"A FLORAL PARADISE"

Evening Post, Issue 66, 15 September 1936, Page 6

"A FLORAL PARADISE"

WHAT N.Z. SHOULD BE

ADDRESS BY MRS. KNOX

GILMER

"Gardens are international institutions. You have only to look at your own garden to see a League of Nations. There they are, plants and flowers from all over the world, living in peace and harmony; and what a lesson they give us' in these days of unrest," said Mrs. Knox Gilm'er in a talk on "Gardening," at the opening of the second day's proceedings of the Wellington City Mission's "Dutch Fair" at the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Knox Gilmer saidr that Mr. Fielden Taylor, the City Missioner, had specially asked her to speak on that subject.

"We may first ask ourselves, in looking at our gardens, 'Where do these plants and flowers come from?'" said Mrs. Knox Gilmer. In the world there Were from 175,000 to 200,000 species of flowers and plants, she said; 60,000 of these came from South America. There were about 2000 species of flowering plants in the British Isles. Very many had been imported to New Zealand. All those plants formed a rainbow of flowers in our gardens. Gardening was.an art, and the primary business of the gardener was to study the culture of plants and flowers. If they studied the few flowers they had in their own gardens, they began to realise their beauty and to learn something of their history.. FORCE OF EXAMPLE. "Let us come to our own country arid understand what we are doing in New Zealand in regard to our gardens," said Mrs. Knox Gilmer. "Every country is a reflex of the community which composes it. The individual is really responsible for what happens in his or her country. The vision of the people is the vision of the local authority, and the vision of the individual is re■flected sometimes in that of his neighbour." If a person grew particular plants or flowers in his garden, he would' probably soon see his neighbour growing similar plants. If one began a garden outside his fence; thus beautifying the roadside, one would probably find a whole street of people beginning to do that also; even those passing the place would be influenced by the example. That showed the force of example. Every.private gardener in that way had some influence on toe artistic development of the neighbourhood in which he lived. ,' "I think we ought to start with the conquest of ugliness," said Mrs. Knox Gilmer. "We have in New Zealand one of the finest climates and the best plant-growing soil in the world; ■ and it is time that we began to realise that fact." If they began now to start the conquest of ugliness they would be doing something worth while on their part. There was no better way than to start in their own gardens, then extend to their own street and neighbourhood, and ultimately to the country. There was no reason why they should not convert country into a floral paradise BEAUTIFYING ROADSIDES. In New Zealand practically anything that'would grow .could bo grown. In the north they could grow tropical plants and towards the south they could grow sub-tropical plants and plants that would grow in temperate climates. Why could they not start and have trees and shrubs along the roadsides? Why could they not have every city go in for a particular tree that would suit the neighbourhood? Why should they not travel through rows of trees, shrubs, and flowers, instead of travelling through ugly thoroughfares and roadsides? They had .only to see what was going on on the Hutt Road, which they were trying to beautify by planting trees and shrubs. Many flowers had been plucked and taken away in one afternoon. They must educate their people and their children to have a civic and'national pride, and realise that those plants and flowers really belonged to them. There was no need to pick the flowers and take them home and put them in vases to die. They should realise that, the, flowers should be ■ left so that other people might see them and appreciate thenbeauty A little education would, overcome that evil. Plants and. flowers would not then ■be touched. Those who were''specially interested in the work of beautiflcation 'of'the. highways were not" discouraged by what had happened;'in..fact,! they. expected.that at first something .of the sort was likely to happen; but next year it would not happen. • A communication had been received as to the beautiftca-; tion of the Manawsitu Gorge. Word had also been received of the planting of a-mile of cherry, blossom trees from, Otaki to the beach. In Wanganui they had started planting towards Wellington in the south, and it was hoped to have the roadside planted north to" New Plymouth. There was no recreation or hobby better for men and women than gardening, and it was a most profitable and healthy recreation.; : ■■'"■'■ .' ■'■■■■. ■ • •■■■

Reference was made by Mrs. Knox Gilmer to the numerous flower shows now being held throughout the country, and gardeners were urged to cultivate the newer varieties of flowers. New Zealand had great possibility in the future of becoming what Holland was in Europe. There was no reason why New Zealand should not be the nursery of the Pacific. Its soil and climate would grow many plants and flowers to perfection. They were already exporting many flower plants, lily bulbs, dahlias, gladiolas, etc. The speaker did not think that "Miss New Zealand," a gladiolus raised in Blenheim, had been beaten in any show in which it had been exhibited in Australia and America. They should support the growers who were producing such wonderful plants. The success of irises and other flowers produced in New Zealand was also alluded to. A number of trees of the New Zealand forest were then described by Mrs. Knox' Gilmer, and potted seedlings of the same were shown to the audience.

A hearty vote of thanks for her address was passed to Mrs. Knox Gilmer by acclamation. :