Grace A. Woolson

A Lost Lady of Garden Writing Who Wrote About Ferns

Ferns and How to Grow Them by Grace A. Woolson (1905)

Last winter, I started cataloging all my books using CLZ Books so I would have a searchable record of the books in my library, which is helpful to have when I run across an interesting book that I think I should buy. I can now check to see if I already own it.

Going through all my older books was also a good way to find more lost ladies of garden writing. Sometimes they are hiding out by using just their initials with their last name, like G. A. Woolson, who turned out to be Grace A. Woolson, author of Ferns and How to Grow Them (1905).

And so I began my search for Grace.

She turned out to be easy to find because someone in 1911 kindly thought to write a fairly complete obituary for her in the Rutland (Vermont) Daily Herald, even though she was, as they put it, "the last of her family."

Here's the full obituary:

"Pittsford, June 25 — (Special) — Miss Grace A. Woolson, who died at Proctor hospital Friday noon, after several months' illness from cancer, was the daughter of the late Levi and Elizabeth Woolson of Pittsford Mills, and was the last of her family, her nearest relatives being cousins, Charles A. and William D. Woolson of Springfield, and Harian S. Miner of Philadelphia. Miss Woolson was born October 17, 1856 and received her education in the Springfield high school and Kimball Union Academy of Meriden, N.H. She was a successful teacher in the public schools of this vicinity for several years. Possessing a great love of plant and animal life she became a skillful gardener and an expert in the study and care of ferns, which she cultivated mostly rare and beautiful specimens.

She was a member of the American Fern society, at one time a candidate for its presidency, and a member of the Vermont Botanical club. She published a successful book on "Ferns and How to Grow Them," besides many articles on gardening and other outdoor articles in the New York Independent, Country Life and other papers.

Funeral services were held this afternoon at her late home in Pittsford Mills, and were largely attended by friends and neighbors. Rev. C. H. Smith, pastor of the Congregational church officiated.

The bearers were J. A. Eayres, J. D. Andrews, W. T. Denison, J. V. Clifford, S. R. Burbank and James Halpin. Among those present from out of town were C. A. Woolson of Springfield, H. S. Miner of Philadelphia, Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Andrews and Dr. and Mrs. Welch of Proctor. The burial was in Evergreen cemetery."

What else do we need to know about Grace?

With a bit more searching, I discovered she had a sister who was about six years older, Abbie, who died in 1871.

Grace also made the papers in August 1900 when she was bitten by a "kissing bug" which was identified by experts when she sent it off to be looked at.

Next I decided to look at Google Books to see if any of Grace's articles are available online.

I found a clip in the American Fern Journal about Grace finding a rare fern in Vermont. (FYI...the American Fern Journal is still being published today by the American Fern Society.) Her discovery of this fern was also written about in a previous article but in that one, she's referred to throughout as "Mr."

Harrumph, as they say. No further comment on that!

I did one last search, this time for quotes by Grace. Nothing. So I looked through her book and came up with one.

“Thus did Nature artistically adjust my failure.” -- Grace A. Woolson

Feel free to use it as you wish. I think it would make a nice sign to put near a wild area of your garden. Or you can use it as you walk through your garden, showing it to others. With a wide sweeping gesture of your hand, you can point out a particular flower border that turned out so much better than you imagined it would and say, "Thus did Nature artistically adjust my failure."

Because quotes tend to get shared online as graphics, I made a graphic for this quote. Feel free to download and share it.

(The original story of Grace appeared on my website on March 1, 2023.)