PUBLIC GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 1572, 3 May 1872, Page 3

PUBLIC GARDEN

(to the editoe op the timed.) Sir, — 1 have noticed for a long time past an advertisement in your paper of a bonus of twenty pounds for the best plan for laying out a piece of ground on the Puui Creek banks, as a public garden. I may as well tell you at once I atn neither gardener nor draughtsman. I have had no experience in laying out public grounds, op private domains, and I also lack the ability to prepare a pi m on paper, which upon a certain scale shall be plain and intelligible to professionals and non- professionals. I have nevertheless somewhat of an eye for the beautiful, and as an old man who likes to have, and to see other people have, the ■worth of money, I think I may drop a hint which will make the Council pause, before making an outlay, which, I feel certain must end, at least, in partial failure, as far as the purposes of true ornamentation, and the accomplishment of anything like a triumph in landscape gardening are concerned. A pretty toy, on the principle of the Dutch gardens, may be made on the site proposed,' or even an old maid's nice trim series of rectangular, or lozenge- shaped flower beds, with neat garden walks; but I venture to say, nothing that will prove permanently attractive or in any way worth the bonus offered fur its design. I will give you my reasons.- First, the space is too contracted, and secondly, the natural features of the land take off very much from the available space. The land, being about 12 acres, is pretty equally divided by the Puni Creek, making in reality two parcels of land to be operated on, each piece being too small in itself for any bold feature in gardening. Of course it will not be practicable to carry the garden on each side immediately to the margin of the creek, as at present. The garden must be protected from sudden and also gradual riging of the creek, and therefore a very considerable slope will have to be effected on each side ; this slope cannot be estimated at a width of less than from one chain to a chain and half wide, on each margin of the creek, and this of course wilJ materially diminish theground required for effect. Further, the situation of the lami and ita exposure to prevalent winds, will necessitate the takiug up of a disproportionate portion of the whole for the erection and growth of break-winds and shelter, with slope, shelter, and gravel walks, &c. &c, so that the room for any artistic display, or the introduction of much variety of scenery, will be very limited. I shall probably be laughed at for my " old fogyism," but I think it will be much to be regretted if, as I understand the matter, the Council has the control of the public park ou the belt, where such a fine field is open for making something really creditable to us as a community, and useful to us as individuals, the projected bit of child's play at gardening should be persisted in. As you know, I do not live in Invercargill, and am' very unlikely to use the garden wherever it is, I have no feeling in the matter but the good of all. — I am, &c, Senex.