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You are here: Home / Archives for Research / Ferns and The Fernery

Ferns and The Fernery

Gymnogramma chrysophylla Parsonsii Or Pityrogramma austro-americana?

24th January 2020 By Colin Adlam Leave a Comment

The title might sound like a mysterious and, frankly, academic question but the significance may become clear in this article.

In the Pteridologist magazine in 2000 Patricia Watt mentioned that Anthony Parsons (AP) was honoured by having a fern, Gymnogramma chrysophylla parsonii , named for him. This is a Victorian name, no longer in use, so it was a bit of a mystery as to what this fern could be. No records have yet come to light from this once renowned gardener or from family archives that would shed light on what this fern looked like, or why AP was honoured by having it named for him.  Plants cultivars are often named for the first person to come across or cultivate the unique variation. The usual internet search did not throw much light on this as there seemed to be no readily available Victorian taxonomy to modern plant names translator.
Our friend Peter Blake of the Pteridological Society had a look at some historic books that he was familiar with and has found the modern name of the original. He feels it is a cultivar of Pityrogramma austro-americana, a small fern from central and southern Americas only suitable for hothouse growing but difficult to make thrive. Part of a group that have glorious golden or silver powder effect on young frond stipe, or stalk, and later a complete golden covering on the reverse of each mature frond, in the case of P. austro-americana.

We have found the following enticing information. In the 1850s AP was a well respected gardener, cultivator and exhibitor of both his fruit and flowers. In the 1860s he continued showing and added ferns, particularly his Pityrogramma calamelanos parsonii. He was mentioned in the ‘ Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener in 1865 for showing and gaining First Class Certificates.

Benjamin Samuel Williams of Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway, London, wrote a book in 1868 called ‘Select Ferns and Lycopods: British and Exotic’. It is a comprehensive instruction book and catalogue of ferns no doubt intended to encourage visits to his nursery and on page 140 he says:
“G chrysophyla parsonii – A most beautiful variety, obtained from seed (spore, Ed.) in this country. It retains all the beauty of the species, and, in addition, the apex of the fronds and every pinnae is densely and beautifully tasselled. This plant should be in every collection of tropical Ferns.”

George Schneider’s “Book of Choice Ferns” , 1893 describes Gymnogramma calamelanos parsonii as “A beautifully crested form, of comparatively dwarf dimensions, with fronds seldom exceeding 1ft. in length, and covered on their under-side with a beautiful dark yellow powder. They are of a very upright habit, their extremity being formed into a broad but finely-divided tassel, while each leaflet terminates in a crest, becoming smaller as they reach the base of the fronds. This variety is very variable in its mode of fructification, some plants producing fronds with more or less flattened crests. It is very liable to damping-off through excessive or accumulation of moisture in the crests of the fronds during the winter, when it must be kept in a particularly dry place, and as close to the light as possible.”

Peter has seen the un-crested Pityrogramma austro-americana in his travels to India and Ceylon as well as growing them in his own glass-house. He mentions that they are hard to grow but, as I have seen, are gloriously yellow stipe when young. 

So in conclusion, it appears our Victorian gardener here at Danesbury Fernery was either lucky or brilliant at cultivation and was one of the few people recorded then or since to have cultivated the Gymnogramma chrysophylla parsonii. We now believe it to be based on Pityrogramma austro-americana, which if anyone can find a crested version should again be named for Anthony Parsons.

Found on Sri Lanka Photo credit: Peter Blake
This plant is on the Island of Sri Lanka as the fern seems to have spread around the world near the equator.
Listed in Ceylon Flora as P aureoflava

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery, Research

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

Report – BPS East Anglia Group – Autumn Meeting – Norwich

23rd November 2018 By Colin Adlam Leave a Comment

On 27th October 2018 a small group from The Friends of Danesbury Fernery (FODF) met in Welwyn for a convivial drive up to Norwich for the regular autumn social get together of the British Pteridological Society East Anglia Group (BPS EA). Thanks go to Andrew for driving myself, Sarah and Harry all that way.

A visit en route to – The Plantation Norwich

The Plantation is a restored Victorian garden in an old chalk pit very close to Peter and Nick’s house, where the BPS EA Meeting was to be held. Before the start time of the EA Autumn Meeting we therefore took the opportunity to visit the Plantation under Nick’s guidance. Go to The Plantation -Norwich for a separate report.

