EXCHANGE OF PLANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 16

EXCHANGE OF PLANTS.

ACCEPTED BY THE QUEEN. A very interesting movement has been initiated by the Hon. Mrs. Alan Gardner, who is prominent in the .Surrey County Federation of the Women's Institutes, in creating sentimental links of Empire by the gardens of friendship scheme for the interchange of bulbs arid seeds "between the respective Dominions and the Motherland, our London correspondent. In July last there was a produce exhibition and sale in one of the Surrey towns, to which New Zealand Women's Institutes had forwarded a quantity of Dominion produce, and also native bulbs and seeds and tree ferns. These gifts had a particularly good sale, and were much appreciated by the Surrey Women's Institutes.

It is now learned, through the Hon. Mrs. Alan Gardner, that two of the tree ferns were accepted by Her Majesty the Queen. The Lady in Waiting, in reply to the Hon. Mrs. Gardner, wrote to her: "The Queen will be graciously pleased to accept the gift of two tree ferns sent to you by the United Women's Institutes of New Zealand. Her Majesty asks that they may be sent to the head gardener of the Royal gardens, SaTidringham. The Queen will see them when she is next at Sandringham/' , The Hon. Mrs. Gardner has now gone a step further in this matter so far as New Zealand is concerned,' and having obtained from the High Commissioner the names of former Governors and Governors-General, has written Sir James Parr to state that she is endeavouring to secure from the "gardens of previous Governors and Governors-Gen-eral and the Princess Royal bulbs and seeds for sending to the New Zealand Women's Institutes for planting in the Dominion.