Ohakune garden assessors well pleased

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 270, 17 January 1989, Page 16

Ohakune garden assessors well pleased

The following is the report from Norma Cranston, one of the judges in the recent Ohakune Garden Competition.

With my co judge Mrs Barbara Brown I have pleasure in presenting this report and announcing the winners of the garden competition as judged from the street for 1988 on Friday December 2. The winners are as follows: 1st: Mr M.G. and M. Bishop, of 9 Moore Street; 2nd: Mrs O. Frew, of 34 Shannon Street; 3rd: Mrs J. Duigan, of 38 Shannon Street; 4th: Mr and Mrs D.N. Sanders, of 49 Tainui Street. In judging, the criteria we used is to be found in "Flowers for Shows" The Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture's Hand Book. For those unfamiliar with this publication, we judged on their section "Gardens From The Street", the format for this is as follows: - Flowers: 25 points; Harmony, Design and Arrangement: 25 points; Cultivation and Maintenance: 20 points; Lawns: 10 points; Boundaries: 10 points; Tree and Shrubs: 10 points; 100 points maximum. Gardens naturally

always appeal to different people in different ways, but using the above set formula, fairness to all gardens was, we feel, achieved. The award winning garden, which merits further comments, certainly didn't achieve maximum points. Notably the section "flowers" was somewhat sparse. Whilst there was certainly some "colour" a few more clever and bold colour plantings would further enhance what overall was a most pleasing presentation. The maintenance overall is obviously constant and not a now-and-again affair. For those interested in a new, or revamp of an older garden the conifers are a delight, sympathetically planted, height and variety culminating in a marriage with both the house and lawn. The balance between evergreen and deciduous planting is nicely achieved. A planting behind a fence on the property certainly gave us the feeling that we would have like to ex-

plore the garden further. Many gardens we viewed were pleasant, and obviously "loved" but tended on the whole to be very similar and lacked the impact of the winner's garden. Commercial plantings Mention should be made of some of the commercial plantings in the town. Namely the motels and courtyard planting of the Ohakune Bakery building. The effort put into these is pleasing and creates an overall impression of pride and welcome. A separate section for commercial planting would, we are sure, be of value and should be considered in the near future, The works staff of the previous Borough Council and now the Waimarino District Council should also be commended for the fine work being done in maintaining the considerable green areas which have steadily increased in size over the years. The southern entrance to the town is certainly enhanced, when after passing the "Carrot" and it's maturing sur-

roundings, one is greeted on the left by those three consecutive, pleasing and well maintained properties of Mrs E. Baigent, Mr W. Taylor, and Mrs E.

Costello. With a little more thought, help and pride from residents we also see a "Street Garden" competition a distinct possibility for the future.

In conclusion may we congratulate Mr and Mrs Bishop on their garden which for us both is definitely "A Garden for all Seasons", and may neither

of us ever be in the position where our gardens come under the same scrutiny to which we have subjected yours!

Norma

Cranston