WINTER GARDENS IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13860, 25 March 1907, Page 2

WINTER GARDENS IN DUNEDIN.

CULTIVATION OF TROPICAL AND SUB-TROPICAL PLANTS AND TREES. A FORWARD BOTANIC MOVEMENT. The first practical step towards the establishment of winter gardens in Dimcdin was taken by ihe City Council at its last meeting, when ii sum cf £318 was voted for the erection of portion of a proposed building for the purpose. The building, which is estimated to cost £1000 or £1100,' is to bi> erected in tho Uoranio Gardens at a spot midway between the ponds set apart for swans, duoks, and other waterfowl, and it will bo built of glass, with iron and wooden framework rising from a brick foundation. Plans and specifications for the work wero designed and prepared, under the instructions ot Mr D. Tannock, reserves superintendent, by Mackenzie and' Honour (Ltd.), London, who are specialists in hothouse building, and the total area to bo glassed in will bo 3600 square feet. The buildings wiil consist of three sections —viz.: (a). Span-roofed section, 50ft x 24ft, to he . used as a greenhouse for begonias, pelargoniums, chiysanthemnms, and tender animals. (l>) Square section, higher than the ends, 50ft. x W(t. and 30ft high, for tho.growth of palms, bananas, coffee, rubber, cocoa, orchids, nnd'other tropical plants. ' (c) Span-roofed section similar to (a), for Australian and other sub-tropical plants, such as oranges, lemons, otc. From tho above outline, it will bo scon thai, the purpose and intention of winter gardens is lo grow tropical, sub-tropical, and greenhouse planls and trees which, in a climate like that of Otago, cannot- be grown in tho open. In the winter months our public gardens have little or no interest for ibe general public; foliage is not abundant, and flowers are limited to a- few varieties; snow and frost taku the plaoe of

sunshine and warm atmosphere; and the attractiveness of a fireside or the excitement of winter outdoor games is preferred to a visit to cheerless grass lawns and flowerIces floirex beds. But with covcrcd-iii winter gardens such as those which it lias been decided to establish a new interest aJid attractiveness at once arises. Oranges, teutons, bananas, coffee, and cocoa lose their familiar shop window and dining table associations, and become interesting and educational when seen growing in ai climate unsuitable for their ordinary cultivation. The rubber t.vro of a. bicycle or motorcar, growing on a tree, would not fail to interest even the most pronounced "scorcher," and the great family of orchids, with their beautiful blooms and eccentric habits, cannot, fail to prove attractive to tho great mass of visitors' to tho winter, gardens. In connection with tho proposed new gardons it is intended to hold periodical shows of pot nnd other flowers and plants in tho winter as well as .summer months, and if the experience of Glasgow and the KenGardens, London, is to bo taken as an indication of the popularity of such exhibitions, the attendances at our Gardens on such occasions should ibo' very largo. I'or' tho year 1906 tho visitors to Kew Gardens, London, numbered 2,339,492, and on ono day alono (August 6) there were 113,131 visitors. In the total of visitors for tho year tho winter gardens assisted considerably, and in Glasgow tho tram traffic in iho winter months is greatly increased when fiownr shows are announced at the winter gardens or in tho public parks. Mr D. Tannoek, tho. superintendent of reserves, informs us that Dunedin is Iho first city in Australasia to undertake the establishment of winter gardens, and lie anticipates that the first section of the lmildiiig—the greenhouse— will he completed and open to tho publio in the winter of 1908. When this section is completed, ono or other of the remaining two sections will bi> undertaken, and in tho meantime overy preparation will bo made to secure tropical and sub-tropical plants for growth.or exhibition in the new buildings.

■When plans and specifications for tho proposed new -Gardens were invited the principal hothouse builders and heating engineers in England -a.nd Scotland wcro oomrinmicated with, and a number of designs were submitted 'by eminent firms', and of theso the design and specifications of Mackenzie and Moiicnr (Ltil.) were considered to bo the rhost suitable, and up-to-date, and were accordingly recommended to and approved of by the Reserves Committee- a.ml the, City Council. , No doubt by the time tJie proposed winter Hardens aro completed the corporation will liavo seen tiro necessity for other forward movements in the direc-tion of making tho Gardens, Ocean Beach, and other Toserves liiovo attractive lo the public than they aro at present. Thero is no insuperablo difficulty, for instance, to the erection of a. tend rotunda, or to> the inclusion of the present rotunda, in tho design for the winter gardens. This addition, or inclusion, if carried out, would permit of the pnWio listening under cover to band music while looking over tlio. attractions of a winter flower exhibition,. and might be made a. source of levemie for raising funds to improve the Gardens or other reserves. Whore the trams are owned by the corporation, as they aro in Dunedin, every inducement should bo made lo make the rcsorves at terminal points, or en route, as attractive as isbf-siblo, and there, is ample scope in this direction for co-operation between the tramway- authorities, the Oilv Reserves Committee;, and kindred lwdies sucli as tlio Ocean Beach Domain Board and Society. The Tramway Committee, it is viloasing to note., is alive to this fact, and it is understood that a substantial proportion of the sum voted by the council towards Ihe winter gardens has been contributed by the committee referred to.