AUTUMN GLORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1937, Page 8

AUTUMN GLORY.

TOWN HALL GARDEN.

DAHLIA SHOW OPENS.

MAGNIFICENT EXHIBITION,

In a flood of warm autumn colours, the glory of the garden visited the Auckland Town Hall again to-day, when the annual dahlia show of the Auckland Horticultural Society was opened. The weather this summer has been such that autumn'* approach has been almost unnoticed; but in the garden the changing season manifests itself in the mellowing of summer's brightness with tinges and blende of yellows and golds. And so early autumn has come to the Town Hall in a lavish display of her glory. A musty, earthy smell, faintly sweetened, is wafted to the visitor before this scene of beauty opens up before him, and then he eees the soft but radiant glow of a host of blooms, perfect in their form, their colours beyond classification, their numbers ! countless. It ia part of the spontaneous and inexhaustible charm of Nature that every dahlia show brings something new in shape and colour. Officials Gratified. Ceasing momentarily from their activities in completing the arrangement of the display, officials of the society : expressed thorough satisfaction with the standard and the numbers of the entries, which have come from as far south as Palmereton North and as fir north as Helensville. At' least 1500 .vartfje in use. Special display*— civic, ifcateur anji again a feature of Oe show and they provide a background of colour and reatiem to the rows upon rows of bloonie entered aolely for competition. In the lay-out of the show the society's new honorary architect, Mr. Veroon Brown, has built a garden that must surely be beyond the dreams of the most enthusiastic lover of beauty and flowers. The banks of matchless flowers are set apainot ferns and shrub*' and even native trees. The City Council parks superintendent, Mr. T. S. Aldridge, and hie assistant. Mr. G. Fillimore, have arranged this year a stage display which should do much to encourage the use of native trees for jrarden and decorative purposes. Many varieties, prown jn large pot-». are so placed that the display becomes a chimp of young native trees, flanked by liliuni. Seedling Dahlias. A special exhiliit of seedling dahlias is an attractive and important feature of the ehow. This has Wen arranged by the president of the society. Mr. T. K. Hickson. and comprises some 1000, blooms and (10 varieties. It is a eiiocessful illustration of what New Zealand, and Auckland in particular, can produce in the way of new dahlias. The flowers represent varieties selected over a period of six years. The sizes range from 2in to 12i*n, although about sin appears to be the most popular size. A voting competition is being held in connection with this display.

Perhaps the most strikingly beautiful of the special exhiVite is that of Mr. R. W. Shepherd, a Ko.val Oak amateur, who lias brought from his glasshouse and garden a display of iiiagniifoent begoniae of every size ami shape, edged with blue ai-himenea. It fittingly occupies a central position. Misses K. and 0. Whiteley, of Otahuhu, have again staged a very tine exhibition of delphiniums, zinnias and dahlias, surpassing, officials say, that which caused something in the nature of t sensation at the November rose show. There ie a special display by the- Auckland Chrysanthemum and Dtthlia Society, an organisation of enthusiastic growers of theee flowers. Mrs. Bertha Wilson has contributed an effective miscellaneous group, comprised mainly of rubelina palms and begonia rex. There is a beautiful bowl of hydrangeas by Mrs. P. Muir and another of quilled "dahlias by Mr. H. T. Goldie.

Striking exhibit* have also been arranged by A. J. Shailer and Son, of Palinerston North, G. W. Wright, of Epsom, A. W. Palmer, of New Lynn, Ferguson's Art Studio*, Wychwood Nurseries, of Rotorua, and G. J. Mackay, of Auckland.

The ahow was opened this afternoon by Sir* George Richardson, and will remain open until to-morrow evening. Judging Results. Following were the results of the judging: — OPEN SECTION. Large Dahlias (exceeding 81n).—Bight*ea ▼arietes: H. M. Hammond 1, A. 1. Shailer and 6on 2., Pompon D*hllae.—Twelve varieties : A. Crumble 1 and 2. New Zealand-rained Dahlias.—Twehe varieties (Yates Challenge Cup) : S. L Danby 1, A. Crowhie 2. Sir varieties (raised from seed) : Mrs. H. C. Bennett 1. NOVICE BECTION. Large Dahlias (exceeding Bin).—Twelve vuriettee: C. N. NlchoUs 2. Six varieties: S. Oilmen 1, C. N. Nicholls 2; Three varieties : H. H. Bldwell 1, N. H. GMman I G. N. Hill 3. Speclmpn Blooms.—Red predominating : C. N. N'lchoH* 1, G. N. Hill 2. Yellow predominating: G. N. Hill i, Mrs. O Prlcketi 2, S. K. Gillman 3. WWce pie-

dominating: N. 11. Oilman i, M u. O. l'riokett 2. O. N. Ni.-hollw it. Pink or mauve predominating: (i. N. Hill 1. C. 3. Lee 2. N. H. (iillinan 3. Medium I>nhlias.—Six varieties: C. N. MclioUs 1. Thrw varieties : Mrs. P. Master 1, K. X. Thiirlow 2, X. K. Cillmaii .'(. Specimen bloom: K. X. Tliurltiw i. X. K. cailm.in 2, C. X. Nirholls 8. Sninll Dahlia*.* -Six varieties: t». \V. Gnrney 1. ('. X. Nk-liolls 2. Cactus Diililius. —Kpt>i-lmen lilooni : C. X. XicliollH 1, l>. W. (luriivy '2. Pompon l>;ihllu».—Tluee varieties : P. I). lint-greaves 1, C N. XicholU 2. Affiliated Sorletlci)' Special <'I.INS.— Twelve varieties, large : X. H. Uillmuu 1.