The BPS East Anglia Group Meeting – attended by Andrew, Sarah, Colin and Harry 

After our visit to The Plantation, everyone was pretty chilled so warming coffees pulled us away from the Fern haven of a front garden, rising in steps to the house. A very friendly welcome and a quick tour highlighted Peter and Nick’s love of India, as well as Peter’s vast and impressive collection of ferns.  More impressive is Peter’s knowledge of ferns. Later we wandered outside again for the plant (fern) sale and got a chance to explore the front garden delights again and discover that the rear garden is similarly profuse with Pteridological delights.

We four had interesting conversations with attending BPS members over lunch provided by our hosts. There is a great deal of knowledge in the group, as I’m sure there is in any enthusiastic and specialist organisation.

With most members comfortably seated in Peter’s lounge Andrew began the presentation of Danesbury Fernery. With much interest and questions, and the other three of us chipping in occasionally, I think we ran over our time slot a little, but nobody seemed to mind. There was surprise at how much had been achieved in such a short time by a relatively small volunteer group at Danesbury. I am sure we can expect a good group of BPS members when they visit Danesbury on Saturday 20th July 2019.

Two more interesting and varied presentations took us on tours of foreign lands with ferns in the forefront and many splendid photos. Time constraints meant we had to make our excuses and we packed the boot of Andrew’s car with our purchased ferns. Some were for individuals, but the bulk have now been planted at Danesbury.

If you wish to see the individual plants and know where to find them just catch Sarah or myself on one of the working party days. We moved many of the Dryopteris filix-mas (male fern)  and Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich, or Shuttlecock fern) to ‘themed’ beds under trees to make room for the more interesting varieties.

Ferns being ferns, they will look a bit sad for the winter, but with the return of warmth, and some moisture, I am sure they will look beautiful by the summer next year. The themed beds should slowly become impressive as they form  homogeneous banks.

Colin Adlam

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery, Garden News, News, Reports

Our Own Pteridologist – an Introduction

23rd November 2018 By John Roper Leave a Comment

The following is written and posted by Colin Adlam

Am I a Pteridologist, or a Pteridomaniac?

I was looking through my old photos to see what triggered my interest in ferns. The photos show a tendency towards structural things, those not of family and friends. Buildings, trees, vehicles and latterly ferns. We used to visit a lot of National Trust properties with the kids and I think my first fern purchase probably came from one of them as a memento. In the mid ‘Noughties’ we had our front garden landscaped and had to re-plant the whole area. I acquired a small plot for the few ferns I had in containers and planted them out eagerly. The site was in the shade but above the root system of 2 vast Laurels that had once been the hedge, and a tall conifer. Not ideal.

Ferns in Front Garden 2009

Every spring copious watering would bring the ferns back to life again and continuous watering kept them lush for the summer months. I always looked forward to seeing those first croziers peek out and unfurl. They fascinated me. From about the year 2000 to 2010 my random collection grew to over 20 different species and cultivars with purchases at other NT houses and at Hampton Court RHS Flower Show, mainly bought from two guys that call their company ‘Fernatix’.

In 2009/10 we landscaped our back garden, with patio, water feature and fish pond, and I moved the main collection to two new areas. Leaving just a couple of large Blechnum nudum out front, the remaining plants were split between the small area next to our patio and a larger area below the pond. Both are on the southern boundary and shaded by a tree or the tall hedge. Masses of organic material was, and still is, dug in to keep the soil moist. Pride of place was given to the Polystichum setiferum ‘Plumosum Bevis’, a very darkly attractive Soft Shield fern.

Lower Fern Bed

Patio Fern Bed 2012

The interest in collecting leads naturally to wanting to learn more about ferns; to see, photograph and uncontrollably purchase more. I am a besotted and incurable ‘fernatic’, or what the Victorians called – a Pteridomaniac! In the last 10 years I have taken over 3 further areas of the garden, the most successful being the shady and sheltered unused strip along the side path.

A few years back my wife and daughter, visiting the Chelsea Flower Show, saw a stand run by an organisation with an unpronounceable name. Deciding that it would be a good joke, they signed me up for membership of the British Pteridological Society. The regular publications started arriving, 3 different formats of newsletter plus emails, and I eventually got to this year’s AGM. I was fearful that the number of ‘Dr.’ prefixes in the organisation would make for a very academic day. Far from it. The day included a reasonably short formal AGM, some interesting presentations and slide-shows, a sale of BPS branded goods and a spore exchange. I met nice people with a similar interest, but often a far greater knowledge of ferns than I have memory capacity for.

