NATIVE GARDENS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 5

NATIVE GARDENS

COMPETITION AWARD

MR. A. ATKINSON'S SUCCESS

The challenge trophy presented by Lord Bledisloe for the native garden compete tiou has been won by Mr. A^red Atkinson, of York Bay. This was the third competition, and notification of the result has been sent to Lord Bledisloe by the judges (Dr. L. Cockayne and Mr. J. G. MacKenzie). The judges state that only five gardens were entered for the trophy, but this was not an unexpected circumstance, as it would be some years before recentlyestablished gardens would be in a position to compete with such as have been in existence for a number of years. Mr. Atkinson's garden was hardly a garden in the ordinary acceptation of the term. Mr. Atkinson had converted a portion of his property into a pleasing piece of artificial "bush," a type of garden, in the opinion of the judges, ranking equally with one established on formal lines, and, perhaps, more difficult to bring about. The site chosen for the undertaking was on the two sides of a pleasant stream. A considerable variety of indigenous trees, shrubs, and ferns were used. An interesting feature was the employment of a good many species of Chatham Island endemics, one or two of which had not been seen by the judges, in cultivation before. Attention was called to , the successful establishment of the para-taniwha (Elatostema rugosum), which looked as happy as in its natural habitat, a moist gully. The planting of the property was begun fourteen years ago.