SMALL GARDENS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21089, 14 February 1934, Page 12

SMALL GARDENS

DISPLAYS OF BRIGHT COLOURS JUDGING COMPLETED The best of the small gardens of Christchurch were visited again yesterday by the judges from the Canterbury Horticultural Society. The gardens to be judged had excellent displays, not only of flowers but of vegetables and fruit. In every one of the live gardens selected for final consideration the back portions of the area, as well as the front, were neatly laid out and carefully tended. Every available inch of ground had been used. As showing the keenness of the growers, hints dropped by the judges on their tour in November had been invariably accepted with good results. One notable weakness was in the lawns; not one garden had a sward of even, hne-leaved grasses. The three judges—Messrs Gilpin. Grimley, and Gardiner—said at. the end of the tour that any falling off in the displays could be ascribed to the variable weather. On the whole they failed to reach the usually high standard as there was a certain irregularity of growth and the colour was not as good as usual. Fuchsias had not been used enough in any save the winning garden, and there were places in all the displays where these could have profitably been grown. The winning entry was remarkable for the number and variety of these plants. Individual Gardens The first garden to be visited was that of Mrs G. Norton, at 66 Matlock street. The roadside was lightened with a row of godetias outside the grey wooden fence, and two, concrete paths, flanked by standard roses, led up to the house on either side of the property. In front was a neatly trimmed lawn with surrounding borders of interspaced dark blue lobelia and zonal geraniums. One or two native shrubs and trees relieved the gay colourings of phlox and verbenas. The back garden was neatly laid out. From there the party went to 117 Birdwood avenue, Beckenham, to the residence of Mr A. Newton. The front plot, seen from the road, was a riot of colour, with yellows, oranges, and reds predominating. As breaks in between these vivid patches the light yellow-green of the kochias made striking relief. In the border plants, packed as close together as nature could allow, French marigolds, asters, and antirrhinums made a gay showing over the top of the low brick wall. Giant hollyhocks and diminutive hydrangeas formed a great contrast down the side of the house and at the back, where two largo beds were bright with a profusion of roses. The vegetable garden was a comparatively small plot, with a representative of nearly every kind in all stages of growth. A pleasant relief from the gaudy colours of the other gardens was provided by that of Mrs W. A. Gaflney, at 363 Gloucester street. This is really an autumn garden and the abundance of asters, chrysanthemums, and dahlias should produce a gay display later in the season. The whole tone of the green foliage of the shrubs and plants gave an atmosphere of rest. More space was given to vegetables and these were well and tidily grown. The next display to be visited was the winning garden exhibited by Mrs J. Foster, of 101 St. James avenue, and here a great variety of flowers made a splendid show. Though the predominating tint was a golden yellow given by tagetes, marigolds, and double nasturtiums, there was relief and contrast in dark blue lobelias, asters, and phlox. In one corner was a neat rock garden, and at the bottom of the vegetable garden was a lily pond. Native ferns and shrubs were not neglected, and there was a good display of fuchsias in the more shaded parts of the garden. The vegetable garden had a wide variety grown in abundance. Strawberries, gooseberries, an raspberries were there In plenty, and cucumbers, artichokes, and asparagus, absent from the other gardens, were growing well. The last garden to be inspected belonged to Mrs A. Ashby, situated in Wairarapa road. It appeared to be of more recent building than others. A long bed of standard roses was , flanked by a border of blue lobelia, and the beds were filled chiefly with ; yellow antirrhinum and purple violas. , The vegetable section gained a lot of ; points, with excellent tomatoes, leeks, ' parsnips, and beans of every variety. ' The final placings were:— > Mrs Foster, 80 points .. .. 1 '. Me Newton, 76 points , f v 2 Mrs Norton, ja £omta ju „Uu »** 3 «