NAPIER'S YESTERDAYS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 60, 27 March 1937, Page 10

NAPIER'S YESTERDAYS

Charles

Price

BY

Parks and Gardens

XXVI. Probably there is nothing which bo impresses the Napier visito'r at the present time as the beauty of the town's xeserves, its parks and" gardens. And certainly the town is fortunate in having 80 many beauty spots to attfaet the local xesidents as well as visitors. The need for a reserve, which should be both a beauty spot and a pleasure resort combined, was early recognised, and the site Of the pfesent botanical gardens was acqUired, and tvas laid out with native trees, flowers, etc. The shape of the section, ihe horse-shoe-like contour of the grouud, with its open centre, lent itself admirably to a lay-out which provided .many winding sheltered paths and cosy nooks, where One could rest from the heat of the sun ;s rayS, and gaze upon the beauty of the surroundings. It was not long before the Botanical Garens became Napier 's favourite resort on a Sunday afternoon, particularly in the spring and summer, when fiowers were in bloom and when, at frequent intervals, the band gave openair concerts. The first gardener for the botanical gardens was, I think, the late Mr. William Burton, who held the position for many years. He was follow"ed by the late Mr. George Alderton, who in turn waB followed by the recently deceased Mr. John Burton, eldest son of Mr. William Burton. All were good gardeners. Mr. William Burton in partieular Was a great lover of New Zealand and Australian native trees, and it is largely duc tQ him that the gardens coutain such a fine collection of these trees. For a considerable number of yeaTs the botanical gardens, like the COrnwall Park gardens in Hastings, contained a large aviary as well as houses for monkeys, kangaroos, wallabies and opossums. These were a great source of attractiJn to the small children, who never tired of gazing at the animals and birds, espeeially the former. At the outset, the aviary housed a very fine collection. of small birds, finches of various kinds, several varieties of sparrows, cushat doves, wongawOnga (or Australian native pigeon), noming pigeons, three varieties 4of pheasants, silver, Amherst and Eeeves', or golden pheasant, three varieties of ducks, and some black swans, while in a special enclosure on the other side of the p4th were emus and cassowaries. Such a varied collection of birds and animals dll with different habits and different " tastes in food, necessitated a great amount of care and attention, and the timo came, after a good deal of the dtock had died, when it was deemed advisable to get rid of the remainder of the stock and dispense with some of the labour which. the stock had required. " It was a good many years after tho botanical gardens had been Ustablished before any thought was given to- profiding other simijar beauty spots, nearer the centre of he town. Eventually, ilowever, it was deeided to transform the southern side of Clive Square, theu uierely a square of grass plots crisscrossed by paths from one corner to another, and bordered by trees, which nave now grown to be very stately specimens. And the change that has taken place in this portion of Clive Square durina the last few years is truly a transformation. Whether one traverses it by day or night, Clive Square is a wonderfuliy beautiful sight. The layout of the grounds shows them off to the best advantage. In the centre the tiny fountain plays on pretty water

iilies of snowy whiteness, lemon yellow with Grange centre, or white wi.th faint xnauve shbwing on the outside of the petals. Bordering the various paths afe always f ows _ of gerogeously tinted fiowers suitable to the season, while in the centre of each of the small neatlytrimmed grass plots are small beds of fiowers surrounding the eleetrie light standards, or pretty bougainvillas or . other bright-coloured flowering creepers, climbing up round the standards. Of Kentia palms the Clive Square gardens contain some magnificent specimens. On the opposite side of Clive Square, too, are very pretty borders of fiowers, with nicely kept grass plots in between the variOUs paths. The Marine Parade gardens, both the long plot exTehding from the corner Of Tennyson street right up to the baths, and that faeing the Masonic Hotel, are veritable pictures of beauty that cafinot fail to impress the beholder. To have so mueh beauty, combined with the glorious sunshine and sea air which has made Napier 's seafront famous, and to have all of these, and the wondrously beautiful Parker fountain, all within a few yards from the business centre of the town, is to possess attractions which few other towns can show. AnS these are not all the beauty spots which Napier possesses at the present time. The triangular plots in various parts of the town, at the junetion of the Marine Parade with Hastings street south, ThaCkeray street with Hyderabad road, Taradale road with Hyderabad road, and other parts, have all been tree and flower-pianted and made into attraetive-loolring gardea piom. '.Liie corner ox tne rauway station has also recently been beautified to euch an extent that it is now a very pretty place indeed, while the corner section alongside St. Patriek's Chureh has recently been beautified in the same way. And the Nelson Park cricket, croqUet and tennis ground may justly be deseribed as among the prettiest and best laid-out as well as among the best kept grounds of the kind in the Dominkm. Cricket pitches, tennis courts, eroquet lawns, hockey and soccer grounds are all beautifully kept, whils vho oval centre contributes to a most attractive lay-out.

It is at the greenhouses and glassdian of the reserves, Mr. C. W. Corner lives, and it is very largely to his skill and management that Napier 's many beauty spots are turned to such full use, anfi to such beauty. Under Mr. Corner 's oversight desolata looking patches of ground are made to blossom as the rose, flower borders planted in the morning blossom in the night as though by the touch of some magic wand, and next morning colonrful borders have taken the place of the bare patches. It is atthe greenhouses and glasshouses at Nelson Park, too, that most of the plants an.d seedlings for the various reserves are grown. McLean Park, Napier 's football and athletic ground, is also well kept and this ground with its two fine stands offers facilities for big representative football matehes, such as few places outside of the four chief centres can boast of.Altogether, quite apart from its many natural advantages from site and position, Napier 's many beautiful gardens, its parks aud sports grounds., and its splendid Marine Parade and Sound Shell, all contribute to make Napier a place of many and varied attractions to the tourist and visitor.