You and Your Garden

Northern Advocate, 10 February 1940, Page 9

You and Your Garden

I am sure I shall never forget my first impression of the Exhibition I grounds; I was not prepared for anyj thing so effective, and so well planned, j The architects' work is very fine, and the ground enclosed by the building has been planned to be in harmony with the building in colour and de- ! sign. Which reminds me that we are • inclined to think that beautiful designs must be in curves. The Exhibition building and grounds are for the ; most part in straight lines, curves being used where necessary to give relief. The fountain is in a' circle and is the centre of attraction, oblong ponds, wide paths, lawns and flower beds reaching out to each entrance. At the foot of the tower, water cascades over a blue foundation to give colour and life to the whole scene as only moving water can. Then the two arms reach out to the huge shells where the band plays. But I am forgetting the faet that most of my readers will be seeing all this for themselves. What I want to emphasise is that the building and grounds are planned as a whole, and that nothing stands out in colour or design, so as to take from the whole. All is beautiful, and pleasing. and nothing glaring. I was impressed with the fact that it docs not matter which door you come out of to the enclosure, you see the same colourful scene. The fountain made a very popular meeting place, and, if not too windy, a wait of hall" an hour would pass very quickly in such pleasant surroundings. What I set out to say was that the design might be used in even a small garden and a lot might be kept in mind for future use. Square tubs painted red were used alongside the pends. They were mostly filled with pohutukawas, and edged with nasturtiums. Rod predominated in the colour scheme, but all colours were used. The main building had a border of mixed plants that would give a long flowering season. Near the main entrance polyantha and other roses were planted. Antirrhinums in rust red looked particularly well in many of the beds. Dwarf antirrhinums using one colour in a bed, were very showy. Petunias and phlox were also used to advantage. The pool surrounding the' fountain has a wide circle of grass with a narrow edge of rich red geranium and blue brachycome daisy. The latter seemed .a little larger and bluer than the old-fashioned variety, and were very effective. The Exhibition grounds were a never-ending source of pleasure to me in the fortnight I spent there, and I consider the journey well worth while for the grounds alone. As a gardener, I could appreciate the thought and work that must have been necessary to convert that waste land into grounds fit to offset such a fine Exhibition building. Royal Blue Lobelia I think the most prominent flower this summer has been the royal blue lobelia. Our flag colours are naturally

Fiowers At The Exhibition Grounds

to the fore just now, and red, white and blue flowers are popular. In the different towns I visited on my way to Wellington, I noticed that the public gardens were especially well planted and colourful for the Centennial year, and that royal red and blue were popular colours. Cannas and geraniums were popular for the red and lobelia was the popular blue. Blue petunia, dwarf blue delphinium and scarlet salvia seemed to be planted for later flowering. In addition to the popular red geranium and lobelia, I noticed phlox and lobelia, antirrhinums and lobelia, hydrangeas and lobelia, cannas and lobelia. When I arrived at the Exhibition lobelia was still chosen, and very effective it looked as edgings to most of the beds. There is no doubt about it, blue seems necessary to get the effect in a planting of mixed colours. The contrast gives relief and shows the reds and yellows to advantage. Tuberous Begonias Grown to Perfection The glass-houses at the Wellington Botanical Gardens were packed with sightseers when I visited the gardens recently. I walked along the narrow passage and admired the individual blooms. They were beautiful, the size of small plates, perfect in shape 1 , and of every colour but blue. Just for a second the dark red was my favourite, then 1 came to the large salmon pink. I was just able to pass this as I saw a perfect orange variety, and I had to admit that white was very beautiful in so fine a flower. I don’t know what my decision would have been if I had been asked to choose my favourite. Overhead was a mass of colour with basket begonias, a riot ol lemon, orange, scarlet, white and pink, a canopy of fluffy flowers; and again the delightful contrast was supplied with baskets of double blue lobelia. Lobelia was also used along with small flowered begonias at the base of the large-flowered begonias as an offset. I waited for the other visitors to leave so as to get an uninterrupted view of the begonias. The colouring effect, looking from the door was delightful, just a mass of flowers and foliage. The floor was planted with ferns and Rex begonias. The lower shelf had small begonias and lobelia; then the shelves of the giant blooms, and the lovely soft blossoms overhead. While the beautiful blooms were the main attraction, the ferns helped, and the blue and light yellow were a help in the colour scheme of such rich shades. In another part of the glasshouse gloxinias were making a wonderful show; large calceolarias were also an attraction. Streptocarpias have been improved, and the rose shades, as well as the lavenders and violets, with primulas, gave a lovely patch of different colouring. Thumbergia alata in Dots and baskets in white and soft yellow, variegated foliage and ferns, made a charming offset to the lavender, rose, blue, etc., the dominant colour scheme of the other flowers in this house.