MASTERTON PARK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1938, Page 4

MASTERTON PARK

MANY ATTRACTIVE FEATURES GAY DISPLAY OF SPRING FLOWERS. POSSIBILITIES OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. Masterton Park has many attractive -’’t and beautiful features which are, perhaps, not generally recognised by the residents of the town, though visitors to the district invariably comment on the Park’s picturesque settings. Now that the spring is here there will be a succession of flowering plants and trees on which to feast the eye for many months to come. Just inside the entrance gates is a splendid border of pansies, some as much as four inches across the blooms, and worthy of a place in any show. On the other side of the walk the rosery, with the bushes neatly pruned and young growth appearing, looferspic and span while behind this garden of roses stands the Begonia House, which at present is displaying cinerarias in eight blue shades, lachenalia and cyclamen. The Begonia House will be opened to the Public in the near future during the week-ends. Three years ago about 300 rhododendrons were planted in the area extending from the aviary to the Cemetery Gates. These apepar to be doing well and although they are still fairly small, many ate flowering. All the latest varieties are included in the 1 collection. In other portions of the park, notably on the island in the lake, spring-flowering trees are in their full glory. Almonds, plums, japonica and wattles may be seen now in masses of radiant blooms. The Fernery is well worth a visit. Since the top was roofed, the ferns have done particularly well and visitors may see some splendid specimens of such native species as the Prince of Wales Feather, Kidney and Maidenhair ferns. The playing areas have been top-dressed in readiness for the summer and the Oval seems to be carrying a splendid sward of grass. Weather permitting, these grounds will be opened for the season on the weekend before Labour Day, which falls this year on October 24. In about another three weeks’ time the drive from the Soldiers’ Monument to the Fernery will be graced with a bright border of polyanthus and Iceland poppies and about the same time tulips, wallflowers and calendulas will be showing off their blooms to all and sundry. Next Monday, seeds will be sown for summer planting in November. These will include such choice plants as zinnias, stocks, asters, celosias, gaillardias, cockscomb, dianthus, carnations, cannas, etc., so that a blaze of colour is promised in the autumn. When the Waipoua River improvement works are finished, probably in another five or six, months’ time, there will be further scope for adding to the beauty of the Park but these proposals, including the development of the Allan Walk and Memorial Bridge, naturally hinge on the river diversion scheme and not much can be done meantime except to visualise how the area can be dealt with to the best advantage. Mr H. E. Gardner has suggested that as a Centennial memorial an Empire walk could be laid out along the south bank of the river, planted in sections with trees representative of different parts of the, Empire. So far Masterton has not decided on a local centennial memorial.