While preparing for a recent class on ferns for the Northwest Horticultural Society, I discovered a delightful book that has been in our collection for several years. Fern Fever: The Story of Pteridomania (2012) by Sarah Whittingham, is an extremely detailed, well-researched and well-documented history of fern collecting and growing. It especially focuses on the widespread and fervent interest these plants generated in Britain during the last half of the 19th century. This book is also a lot of fun!
Prior to the 1830s, ferns were minor players in the herbals and floras of Britain. The invention of the Wardian case was one reason for the change. These structures, much like a large terrarium, kept an even moist atmosphere for humidity-loving plants and provided a barrier to the polluted air of sooty London and other major cities. They quickly became a fashionable accessory for every middle class household.
Another discovery was a plenitude of ferns in the native flora, and that many species were prone to sporting fascinating varieties, ripe for collecting and propagating. Resorts sprang up in areas with rich fern floras, and collecting prize examples was a popular vacation pastime. “Visitors to ferny districts not only picked and bought ferns, but also purchased fern albums and local knick-knacks and curios featuring the plant as a motif…to demonstrate one’s refined taste, in both choice of holiday destination and souvenirs and presents.”
The only downside to this book is its scarcity – the Miller Library copy is for library use only. However, Whittingham also wrote The Victorian Fern Craze (2009), a condensed but equally engaging version of her later work, which is available to borrow.
Excerpted from the February 2020 Leaflet, Volume 7, Issue 2.