“THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL.”

Shannon News, 9 March 1926, Page 4

“THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL.”

PRIZE ESSAYS. Following are the winning essays in the Levin Horticultural Society’s competition at this week’s show in tiie primary school. ; FIRST PRIZE. Written by Irwin Andrew (passed Standard VI, but remained in it). As I walked thi'ough tlie garden gate, a beautiful fragrance of flowers seemed to steal over me. Birds, sang gaily; bees droned drowsily, and the sun shoaie brightly. I looked around me; Illy eyes met a sight I .shall never forget. In a small circular bed surrounded hy a dainty border of turf stood a blaze of scarlet poppies, their dark centres contrasting deeply against the light red petals. Then came a beautiful clump of white iormed among green leaves ,/ and stalks. Pansies of every variety and hue, dahlias, the petals resembling icicles with purple violets, were scattered here and there. White jonquils with deep yellow centres and golden daffodils swayed together in the breeze. In .different places of the garden were clumps of scarlet geraniums, white pink Carnations gave off their i sweet fragrance. I came to a rustic 1 seat where sweet peas of every hue I scented the morning air. Bees flew from flower to flower, gathering the ! pollen. In the centre of this paradise of sweet fragrance and brilliant colour stood a beautiful rustic arch entwined with flowers and creepers of all varieties. Lovely red and white roses grew round the bottom of the aich, giving off a beautiful perfume. Then as I turned to leave this (lovely place, my main feeling was one of infinite regret. As I walked slowly out of the garden, the wind sighed among the trees and seemed to wish me farewell.

SECOND PRIZE, Written by Queenie Dawson (Standard VI.) The garden flowers are busy with the shower, That fell ere sunset; now methinks they talk Lowly and sweetly as befits . the hour, , One to another down the .grassy walk.

The most beautiful thing in the world perhaps, is a carpet of flowers. They are the expression of life in its daintiest guise. What a world of beauty lies within a flower! and whether we look at the blossom itself, the leaf or the very inside Of the stem, in each lies enshrined the wondrous skill of a hand divine.

At the cutset of the year, while nature lies asleep, we look eagerly for the usual signs of awakening among the flowers and we are net disappointed. Here a primrose or a daisy peeps out and there an early primrose raises its tiny head. The dandelion is always with us, but who can wax eloquent in summer in the flower that persists in pushing itself before us in our garden as if to say, “You see, I am spoiling /our garden.’’^ Arbours, fountains, tram hedges, grassy seats, and shady trees give character and beauty to our garden. In order to groiw any considerate variety of flowers, we must screen our garden from cutting winds. The arrangement is also necessary, the centre should be kept open, and frame and mass the sides. Flowers of coloured foliage are most effective against a back ground of green foliage. A world from which the gardens have been banished is as unthinkable as a world without life. THIRD PRIZE. Written bv Eva Morris (Standard VI.) j We, .in New Zealand, perhaps do I not realize the beauty and wonder of a garden, and do not appreciate it, but in the biggest cities of the wold, for instance London in the slums, many of the children have never , seen the country, and <all the beauty of a garden. One working in .a garden, and seeing the beautiful flowers and plants which one helps to grow, begins to love them, and to love nature. The natural garden is perhaps the

more beautiful, with its gorgeous confusion of colours, and wild dies ary \of flowers. The beautiful wild berries, and birds, but above all the feeling of solitude. j The man tilling his small plot of land, or a slum .child with its little garden, is more happy than the wealthy man with his many gardeners, to attend to his garden.