LOVELY FLOWERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 18

LOVELY FLOWERS

A FEAST OF COLOUR

The real richness and vividness ofgladioli, dahlias, and hydrangeas [struck the visitors to the Midsummer iShow (opened by Mrs. Knox Gilfmer) at the Town Hall yesterday with a sense of joy, as when very beautiful specimens of each are massed together they . are a most wonderful sight. It was rather amusing, too, to go round with a friend and pick out the ones which amateurs (such as the. observers) would have given prizes, and which hardly ever agreed with the choice of the experts. ' ; ,

i It was not at all. a professional show, for few of the well-known growers 1 had staged their usual gorgeous displays, and the amateurs had the floor mostly to themselves/.;- They had arranged some very}; attractive stands which came in for .a great deal, of attention and admiration. Mrs. Du;Pont (always to the foreln the flower world) had collected some delightful exhibits from amateur gardens; \ and ■■'■. vases; of flowers, baskets and .floral' devices, as well as single specitiiens and- pot plants were there. ;. Some of these

came from the gardens of Mrs. Arlow, Mrs. J. M. A. Ilott, Mrs. Du Pont, Mrs. Righton, Miss Phillips and others, and the stand drew many admirers most of the time, , Another delightful stand was that arranged by Mrs. Charles Haines, i where, besides her fairylike little fuchsia, which she brought from Eng-, land with great care ,arid difficulty, there was a blossom of the fragrant! frangipane from Ceylon and some wonderful blue berries, (natives of Tasmania and extremely, attractive in | the' mass). 'A. basket of -specimen fuchsia heads' from Mr.1 Eric Ridd> | ford's garden was, interesting in its ■ infinite variety! Then there were] jars of the very quaint swan and duck plants, a branch of mustard berry,! which is extremely rare, some specimens of the New Zealand hibiscus—1 very dainty and delicate in colour, but, lacking the vividness of the hibiscus I which grows' in the'more tropical! countries. A piece of real Irish peat,] lent by Mrs. Knox Gilmer, interested many who visioned masses of it burning in a large fireplace ,and giving forth, not only heat,. but delicious fragrance. There were many other interesting exhibits on these stands, and the smaller flowers, such as pansies and violas, marigolds and other bright things, all went to create further interest: in the show. There were some large pots of hot-house begonias, and tKese seemed to be so much more interesting than those shown ori a table with little stiff white paper collars. However, everyone to his taste —and the paper-collar table was well patronised. , The afternoon tea was well-arranged and patronised. Among those at the official table were Lady Myers, Lady Beauchamp, Mrs. Hislop (Mayoress), Captain and Mrs.. Holm, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., and Mrs. Wright, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Campbell, Mrs. J. B. MacEwan, Dr. Morice, Mr. and Mrs. J; L. Arcus, Mrs. Miller, Miss McDougall, Miss Archibald, Mr. F. S. Pope, Mrs. J. G. MacKenzie, Mr. W. H. P. Barber, and Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Fox.

Among those present at the show were:—Lady McGavin, Lady Norwood, Mrs. D. A. Ewen, Dr. and Mrs. Charles Morice, Mrs. Howard. Reid, Mrs. Charles Haines, Miss E.s Beagley, Miss Elgin, Mrs. J. A. Doctor, Mrs. Henry Hall, Mrs. G. P. H. Davidson, Mrs. Fox, Miss W. Neylon, Miss Jean Knox Gilmer, Mrs. Rowland Ellis, Mrs. E. E. Gillon, Mrs. J. P. Firth, Mrs. Eric Riddiford, Mrs. Duncan Menzies, Mrs. Oscar Kohn, Mrs. V. G. Jervis, Mrs. David Aiken, Mrs. J. Bennie, Miss Barbara Standish, Mrs. David Allan and Miss Mary Allan, Mrs. McParland, Mrg. J. H. Buck and Miss Dorothy Buck, Mrs. Brand, Mrs.; W;E. Herbert, Miss Zohrab, Miss A. Louise Hall, Mrs. Bruce Rennie, Miss Eva Isaacs, Mrs. Lowe, Mrs. Gilinger, Mrs. C. E. Adams, and Mrs. Carter.

During the afternoon an instrumental trio played a number of acceptable items.