ST. MARY'S ROSE SHOW.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1917, Page 6

ST. MARY'S ROSE SHOW.

A GRAND DISPLAY. The sliow of roses and other blooms at .St. Mary's-Hall yesterday was well worthy of the large attendance botli in the afternoon and evening. It was iv display that was a tribute to tlie growers as well as to the climate, of Tarana'ki, and the magnificent specimens of blooms elicited the admiration of all the visitors, Tlio exhibition was all the more attractive on account of the object for wliich it was' hold, being to assist Hie fund for the rebuilding of the Sunday School. New Plymouth has been called the ''garden of New Zealand," and the great variety of the exhibits, the wealth of bloom, the delicacy of coloring and shade, audi the perfect form of thfc blooms show that the appellation is well deserved. Without doubt the show eclinsed all nrevious exhibitions made in St." Mary's' Hall. -Unfortunately, the hall is rather small for so comprehensive .a display, and some of the exhibits were overcrowded, and consequently did not appear to full advantage. The general arrangement of the stalls was tastefully Worked out, and the white background showed up the blooms well. A number of rustic arches, covered with sprays of climbing roses and foliage, gave a very pleasing effect. Non-competitive exhibitions formed the greater part of the display, and as these were not limited to roses, an endless variety of choice blossoms was arranged round the walls and on the platform.

Messrs -Duncan ami Davies. of Westown, had a particularly fine display of rhododendrons, probably the best in th" show, tlio colorings being delicate ai-■•". unusual. Boses made a fine siiowk.; and a couple of vivid scar'.i-i blooms p.; the semi-double "Red Letter Day" were greatly admired. Mr. C. C. Easmussen, of Wanganui, tnade a striking display of rose.- 1 , watsonias, land hybrid gerbcras i-'" ,, 'iTKii. better known as South African flnisn-', in great variety and of unusual shades and tints.

Messrs F. HeneTield and Sons, of Aramoho, exhibited a wide selection of their newest and choicest roses and rhododendrons, and they are generously devoting 12i per cent, of tho amount realised on orders taken at the show to the Sunday School building fund. Mr. Henry King, of Mangorei, also exhibited a great variety of beautiful roses. Mr. King is recognised as one of Taranaki's most successful rose-growers, and his exhibition was a centre of attraction to all who visited the show yesterday.

Mr. Stanley Shaw, one of Taranaki's leading amateur horticulturists, had a splendid display, chiefly of roses, which were well arranged on the wall space at the back of the platform. Mr. Shaw carried off the rose championship of tho show with a perfectly formed Mrs. IT. Wallace Rowe bloom. This is a glorious rose of generous size, of a delicate tint between a flesh and a rose pinlc, with smooth, massive, and curling petals. H is a perfect flower of exhibition size. Sweet peas, arranged with maiden-hair, phlox, antirrhinums, nemesias, and South African daisies and other choice varieties, gave the finishing touches to the exhibit.

Mrs. 11. J. M. Wells exhibited some ■beautiful Fran Karl Drusehki roses. This rose is of huge size, and is one of the finest white roses grown.

Mrs. T. C. List's exhibit of roses, rhododendrons, scarlet verbenas, lilies of the valley and other blooms \.as tastefully arranged, being well set oil' by a large bowl of the showy and attractive Japanese azalea molliss and delicate sprays of guypsophila. , Mr. J. Gibson contributed a fine and very wide selection of blooms, many of them of uncommon varieties. The'display of. foliage included purple beech, and the quaint green and yellow abutilin. His other exhibits included two varieties of the brilliant blue delphinium, campanulos, rhododendrons, ixias, polygalas, watsonias, roses and other choice blooms.

Mrs. M. J. Armstrong's display consisted of a very unique selection of antirrhinums and roses, there being over

twenty small vases of the first-named blooms in a wonderful range of -color and shade, making a particularly bright and attractive showing. Mr. Newton King had an extensive showing of roses of many classes, petunias, carnations, and fuse-bias. Mr. R. Cock, in addition to roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, and sprays, had a bloom of the quaint Soutli African strclitza, generally known as the Paradise flower, a mostly oddly formed blossom with petals of a most brilliant orange and blue. The bloom somewhat resembles the head of a gorgeous bird. Mr J. Frethey, of Frankleigh Park, ■made a-fine display of roses, rhododendrons, azaleas, South African daisies, heaths, petunias, etc. Some exceptionally fine clematis blooms were shown, and the deep purple glasiandra grandiflora, of which- there is only the one exhibit, is a striking bloom. > Mrs. Jno. Wheeler's display attracted considerable attention. Its features wore the particularly beautiful pink and white fieaths, peas,, carnations, verbenas and roses.

