A CITY GARDEN BEAUTIFUL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19695, 23 January 1926, Page 3

A CITY GARDEN BEAUTIFUL.

Written for the Otago Daily Times. By J. Fleming, F.E.H.S. One of the most popular and picturesque gardens in and around the city of Dunedin, which has had its turn of success in securing first prize in the local garden competitions—in fact, gaining most points within its limits each tine it was tiie subject of adjudica- | tion, is situated on a sunny slope with a i fine outlook over Jubilee Park, giving a beautiful Landscape effect. The winding ! walks, lovely settings, and absence of formality give a pleasing and natural effect, w'hich more than compensates for its undesirable scenic, effect from the street of the main entrance. I may say that adjudicators of garden competitions in the past unreasonably insisted upon scenic effect from the street, because some gardens that took the judges’ eyes failed lamentably in good arrangement land General effect, etc., within their bounds. Suffice to say that the garden to which I refer, and of which 1 am the gardener, is laid out with winding walks, over a rustic bridge, past little rockeries, through native bush carpeted with native and English ferns, amongst which are grown aquelogia, bluebells, cineraria, honesty, forget-me-not, Lenton roses, foxgloves, and, climbing above through the bush, clematis, the banana-shaped passion fruit, and climbing roses. From the fern walks out on to the mass rose beds and rose terrace the varied collection of roees is effectively displayed by grass walks and lawns and by beds terraced by rough brick walls on the slope. When the roses are in full flush of glorious bloom the effect is delightful. Looking up the terrace from below the display of colour is lovely, being set off by the splendid background of trees and native bush. Here and there are odd corners with groups of flowers, and ferns. Not a piece of ground is wasted, but everything helps in the natural informal charm of surprise everywhere. Perennials are in variety—carnations, geums, lilies, silalcea, anchusa, lychnis, Arkwrightii (a very fine perennial), etc. There is a round bed of the Sweet William “Pink Beauty” carpeted with a lavender viola which supnlios a lovely blending of colour. On a slope there was, a few weeks ago, a. magnificent bed of glowing ranges of colour of antirrhinums, many of them over four feet high. Another ‘outstanding flower was the stately hollyhock delphiniums, growing up to six feet and seven feet high, with spikes of flower three to four feet, and individual blooms three to three and a-half inches across. These are quite the best ever soon in a Dunedin garden. Roses are among.the outstanding features of this garden, which includes dwarfs of the latest novelties and Polyantha roses in variety, of which “Mrs W. H. Cutbush” is exceptional for bedding purposes. This rose is not a new rose, but I am surprised that it is not catalogued either in Now Zealand or Australia, for it is one of the finest dwarf cluster, cigar pink, bedding roses that I have over seen. When carpeted with a lavender viola the acme of elegance i? achieved. This rose is very much admired by visitors. Our most prominent climbing roees are Paul’s t-carlct. Climber. which is my favourite climbing rose. Everybody should have this rn.se. The colour stands the sun well Climbing “Lady Hillingdon” is very fine, and so also are “Cupid,” “Ruby Allison,” the perpetual flowering rambler, Climbing “Madame E. Horriot,” and others, not forgetting to mention American Pillar, everybody’s favourite. American Pillar will grow in any position at all. As an illusj fration. we have a paling fence running east |to west. On the south side of this fence arc planted three American Pillar roses. Mark you. this is on the shady side of the fence where the sun never penetrates. The height of this paling fence is over six feet, and the vigorous shoots of the plants arc trained so as to form a roof on each side of the fence. At the present time this roof is a glorious mass of bloom, fully 15 feet across. Beneath this roof on the shade side arc two rows of spiraeas in full bloom, pink at the back and white in the front. ’ Also intermingled with this is ’ilium fspeciosum, to come into bloom later. This display is unique and appeals to all who see it. I may say this garden is an all-round utility one, cultivated on an intensive system, as every corner j; utilised for some* object of- interest. It produces flowers, fruit, and vegetables.. One should , not forger, to obtain the beautiful “Charm” dahlias for mass effect in the garden, as they are out on their own.