THE BOTANIC GARDENS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12995, 9 June 1904, Page 4

THE BOTANIC GARDENS

MP, TANNOCK'S PROPOSED IMPBOVE* SIENTS. At last evening's meeting of tlio City Council a report on proposals for improving and extending tlio i'omnie Gardens was submitted by Mr J). Tp-iinoei;, superintendent 01 tlio gardens and reserves. 'The report was submitted in _ connection with tlie hese-rvM Comnrittco's rt-nort, which wa« adopted. Mi' Tamiock's report was as follows: — i3elorc proceeding to cteal witli the details I would divide' the area roughly into five sections, and set aside each for a, special purpose. Hie divisions : are as follow:—(a) Juirsery and propagating houses; -(b) arboreiuni; (e) ilower garden and herbaceous ground; (d) uativ® unsk; (e) shrubbery and wild garden. Arboretum.—This would extend from (ha creel; up to the present boundary fence and along to and past the old musery. At present part of this section is cleared, but the most of it is covered with.piues, bltieguins, brocin, and native bush.

IMinm lnsignis.—The clumps of these trees cotlid be thinned out and leduccd to prevent their encroaching on other things, and ft few o£ the Bimil.er clumps cleared away altogether. Native Bush.--iherc are fome fine clumps of native'bush which wott.d be left, thb eider and other weeds cleared cut, ami oilier spocie3 not already, groiving on the hillside—such as clianthus, P.iugianihus lyallii, icnccios, and olearius—planted ill tho gaps. Behind the largest clump of pines there is a lot of scrubby nmiiukn, with an uudergrowih of eider and cocksfoot, which should bo cleared away altogether. Broom, &c.—The places where covered with .broom should be cleared, levelled, and put. down in grass. In plaining I wouid keep alt the trees belonging to, one family together as far as possible, i'ot-esKinple, I would plant coiliferui vista from the creek tip to the nursery round the; margin of the 'dboretum witil a row of tho different kinds of pines, spruces, etc., on each side. Herbaceous Ground and Flower Garden.— The main flower gardens would always be down on the flat-, but the collection of herbaceous plants requires more room than we can give it on the present garden. Between the present boundary fence and the Cemetery road, und cxtendin" from Opulio road to behind the new nursery, there is a .nice .undulating piece of ground covered with scrubby, manuka, which would' be better cleared at .-Snyrate in case of fire. This would make line lawns with borders und beds here''and there; .The soil is not very rich, but good enough to grow grasy, and the borders could be niittle up. There would be no need to clear all this area at once. A start would lie made where already cleared behind my.house, and tho lawns cleared and extended from time to time as the collection of plants increased.

Native Bush.—Above the Cemetery road, and extending up to behind m" house, there is t* beautiful piece <;i native bush, which would bs better fenced off altogether to keep people out of it until tho native, pines, awl other things which I would plant in get a. chance to coma on. I feel convinced, .that if we could only keep boys, fires, and fern-bunting vandals out of this busb for a few years we would be on a. fair way to>restoring it. to its former grandeur. Many people seem to think .that a tangle of lawyers is native bush, but they liavo only to USB their, eyes lightly to see that lawyers are the greatest destroyers of native bush we have got. Native ferns would also havo a chanco to come on again. There is a gully down the middle of this section which would make a beautiful handy fernery, under tho fuchsia and broadleaf trees. ■' Shrubbery.—From tho new nursery right down to Chapman's on tho top of tho hill inside the boundary fence I would plant tho collection of shrubs. Though on tho top of the bill tho wintl i 3 nothing like so destructivo as on tlio flat, it is much warmer, and tbero ia less danger of their being killed by frost. It would bo possible to grow many of the beautiful North Island, Tasmanian, and Australian shrubs up hero which would be killed down on the flat. Wild Gardens.—Along the bottom of the bill hy tho Leit-li there is a fine site for a wild garden. At present it is covered with elder, but that could bo gradually rooted out. Tlio faco of the hill above the Leith is covered with elder, but it is impossible to do anything' with it at present, and, as it has already killed most of tho native bush, it had better ho left in possession until it can bo-dealt'with properly. Paths.—Thero are a number • of fairly good paths along the hillside. These, if repaired and covered with screenings, would-do very well. Fencing.—A fence would bo required, right round tho Cemetery and Opoho road, in all 92 chains, and would oost 162 29 3d, with two gates. That is for material. ;I don't consider it would he necessary to put up ail this fencing in one year. If it could bo dono to much tho better, "but one-half, up to behind my house, could be dono one year and the remainder another. The conitnittep will sec that already a considerable part of tho annual allocation has gone in felicing and permanent improve-' ments.- The work- of forming a garden on the hill will have to be a gradual one, but I ciu convinced it is tlio sito for the garden, anc" one which is not likely, to be disturbed b] trams or streets.

Cr Crust seconded t!io adoption of tli4 report, and took the opportunity of referring to Mr Tannoek's plan for laying out the'-ground on the hill it was proposed to toko in and add to the Botanic Gardens. Much o£ the hill ground was more suited than the low, cold flat for gardening purposes, and many plaute, shrub", and trees would thrivo thoro when they would not grow, on the flat. Tho piece of native busli spoken of above tlw road folding to the cemetery was fairly preserved, and when enclosed and further protected and planted would soon improve. In the gully running through it ferns would grow well. AH the rarer kinds of ferns wero becoming scarca about Duncdin, «nd it was nqpossiry to do what they could to preserve them. The present fornery at (lie Gardens was uselces for its purpose and should to dono away with, and the ferns in.it planted in the bush on tho hillside. Other ferns, including tree ferns l could bo collected, and in a very few years they would' lilt - © as pood a show of ferns at. tho Gardens as could bo teen in a, natural stnto 'iiny'wherc near Duncdin. ■Other councillors spake in similar terms.