SUMMER GLORY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1913, Page 9

SUMMER GLORY

* 1 - COLOUR IN THE GARDENS The glorious masses of colour now to be seen in the Botanical Gardens hay« attracted large number* of visitors during the past week or ten days. Th© policy seems to have been to devote rather Ices space to formal stiffly arranged beds in the Italian style thurt to great pafccheß of vividly coloured flowering plants. The penstemons in shade^ of pink, lilac, scarlet, crimson, and violet have been used with excellent effect on the -great bank upon which the sutterin* tendent'* house is situated and also 111 the various beds, notably in the new portion of the new gardens on the road B|de near the tramline. Here these brilliantly coloured flowers are for the time being occupying a- bed which will b»e devoted to rhododendrons, which flourish.' at a. tjtn& when other colour is wcarco in thfe gardens. This addition is most welcome to the comparatively" Ehiall area' which is not in native bush. It is brightly verdftut with its turfed banks, and crowning the kholl where the much-debated stable was to be ib a mass of flaming scarlet geraniums, which arrest the eye as soon as on^ comes within sight of them. They will presently bloom out against ft heavy background of greenery, pittoe» porutns having been planted for the purpose. t It is a fancy of the euperrntendent ' (Mr. Glen) to have a certain part of the gardens available for planting memorial trees. For example, in Parliament House Grounds will be seen to-dffy (not* withstanding the changes that have recently taken place there), a Norfolk Wnnd pine planted by the late Duke of Edinburgh many years ago. It s«ems now to hive reached maturity. However, in the Botanical Gardens there are to[ be seen a tree planted by Mts. T. M. Wilford, to wit., a yellow kowh&i, also a- tree planted by Mr. Wilford when Mayor, and the,v are doing well. Perhaps the most interesting recent add!* tions are two genuine Oregon pineil. They were gathered in the forests by the mate of the -American baTquetitrne Koko Head. It was thought that o&e tree only was taken, but on closer examination here it was found that there wete two trees clo«e together. These were kindly presented to the Gardens. &ud one of them was planted out by Councillor Frost, Chairman of the Reserves Committee. There is a bank which would be very suitable, in Mr. Glen's opinion,, for the planting of trees by notable visitors, and it is near the band stand. So., long, however, as the stand remains .\v ( here it is it would, he thinks, be i'ntrle to plant this particular spot in the manner he suggests, because of the large number of j.eople who gather round to listen "lo the -music, so that the memorial trees might not have such a long life as that planted by thu Royal Duke in ParhV mctrt grounds. ."■The fernery in the garcjens is now, well established, but it is not open every day, to the general public, because a, caretaker cannot always be Bpared to keep an eye on visitors. Unfortunately, it has been found that vigilance on the part of custodians is indispensable. Ladies, it is understood, need more watching than men in the gardens. In the enclosed garden fuchsias of. many varieties seem to predominate just now. They are in their prime, ranging from tiny little bells 'of scarlet and purple to great deep red bnlbous double blooms, \yrth heavy glossy green ob golden foliage. At the gate of the enclosed garden will be- seen the New Zealand lace bark tree. It is about to burst into flower. In a few days its leaves will be difficult/ to see for the masß of white blossom which is novir about to appear. Behitfd this tree, which is constitutionally father weak, will be seen .the young kauri rrka, v. Methuselah will see 1 .that tree attain maturity. It is, however, doing well, notwithstanding it is so i&v south of the limited ZOrie' to which ifc is indigenous. " " , There is always a tendency- -to put off going to • a public garden, museum, 'or picture gallery. But it should be remembered that flowers won't wait. They are seen at their best now—the summer flowers— ahd the sight more -than repay #' the. time sjent in the gardens.