DAFFODILS AT "OTAHUNA "

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23132, 23 September 1940, Page 10

DAFFODILS AT "OTAHUNA "

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S ANNUAL OUTING

1200 VISITORS TO TAI TAPU

By the courtesy of : the Hon. Sir R. . Heaton Rhodes, more than. 1200, persons visited • “Otahuna,” Tai - Tapu, on Saturday, andwalked about the beautiful grounds To see : the thousands of daffodils -.in full bloom. •!' The annual outing ;arranged by the * Canterbury Horticultural ’ Society. was‘this year more successful than for .a long time, the secretary (Mr P; C. Browne), said on Saturday. .The small, gate ■ charge of 6d. had" considerably' helped-the society’s funds and-the visitors had spent a most interesting and- pleasant afternoon in beautifully warm ; sunshine. ’ r Sir Heaton ■ Rhodes showed various points, of interest to numbers of visitors. ‘■ i When .he was thanked for his, generosity in. opening_'his -garden .to. so many strangers, he.saidvthat themem- - laers: of the Horticultural Society - Committee had done all thc work, -and that he-was' glad-so many had come to see the-flowers. He, said- also; .that’ the, hundreds of visitors-had shown thought'fulness .• in 'walking■; carefully; among. <the 'flowers • in, the' open -paddocks; and in the - formal: gardens. ; ' Daffodil and Silver Birches * The expanse of daffodils - ih?the-pad-dock; below j-ther house-attracted;.the

immediate attention of hundreds of visitors and dozens of cameras. Many varieties showing patches of white, pale yellow, deep gold, and orange, were at the peak of their blooming period in this large expanse with its gleaming background of white-trunked silver birches. On the little bridge and among the daffodils camera shutters were heard to click at, frequent intervals. In other parts of the grounds the combination of daffodils and grape hyacinths in the - grass, growing wild among silver birches, made many visitors pause to exclaim and admire. Blossoming fruit trees were also surrounded by clumps of daffodils and patches of grape hyacinths in full bloom. And everywhere flowering shrubs, polyanthus borders, and surprising corners. where flowers grew in seemingly wild profusion, attracted much, attention. , Many visitors found their way to a slope • beyond the stables where daffodils made the hillside between plan-tations-of pine and birch appear from a: distance to. be covered with drifts of snow with-patches of sunshine lying ’among them. Others visited the seedling .beds, many of them massed’thick, with bloom; :

Most of the visitors inspected the model stables once used for. polo, ponies and' now kept clean and polished, and strewn with fresh straw. The extent of the gardens made it impossible: for everyone to see all there was to - see in one afternoon. But, to judge by the comments heard on all sides the visitors to “Otahuna” consid. ered they had spent a most pleasant -afternoon when - they returned to the 13 buses and the hundreds .of private cars that" had been used - for ‘ transport: