The Fern Study Day
Given by Margaret Nimmo-Smith on July 14th at St John Church, Danbury
It seems we are all fern lovers, that is, if the enthusiastic response on this study day is anything to go by. We learnt a great deal and the illustrated talk and demonstration given by Margaret Nimmo-Smith proved to be one of the most rewarding of our study days. She brought along an enormous number of growing ferns, as well as a representative collection of fern fronds, each clearly labeled with its own specific name. I know we are all grateful for the amount of hard work all this involved and it was particularly useful and revealing, for it showed the extraordinary differences in individual ferns - some so bold and architectural and others fine and delicately fashioned and all differing greatly in varying shades of green.
Even more than formerly known, I am sure we were all amazed to see and hear of such tremendous diversity. The Dryopteris and Polystichum species alone can muster up dozens and dozens, each a personality in its own right.
A polystichum highly recommended by Mrs. Nimmo-Smith was
Polystichum munitum. It can make quite a substantial clump of evergreen fronds in two tones of green. A very luxuriant plant. Among the many intriguing variations of the lady fern, Athyrium filix-femina, is the tatting fern, Athyrium ‘Frizelliae’, after a Victorian lady in Ireland. It has extremely narrow nine to ten inch fronds, which appear almost frilled with tiny pinnae placed alternately along the mid-rib, or rachis. It is easily grown in ordinary soil. The painted fern, Athyrium niponicum var. pictum is deservedly popular, with its lovely colour variations, of reddish hue then washed over with silver.
In fairly moist, dappled shade, the delicately cut fronds of the hardy maidenhair fern, Adiantum venustum, are a delight. It can be quite a vigorous spreader. (If I had a large garden it would be a favourite ground-coverer). But with dry shade Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Linearis’ might be a good idea. This species has particularly finely cut pinnae giving each frond a very light and airy appearance. I was delighted to be able to come away with a plant. A fern that seems to make an almost dramatic contrast with others is a form of Japanese holly fern (or Fortunes holly fern) Cyrtomium fortunei. It is easily pleased, evergreen, with roughly two feet arching fronds almost ladder-like in the simplicity of their plain widely spaced pinnae.
These few examples give but the barest hint of what we enjoyed seeing and hearing about and we have to thank Margaret Nimmo-Smith for giving us such an enjoyable and valuable insight into this large subject. A book she warmly recommended for further help is Martin Rickards’ ‘The Plant Finders Guide to Garden Ferns’. It is very good also for identification, with its splendid illustrations.
It had been planned to visit a garden in the late afternoon but it fell through. As always, David and Kath Barker very kindly came to the rescue and we finished the day in their peaceful woodland garden - a lovely conclusion.