Having recently visited two couples in Norfolk who are Pteridoligical Society members I realise my collection, and my retention of details, is woefully short of optimum. So I consider myself a Pteridomaniac, rather than a Pteridologist, enjoying collecting ferns and learning what I can from browsing books and catalogues.

I hope to help the Friends’ of Danesbury Local Nature Reserve community that have welcomed me with open arms, and occasionally get the name of a fern correctly identified. I look forward to seeing you all at working days at Danesbury as often as I can make it.

Colin Adlam

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery

Parsons Bed planted – Tuesday 2nd October 2018

3rd October 2018 By John Roper Leave a Comment

The Task

On a bright morning, eight volunteers turned-out for an ad hoc meeting arranged via the WhatsApp  ‘Fernery Gardening Group‘** .

The single task was to work with Sarah, our Garden Adviser, who had laid the plants in position in the newly profiled Parsons Bed, and to start planting them.

The Parsons Bed is in the sun for longer periods of the day, and is therefore drier than the Central Bed.

Sarah’s planting objective therefore is to plant ‘Tropicals’ in the Parsons Bed which will thrive in those conditions, using plants that the Victorians themselves would have chosen for that position, and designed to complement the planting in the Central Bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planting List

Together with purchased stock plants, some beautiful plants were donated by the volunteers themselves.

The Planting List included:

yucca gloriosa, purple sage, cistus, sedums, carex grasses, phormiums, euphorbia, bluebell ‘river’ ferns (various) including dryopteris and asplenum.

Mulching

It is planned that the Borough Council will bulk deliver material to the site, timed for mulching to be a main task at our next Working Party on Thursday 18th October 2018.

 

** WhatsApp – ‘Fernery Gardening Group‘

If you are a Friend of Danesbury Fernery, and have a mobile phone, and would like to join the WhatsApp – ‘Fernery Gardening Group‘, please contact the Administrator John Roper

 

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery, Garden and Gardening, Garden News, News

Our Pteridologist writes – spare ferns are enjoying their new home.

26th August 2018 By John Roper Leave a Comment

The following is reported by Colin Adlam

For the June 17th Open Day, I planted some spare ferns from my garden, leaving them at that stage in their plastic pots. Most of these have survived thanks to the teams’ brilliant watering efforts throughout this exceptionally hot summer. Wasn’t it glorious?

All those new ferns that survived have now been properly planted in the beds where they were located, as the beds have now been properly dug-over. Only one or two ferns were lost completely, and those can easily be topped up later in the year.

I also trimmed any totally scorched fronds on other plants and can report that many of those had new croziers popping their heads up. We should see some good growth in a mild damp autumn.

All the ‘Tatting ferns’ up the back wall of the dropping well have survived, and I hope for a good show of an interesting decorative fern next year.

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery, Garden News

Building the Fernery

29th April 2018 By John Roper Leave a Comment


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 in 1852 his son William John Blake inherited the house. He asked Head Gardener Anthony Parsons to build a Fernery in an old chalk pit about 500 metres to the East of the House, incorporating Pulhamite artificial rock work.

No papers exist to describe how the Fernery was constructed and then planted, but Pulham’s promotional catalogue of the time confirmed the construction of a ‘cave, dropping well, pass for ferns and other rockplants in an old chalk pit but in artificial stone’.

After the death of Anthony Parsons on Christmas Day 1880, and although still receiving praise in The Gardeners Chronicle of 1881, it is doubted that the Fernery will have continued to be managed on anything like the same scale for the following reasons:

  • The Fernery was not very close to the House,
  • There was a succession of new owners after 1902,
  • Constructed in a pit, it was hidden from casual sight,
  • Maintenance of the Fernery will have been labour intensive,
  • The Victorian ‘fad’ of ”Ferning’ declined with the loss of men in the Great War
  • Suitable labour will have become scarce,

 

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery, Research

British Pteridological Society (BPS) Membership Confirmed

6th December 2017 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Treasurer Andrew has succeeded in arranging a group membership for “The Danesbury Fernery Volunteer Group“

The BPS are very interested in our Project and Andrew has already had contact from Dr Alison Evans, BPS Membership Secretary, and Dr Peter Blake acting Representative for the East Anglia section.

As East Anglia Area representative, Peter Blake (from Norwich) hopes to visit us in person at our work party of 15th March 2018.

