Oldest 'resident' goes on show

OCAV’s oldest ‘resident’ has come out in public for the first time in a long time for residents and visitors to enjoy. The 105-year-old maidenhair fern has been in the garden shed, protected from unfriendly elements for a few years.

The maidenhair has moved around over the years, but is always accompanied by a piece of paper, which tells its history. It reads:

“This fern originally belonged to Mrs Fanny Alexander, who died in childbirth in 1913. After her death it was given to her younger sister, Ella Davies, who had it for many years before giving it to her daughter Lois Miller, a resident of Leith Park.

It has since been donated to Leith Park Activities Committee, where it was raffled at their fete on 13th March 2004.
The winner was Pam Wanless of 17 Sumner Ave, Rushall Park & then of 8 Grice Ave.”

Pam, who had been a member of the Garden Committee at Rushall Park, handed the maidenhair fern to the head gardener Marika Pedrioli.

Caption: Garden Party Committee member Carole Geneva admires the fern.