ELLERSLIE RACECOURSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18547, 3 November 1923, Page 12

ELLERSLIE RACECOURSE

A. PICTURESQUE iU BETTINQ. SPRING FLOWERS IN BLOOM. ? WINTER GARDEN TREASURES .The Ellerslie racecourse grounds, although not yet at the height of their summer beauty, will present a charming sotting s to-day ,'jior-; the gaity-dressed crowds always, to be seen at the Racing Club's popular spring meeting. />.,., ' The long, cold winter seems; to have left its mark on the flower beds, and there is nothing like the blaze of colour that'will brighten the scene with vivid beauty -a little later on in the season. There is - a fairly good showing, of nemesia, linaria, larkspurs, arid various rock-plants in the .beds of the main drive, but this is as nothing to the mass of bloom that will be - seen in a few weeks time; It is in the winter garden that the loveliest floral treasures M the racecourse will be seen to-day. Behind the frosted windows, the green gloom of the interior in brightened with a truly magnificent ble * of colour, for this is the season for one of the most • gorgeous of all the prize flowers of the modern hothouse, the calceolaria. > Gold and crimson, sulphur and orange-flecked, .dull cerise and flame, pink and, amber | and russet-brown —there is hardly a" shade in the more vivid colourings that is not visible in that glowing mass. In striking contrast is the rich blue of trailing lobelia, the • soft green of ferns and palms. Outside the winter garden is the rose.-walk, not yet- come to full beauty, but very charming with its background of bright border flowers and roses climbing over the high wall at the back. The lawn in front of the grandstand is . adorned with beds of choice pelargonium, and there are long linos" of mauve and white pansios by the fence. ■ There is not much bloom elsewhere, beyond a couple of yellow and white pansy beds, and some very lovely pink and golden waterlilies floating gracefully on the ponds. : But the grounds themselves are in spick-and-span order, and the willows, oaks, and planes are beautiful in their .fresh spring robes. ?,*.- > <<< r Close to the entrance is one of .the loveliest sights to be seen in Auckland to-day, a tall, pink hawthorn in 'full bloom, vividly beautiful against the clear blue sky. And just beyond is the fine pohutukawa that has seen so many, many thousands of Aucklanders hurry .by on their way to the grandstands beyond. It is covered now with soft, white' buds, bUt by the.time the next race crowd is hurrying down to 'the turnstiles bevond, the asphalt footpath will be red with th« soft rain of the Christmas flower past its prime, and all the gardens beyond will have entered into their full dower of summer beauty. * ' V • * '-...,-.: •■•.', * *"*-—»-——— ' I -"■ - •