GARDEN COMPETITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1939, Page 8

GARDEN COMPETITION

MASTERTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S CONTEST COMMENT AND OBSERVATIONS BY JUDGES. ENTRIES A CREDIT TO OWNERS. The judges of the recent garden competition conducted by the Masterton Horticultural Society, Messrs W. Murray, L. G. Woollett and H. Sturgeon, commenting on the gardens ’ which were entered in the contest, said that considering the adverse weather conditions experienced, the gardens visited were a credit to the owners and to the town. It had been no easy task to place them in order of merit. In far too many cases the lawns were responsible for the low points scored, several being badly infested with weeds. In one particular case it was considered this lost the owner the credit of having tho model garden for 1939. Cultivation, the most important part in gardening was not of the highest standard. It was essential to keep the top two inches of soil well stirred with the hoe and especially so after watering; otherwise it was a waste of good water, which was not too plentiful this summer in the town.

Several complaints were heard about the short time the judges spent looking round. All that could be said about this was that after nearly 35 years at the business, it should not take very long to walk round a quarter or half acre garden and take note of all that was required from a judging point of view. What surprised the judges was the number of beautiful gardens not in the competition. It should be possible to double the number of entries in the future.

Only one good, lawn was seen on the first judging and the weeds Were allowed to grow on that one by the time the second judging took place. In small gardens it did not entail a lot of labour to have a first class lawn. Not one garden had what was termed a herbaceous border. Well managed and properly cultivated herbaceous borders were among the most attractive features of a garden, as they could be made to supply an almost regular succession of flowers during the seasons of Spring, summer, autumn and in a lesser degree in winter as well. It Was no good thinking oi having one where there were large trees. As regards vegetables, a lot of the gardeners appeared only to think of the summer and not of the winter. There were a lot of varieties of vegetables for winter use that Were fairly easy to grow and Very gdod to eat, sUch aS parsnips, carrots, celeriac, savdy, winter spinach, salsify, sdorsdnera, leek, celery, beetroot and broccoli. As regards fruit trees in small gardens, if these Were planted in the Vegetable garden they took a lot of ground but if planted arotind fences in the form of espaliers, just as much fruit Would be Secured off them. This practice not only left the garden free of trees but also utilised the fence lines. It was very pleasing to see that such a number of Masfettoh people took a pride in the way their gardehs looked and when the judging Was taking place, a good many gardens were seen that should have been entered in the competition. Next year it was hoped to hear that the Masterton Horticultural Society would have over 400 entries. Masterton was not an easy place to garden in, and its fine gardens were all the more credit to the people of the town. Fruit in the quarter acre sections was not a success in most cases and it was suggested that small fruits were more suited to these small gardens, especially gooseberries, loganberries, etc. Roses were very good in all gardens, there being very little greenfly. The standard roses equalled anything the judges had ever seen. One new garden in an old setting Was a great success and the owner was justly proud of it. Fine asparagus beds were also seen, one being of great merit.