GARDENING CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 21581, 29 November 1933, Page 2

GARDENING CLUB

DECORATIVE COMPETITIONS There was a large audience at the meeting of the Dunedin Gardening Club last evening, when decorative competitions were held and addresses were given on subjects of interest to members by Mrs Orr-Campbell and Mr J). Tannock. The President (Mr F. H. Hollingworth) presided. Mr Tannock took as his subject special flora) decorative exhibits which he had seen in London and in the provinces while lie was on tour in Great Britain. The first consideration of decorative work at Home, lie said, was the quality of the flowers. At the English special shows the principal wish appeared to be to show how the particular flower featured at each siiow could be used to the best effect. At the National Rose Society’s Show at least eighteen tables were decorated with one .variety of rose, and any foliage used was kept well below the (lowers, ,so that tjhey should really monopolise attention. He advised local competitors to follow the English exhibitors in the special stress which they laid upon the quality of the flowers which they used in decorative work. When one got away from the large national shows, the tendency was to mix flowers of various types, and very satisfactory results were obtained. In every case these flowers were arranged with suitable foliage, but always tress was laid on the lact that the ullage must play second part. It was it the bold colours which impressed ic visitor, but the dainty arrangelent of the bowls which attracted ~e attention. Dealing with the floral -hops in Great Britain, the speaker said these obtained wonderful effects ~v the use of flowers which, it would be thought, would utterly fail to blend. One could not but bo struck by the reasonable prices charged. These were lower thari in Dunedin, and the quality was much better. Cut flowers, on the other hand, were fairly dear, but the quality was wonderful. There was room, he thought, for the introduction into competition in Dunedin of greater originality along the lines which were being followed m England, and he urged those present to pay attention to this matter. In conclusion, the speaker emphasised (he fact that it was principally in the quality of the flowers that the competitors at English shows surpassed those at shows in New Zealand. The arrangement, he considered, was very little superior to what he had seen at many shows here. A vote of thanks to the speakers was carried by acclamation. The following are the results of the competitions, which wore judged by Miss L. Smaill; —

Decorated howl. Seven entries—Mrs Mitchell 1, Miss May M’Cartney 2, Mrs Brown 3. . Floating bowl. Six entries —Mrs A. J. Ryan 1, Miss G. S. Mitchell 2, Miss Dorothy Smith 3. Decorated vase. Fifteen entries— Mrs Brown 1, Mrs M’Gregor 2, Mrs F. A. Smith and Miss R. Anderson (equal) 3. A vote of thanks was extended to Miss Smaill for acting as judge.