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 […]
News
Goodbye to 2022 and Welcome to 2023
Report of the 19th January 2023 Working Parties. All volunteers at today’s Local Nature Reserve and Fernery Gardening Group working parties gathered together in the Danesbury Fernery at 11 a.m. for a ‘2022 Xmas Celebration’, delayed from 15th December 22 when heavy rain cancelled the original programme. Where Paul’s Mulled Wine (in Christine’s insulated container) […]
Oct 2022 – Restoring South Bank Steps
Early 19th Century gardening journals told us that steps existed from near the entrance down to the grotto but we had not been able to establish the location to any degree of certainty. There were two or three slopes that might have provided a route that matched the description but in January 2018 Ann and […]
July 2022 – Reflections on the 2022 Open Day
The team worked so hard. Once again we were having an Open Day on Thursday 30th June under the Welwyn Festival Banner. The beds had been watered well for two days as there had been very little rain for so long. We had weeded, added more gravel to the paths, and the grotto rockwork had […]
June 2022 – Open Day planning is well underway
Sara, our new Chair, has held a Planning meeting and the FODF Committee are all very busy addressing their allocated tasks. The Fernery will be ‘Open’ from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of the annual Welwyn Festival programme. There will be a £2 entrance charge for adults that goes to the Festival Committee […]
Thursday 19th May 2022 – Notice of work party
Weather Forecast – long range Sunny intervals and a gentle breeze. Management of Work on Danesbury Local Nature Reserve We operate two working parties on the morning of the third Thursday each month. and we have a Fernery Gardening group which meets regularly, frequently on a weekly basis depending on the level of weeding and […]
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. […]
21st April 2022 – A new Chairman for the FODF
Following the retirement of John Roper, Sara Donatantonio was elected Chairman unopposed at the AGM on Thursday 21st April 22. Paul Smith and Harry Ward were re-elected unopposed, as Treasurer and Secretary respectively. The existing Members of the Committee were all re-appointed viz, Sarah Marsh Jenny Hawkins Colin Adlam Alan Taylor John Roper had announced […]
May 2022 – FERNERY CLOSED FOR 3 WEEKS
Essential repairs to the Pulhamite rockwork will be carried out from Tuesday 3rd May 22. The rockwork has lasted extremely well since being constructed by the Victorians in 1859/60. Apart from the re-positioning of a couple of fallen rocks in 2017 as part of the current restoration project, we believe that this will be the […]
April 2022 – morning meeting postponed
Please note that exceptionally this Work Party will be postponed until 2.30 p.m. because the regular volunteers are holding an Annual General Meeting in the morning. Following lunch it is not planned to operate a Work Party on the Nature Reserve and any work organised in the Fernery in the afternoon is likely to involve […]