OUR ARBOREAL MENAGERIE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 190, 13 August 1925, Page 10

OUR ARBOREAL MENAGERIE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Auckland is so fortunately gifted with parks and native reserves, and we have spent so much assiduous labour at beautifying them that apparently we have overlooked the need for another form of garden reserve, viz., a systematic botanic garden, which most towns of importance have. The former classes of gardens and parks are no doubt the first consideration, and should be made resplendent with gay colours with New Zealand plants for greenery and background effects. But beyond'this we need botanic gardens to give us not only New Zealand iiora but that of other countries. Albert IV/rw is scarcely suitable for such; it is not big enough, and is already nicely laid out to the best advantage, excepting for some few trees which need to be replaced. The place for a botanic garden js in the Domain. There we already have a natural start for the New Zealand section, and also some native forest trees which have been planted. These show what may be done. The native plants are sadly overgrown with hardy exotics These need to be cleared out, and school children could celebrate many arbor days l.y planting native forest I feAVJ* tI TbiS Po,t COU,d be made Lrl ol \ - heSe new Bwdens could be iindoi the management of the new museum staff.—l ani) e tc. - _ TE RAKAU.