Spring Glory

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

Spring Glory

EARLY spring is the prettiest time in the North Island. Golden kowhai hangs its heavy head, red and white kowhai brighten many gardens, and in the Far North, rare now.feathery, creamy luakamaka lifts its face to the sun and spring showers, while everywhere, over manuka and tall trees, graceful clematis sprinkles its branches with snow.

Then over the gumland. which hides during the rest of the ye«r in a dull grey mantle, is now befjinnhijr to show a foam of yellow. That is kumarahou.

Ihe months have flown by and spring is_ here again in Sej ember, bringing with it the Auckland Museum s seventh annual spring 6how of native flowers. This is held in memory of Mr. T. F.

Cheeeeman, for 50 years curator of tie museum. He was New Zealand's most famous botanist.

Miss Lucy Cranwell instigated and organised these shows, but thfe year, owing to her absence, the newly-formed Auckland Botanical Society is organising it.

Last rear the Dominion Museum in Wellington had a successful show on the fame line** as Auckland. Xow it k left only to the Christchurch and Dunedin Museums to start this feature, which would be an excellent idea, as thev have access to the wonderful alpine flowers which, in many cases, are peculiar to their island. Scope would be tremendous for such a show in summer, and many people would probably then realise what gems of native flowers they possess.