Beacon Park's Fernery and Museum Gardens brushed metal plaque

This brushed metal commemorative plaque records: Beacon Park's Fernery Museum Gardens opened as a public park in 1859, during the reign of Queen Victoria, at a time when ferns were popular exotic plants. They were believed to be magical and mysterious, due to the unusual way they reproduce by spreading microscopic spores rather than seeds. Ferns have had many uses over the years. The Ancient Greeks used fern extracts for ailments, including asthma, hair loss and kidney problems. Fern bracken were also used to thatch cottages, and fern ashes were used to make glass and soap. Beacon Park's Fernery was created in 2013.

Beacon Park's Fernery, opened within the Museum Gardens in 2013, revives a historical fascination with ferns dating back to the Victorian era when these plants were prized for their exotic allure and diverse practical uses, from traditional medicine to construction materials.