STRAND GARDENS IN BLOOM

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14516, 10 November 1947, Page 3

STRAND GARDENS IN BLOOM

COLOURFUL ASSET TO TAURANGA Success In Spite Of Wet Season Thousands Of Seedlings In Preparation The Strand gardens in Tauranga are now very attractive, with 300 to 400 different varieties in flower, in addition to 100 types of shrubs. The Borough gardener, Mr G. C. Mockler, told a representative of the Bay of Plenty Times that the gardens in most years, are usually at their best from this time, until Christmas. Because of Tauranga’s suitable climate, however, he was able to have flowers blooming throughout the year. • Even in towns as close as Rotorua, he added, this could not be done successfully. This season had been a very wet one. The correct name of the gardens, is the Herries Memorial Gardens, as the money for their laying out was donated by the late Hon. Sir William H. Herries, K.C.M.G., 8.A., M.P., a monument for whom was erected in the middle of the gardens. The Monmouth Redoubt end of the gardens was laid in 1941. In the Borough nurseries there were thousands of seedlings being prepared for inclusion in the ,gardens, which would help to make them even more attractive, Mr Modeler stated. They were attended throughout the year by himself and three other workmen. The floral ship, which had always proved a great attraction, was now “refitted and ready for sea again,” the Borough gardener remarked. Now very colourful, the ship is built ud of cavcrias, the smoke effect being achieved with pyretham, and circled with a border of English lavender, Mr Mocklcr said that tourists from all over New Zealand and from various-parts of the world always showed an interest in it, and hundreds of photographs had been taken of the “vessel.” The large cart-wheel bed is at present also very bright, being made up of a number of varieties including pansies, violas and nemcsias. The border is of grey “lamb’s car.” The small cacti bed is in good order, and the plants arc expected to be flowering shortly. There is also an attractive round bed of larkspur, surrounded by polyanthus roses, with a St. Helena border. A new addition is honey wart, a native of South Africa, which is flowering with blue, bell-like blooms.

Mr Mockler said that the people of Tauranga had shov/n commendable consideration towards the, garden during the year, and little or no damage had been caused by the public. Although there was still some trouble with stray dogs, this nuisance had been considerably lessened. Visitors to Tauranga always spoke well of the gardens, he concluded, and they were an asset to the town as a tourist, resort.