GARDEN NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 3

GARDEN NOTES FROM ENGLAND.

THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW. Written for the Otago Daily Times. By Egbert W. Aschoft, A.U.C.R., IMUI.S. There is probably no flower show in the whole world which can compare wilii the early summer show which is held each year in the Royal Hospital grounds, Chelsea, It is true that there are larger shows on tho Continent and possibly In America, but for high quality and sheer beauty of arrangement Chelsea is supreme. This will be better understood when it is realised that each year the applications tor space always greatly outnumber the actual area available for exhibits, with tho result that only those firms which are certain to put up groups worthy of the are likely to bo allotted space. Their Majesties the King and Queen always look forward with particular pleasure to attending- this show, and this year they spent nearly two hours on the opening day admiring the different exhibits. Tho chief award—namely, the Sherwood Cup, which is given to tho most meritorious group in the show, was gained by Messrs C. Engelmann, of Saffron Walden, for what was probably the finest group of carnations that has ever' bceii seen. There were over 10,000 blooms in the group, and the quality of each individual bloom was superb. In the centre of the exhibit was a mass of tho new perpetual carnation, Red Laddie, a sport from Pink Laddie, the colour in this case being almost brick red. A special Award of Merit was granted this variety. The season in England is very late this year, with the result that although May flowering tulips were seen in quantity there were not many exhibits of lupins and delphiniums. Messrs Blackmoro and Langdon, of Bath, have a large export trade with New Zealand, and tho delphiniums and begonias shown by this firm fully deserved the gold medal which was awarded. Two new begonias were “Mona,” with a wonderful breadth to the white petals and “Mrs D. B. Crane,” a deep blush pink. t It would not be possible to deal with a fraction of the exhibits in a short article, but only those who have had actual experience can realise the many difficulties in attempting to grow such plants as strawberries, lilies, sweet-peas, antirrhinums, etc., to be ready by the middle of May each year. The hydrangea is very popular at the moment, and this popularity was still further increased when these flowers were selected to play a prominent part in the decorative scheme when their Majesties held their first Court of the season. Mr H. J. Jones, of Lewisham, staged a wonderful group of these plants and displayed great taste in blending the colours in his exhibit.

Tho Daily Graphic Cup for the best rock garden was won by Mr G. Whitclogg-, of Chistlchurst, who used weatherworn Lancashire limestone in designing his garden. The show was a complete success, and an exhibit which was especially welcome was a collection of cypripediums, shown by Mr A. C. Barrage, of Boston, U.S.A., all being species native to the United States. Let us look forward to the time when some wealthy and enthusiastic New Zealander will arrange to grow a collection of New Zealand shrubs and plants' in this country with a view to showing us at Chelsea what his country can do.