).
Fernery Garden
John will lead this group.
Sarah has 10x perennials to be planted in the Parsons Bed, and 4x to be planted on top of the grotto. More established perennials in the various borders will need cutting back.
Jenny has more cultivated wild flowers to plant on the North Chalk Bank.
Scouts – Perimeter Planting – Saturday 23rd February
To continue the work we started in 2017-18 to encourage young people to take a direct interest in our conservation work, a group of scouts with their leaders will be on site on Saturday 23rd February between 1100-1300 hrs to plant
- 1x malus silvestrus 8′ tall
- 2x clerondendrons 6′ tall
- 4x wild roses (small)
- 2x variegated hollies
- plus some whips in the perimeter.
Sarah will be supervising and if you have one or two hours spare, your help will be very much appreciated.
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.
Graffiti Removal – Update
We had one false start on Monday 11th February, when the men with the high pressure steam powered cleaning kit were on site, but the required size generator to be supplied by a (national) Hire Company, failed to show up. After much hanging about the exercise was abandoned for the day.
Tuesday morning 12th February presented a second false start and was about to be abandoned for a second time when, after much online searching, the correct sized 6.5kw Generator was found to be available at very short notice and supplied by a local Welwyn Garden City Hire Company.
The third re-start was managed successfully at mid-day.
And what success – beyond our wildest expectations, and with no apparent long term damage to the Pulhamite stone work.
Harry was the lucky volunteer to have remained on site as the action started mid-day, and was completed within 2 hours. He has produced this stunning video clip, which shows how efficiently the graffiti was removed.
The Site warnings have been removed and the Fernery is once again open.
Friends’ Groups News
Chris James, Landscape & Ecology Officer from Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, has published the 2019 Newsletter which introduces Friends from all the volunteer Groups, to the work programmes underway at each of the sites across the Borough, including the work of the Friends of Danesbury Local Nature Reserve/Fernery.
All individual Friends should have received their personal copy, but failing that, go to The Newsletter for a good read.
Graffiti Removal
The Council has arranged for contractors to be on site on Monday 11th February 2019 to commence the task of removing the painted graffiti on the Pulhamite man-made rockwork in the grotto and surrounding areas.
The technique to be used involves DOFF, a Super-heated water steam cleaning technique which is designed to remove paint from sensitive and historic masonry and building facades, without damaging the integrity of the surface and substrate structure.
The contractor will have access from within the Fernery Field. They will bring their own generated power, and will use the mains water supply to the Fernery. We have to hope that the weather conditions will allow safe access for their equipment across the field.
It is not therefore expected that there will be any major disruption to local traffic, although quite sensibly walkers will be asked to keep clear, and the Fernery will remain closed off until the work is completed.
With fingers crossed, we remain confident that we will be able to run the next volunteer work party on Thursday 21st February on schedule. But please keep your eyes on our Calendar.
Report of Work Party – Thursday 17th January 2019
Weather and attendance
The 7-day weather forecast was proved correct and it was as cold as it was bright with a chill factor from the light breeze. We had a turnout of 15 volunteers and we split into two groups as follows:
- Nature Reserve
- The Fernery
Tasks Completed
Nature Reserve
A group of 6 volunteers led by Andrew, and joined by Chris James (WHBC), started at the bottom of the track: cutting back scrub, tidying up around the ferns which are growing naturally on the bank there, and clearing leaves with the aid of a leaf blower.
The Fernery Garden
A second group of 9 volunteers led by John, gathered up fallen leaves and stored them in the compost cage, weeded the planted beds, planted more of Jenny’s cultivated wild flowers on the North Chalk Bank, and cleared grass and weeds away from the young tree whips around the perimeter.
Planting wild flowers 
Perimeter tree care 