* Mrs. E. Griffiths had a nice selection of roses of many varieties and several vases of very fine pansies. Mr. C. E. Bellringcr showed sweet peas, roses,\ind antirrhinums; Mrs. E. A. Walker, roses (double and single) and a fine spray of the "Shower of Gold" climber; Mrs. A. Gray,- roses; Mr. C. Sanders, rhododendrons and amaryllis; Mrs. Jas. .Scanlan, roses, ixias, sp'ircas and nemesias, the chief feature being blooms of the white Frau Karl Drusehki] Mr?. 11. Weston, roses; Mrs. K. 0. Hughes a well-arranged vase of roses; Mrs. E. J. Ellcrm, roses, and Mr. F. W*. Sandford had a lino collection of roses and other blooms.

A particularly interesting exhibit was made by Mr. W. K. Haddrell in the shape of a preserved rose, which bloomed in England in Kill, and was brought here by Mr. Haddrell some years ago. Carnations, sweet peas, and certain other flowers may be similarly treated, but the , foliage cannot be preserved. The bloom appears almost as fresh as if just plucked. The champion rose of the whole show was exhibited by Mr. Stanley Shaw, as mentioned above, and the champion in the competitive classes was an exquisite specimen of the snow-white Frau Karl Drusehki shown by Mr. D'Arcy Robertson. Dainty afternoon tea and supper were dispensed in a pleasantly decorated side, room by Mesdames Keal, Mason and Maekie, and Misses Jones, Haslett, Putt, Godfrey, and Eeube. Apart from the many exhibition displays there were very fair entries in the competitive classes, in yrhich awards .were made as follow

COMPETITIVE SECTION 1- . Judge, Mr. Rasnmssen, Wanganui. The awards in the competitive section were as follows: ROSES NAMED. "" While-.—Mr. D'Arcv Robertson I, Mrs H. ,1. M. Wells 2;' Red.—Mr. D'Arcy Kobertson 1; Cream or yellow.—Mis.; Pelham 1; 'Pink (three 'blooms)— Mi' D'Arcy Kobertson 1; three of <lir;tinct varieties —Miss Crooke- 1 and 2; six of distinct varieties—Mr. D'Arcy Robertson 1; six of three climbing varieties —-Mr. D'Arcy Kobertson 1; three single —Mr. JJ'Arcy Robertson 1; three tea, distinct varieties—Miss Pelham 2; three H.P. or H.T., distinct varieties.—Miss Pelham 1 and 2. NOT NAMED. Any variety.—Mrs D. K. Morrison ), Miss iPelham 2; three, anv varielv Mr. D'Arcy Kobertson 1. Mrs D. K. Morrison 2, Miss Crooke 3; si.v, distinct varieties.—Miss Pelham 2; twelve, any variety.—Miss Pelham 1; spray ot climbing, any variety.—Mrs. Morrison I, Mr. D'Arcy Robertson 2; natural spray of pol van thus or bunched flower. '—Miss Pelham 1 and 2.

DECORATIVE CLASSES. (Judges: Mesdames Harvie, DennyBrown, and Bradbury.) Bowl of roses.—Miss A. Wilson 1, Mr?. Gilbert 2; massive table decoration, roses only in any foliage.—Miss Frcthey 1, St. Mary's Choir 2, Miss Ruebe h.c; mantclniecc.—Miss F. Putt 1, Miss Curtis 'J. Miss A. Wilson h.c. The decorated table competition hetween the Girls' Friendly Society and the C.E.M.-S., which was judged by populai vote, resulted in a fairly easy winfo* the first named, who had arranged a bright exhibit of almost every garden (lower, together with greenery and blossoming manuka. Tho other table, witi: its neatly arranged rose howls anc, sprays, also looked very we".

CHILDREN'S CLASSES. -T Two buttonholes: girls over 12—Freds' ilirsl 1, (Iwen Bayly 2; girls mulor 12 —Lois Wilson 1, Fay Wright 2; boys over 12. —K. Neal 1; bovs under 12 Ray Elliott 1, Neil MacDiarmid 2, V. Carthew and Gordon Bay ley (equal) 3. . Spray, girls under lG,roses only.— Gwen Baylcy 1; any flower, Freda Hirst 1; basket, girls under 10. —Maisie Wright 1, Hazel Buckle 2, Fay Wright 3; vases, girls' under 10. — Eileen Buckle lj decorated table, girls under Hi. —Gwen Baylcy 1, Elma Oarthew 2, Freda Hirst 3; girls under 10. —Lois Wilson and Eileen Blundeh, equal. 1, Dorothy Morton 3. During the evening a programme of music was given by Mrs. Movcrle.y's orchertra and St. Mary's choir, and this helped materially in giving additional pleasure to visitors. Two part songs, '•My True Love hath My Heart" .ml "Goodnight, Thou' Glorious Sun," were well rendered by i..e choir. TO-DAY. The show will he open this afternoon only, and those who have not yet paid a visit, to the hall should not fail to fake this last opportunity to see the splendid exhibition.