Peter is also circulating all east Anglia members with details about our activities and our social media contacts, and we might therefore expect visits by local members of the society. Such contact would give us hands-on guidance on growing ferns. Peter is suggesting that if any BPS member has spare ferns, then we would be pleased to have them. (Many BPS members grow their ferns from spores that take two to three years to become a sustainable plant).

Peter Blake also recommends that the Friends of Danesbury Local Nature Reserve (FOD) visit the BPS website for details of regional events that are currently at the planning stage.  To access the BPS Members’ area which contains the plant exchange scheme details, you will need to note the user-name and password : BPSMember (case-sensitive) – the same for both boxes.

Out of interest, BPS Secretary Alison has commented to Andrew on one of the posts from our own website, How to Grow Specimen Ferns (principally the extract from Robinsons’s book documenting Anthony Parson’s systematic approach). She endorses the need to remove any chalk from the planting beds, and to try to plant domestic cultivars as ‘they are more resistant to rabbit and deer taste’.

 

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery, Garden News

How Parsons grew specimen Ferns

21st November 2017 By John Roper Leave a Comment


The following is an extract from  Alpine Flowers for English Gardens  by William Robinson and published in London by John Murray, Albermarle Street in 1870

Source:  https://archive.org/details/alpineflowersfo00robigoog

(Ed: I have corrected a few original typing/printing errors and introduced emphasis where helpful).

Part I – The Rock Garden (pages 24-26

Popular and almost universally cultivated as hardy ferns are, however, it is not at all common to see some of the most noble and interesting of them – The Royal Fern and several other Osmundas – otherwise in a shabby, or at best in a half-developed, condition.

Mr A Parsons, of Danesbury, a well-known florist and cultivator of ferns, has overcome this difficulty, and narrates his marked success in the pages of the ‘Florist and Pomologist’ [fruit grower]. 

He formed a very large fernery in an old chalk pit, and with much success; but notwithstanding all the care taken of the Osmundas and allied ferns, they were tried for four seasons with no satisfactory result, the roots of the surrounding trees robbing them of both soil and water.

“A change was then made: a piece of ground, of irregular shape, large enough to contain about twenty plants, was staked out, and the mould, or more correctly speaking, the chalk, was removed to the depth of three feet; a bricklayer followed, and put in a floor of three bricks laid on the flat, set in good Portland cement, and over this a layer of plain tiles, the sides being made up to the ground level with a four-and-a-half-inch wall, well built up in the same kind of cement; this made the whole water-tight, and prevented the roots of the surrounding trees from penetrating and robbing the ferns of their moisture.

The space was filled up with earth, compounded of good loam, peat, and leaf-mould, in equal proportions, with about one-fifth of good rotten manure added thereto; these ingredients were thoroughly mixed and well trodden in, and then the ferns were planted.

In forming this bed, provision was made for the escape of the surplus water, by introducing into the front wall, at about four inches from the bottom, a common three-inch drain-pipe, which communicated with a small tank, about three feet square, sunk into the chalk, so that all waste water became absorbed.  This method proved to be eminently successful, the plants far surpassing in size any I have ever seen under artificial cultivation and judging from report, rivalling their growth in their natural habitats.

Last season I could boast of Osmunda regalis with fronds at least eight feet in length, Osmunda spectabilis four feet and a half, Osmunda Claytoniana five feet, Osmunda cinnamomea three feet and the beautiful Osmunda regalis, var. cristata, three feet in length.  Adiantum pedatum grew from two to three feet in height, and others were proportionally fine.  The plants were not drawn up by being planted closely together, but were placed at a fair distance apart, and became handsome and noble specimens.

Every spring, I apply a dressing of about two inches of rotton manure to the surface, and just cover it with mould for the sake of appearance.  This artificial swamp is the admiration of all the visitors here.  The plants are always in a healthy and vigorous state, and have none of that half-starved appearance so frequently to be seen.  The result of my experience induces me to believe that a more liberal treatment would not be found objectionable in the cultivation of many more of our native ferns.

I intend making the experiment this season, and may possibly find time to make known what amount of success I may meet with.  In concluding my remarks upon which I may term ‘growing Osmundas under difficulties’ I would observe that the points to be principally attended to are:

  1. A deep water-tight and root-tight tank, the depth of which may, with advantage, be more than in the case I have described
  2. A rich nutritious soil
  3. An abundant supply of water
  4. A drain to carry off the surplus.”

Even the rare Killarney fern, usually kept in houses may be grown successfully in a cave in the rock-garden ….

 

Filed Under: Ferns and The Fernery

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