THE CITY BEAUTIFUL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20075, 16 April 1927, Page 7

THE CITY BEAUTIFUL.

AUTUMN LEAVES AND FLOWERS. ABOUT THE PARKS AND GARDENS. PICTURES OF RARE BEAUTY. To every season its Own peculiar charm and beauty , and autumn is surely not the least attractive of the seasons in this. .e City Beautiful. And a .mm is now ccr tainly with us. Its pomp anti glory are spread on the hill sides, and a million million leaves are changing to browns and russets and reds at the touch of its slowconsuming (Ires. And not alone in the leaves of trees and shrubs are it? beauties to be seen, but in the many bright flower? that have thoir season of display at this time. The sports grounds, too, as well as the gardens and the parks, just now offer delight to the eye. This is the lull between the full tide of summer and of winter games, when the grounds are given a alight respite and are prepared for ■winter use; and never do they Jock neater and fresher. The great smooth green expanse of the Oval, for instance never appeared more inviting and never was in so good condition for sport? as it is to-day Cricket is practically over and the Reserve? Department has three men engaged covering over worn places with turf.- raising wickets up to the proper level, and generally smoothing over any hollows that may remain. Occasionally not a hollow but a hole appears there still, bringin- the un savpury past of the Oval back vividly to mind. Among the refuse deposited there in bygone years were not a few iron tanks These are buried over, and for year? they withstand the pressure upon them from above until suddenly one will give way, leaving an ugly gaping hole. One of these ■ holes that recently appeared required two ; drayloads of earth to fill it Bathgate Park is also? looking its very best The ; Asylum Ground, at the back of the Boys’ I High School, has been improved out of i all knowledge durine the last few years ! and it appears as though this winter there ; will be little, if any, fault to find with it The track and the ugly clay patches that used to disfigure it are now a!' gone, hidden ( beneath smooth turf, and several new drain? have done much to take away the water that used to give a ground -uch a bad name • The grounds have all been marked out now in readiness for the football season At the Woodhaugh Gardens the new bowling green has just had a very thorough top- ; dressing, which promises to give excel- i lent results next spring. The sports reserve by the Gardens has also had con : siderable attention, and looks in prime condition for the coming winter. i In Nature autumn is the season for dis- j carding and burning up waste, and the I Reserves’ Department recognises that it can- ; not do better than follow this wise load. - All about Serpentine avenue and Jubilee | Park this clearing up has been going on, and up at the back of the High Street School on Thursday men were engaged clearing away grass and rubbish from tho patch of native trees that were recently planted there. These natives are coming away well, and will yet present one of tho most beautiful sights to be seen about the city. The autumn glories of the exotic trees of Jubilee Park are now at their very best, and beech and birch, chestnut, oak and sycamore, ash and elm mingle their rich hues of brown and red in a symphony of colour which no artist could hope success fully to reproduce. Here and there in tho Town Belt bush against the background of the sombre native foliage stands out in sharp and striking contrast one of these deciduous trees clad in its autumn garb But though sports grounds and our park reserves are all under the care of the Reserves’ Department, it is at the Botanic Gardens that the chief of the activities of tho department are centred. Here one may quickly learn how many and how beautiful are the flowers that come to make the autumn bright On the right of (he King street entrance a border of red poppies catches the eye. Roses are still numerous and well worth attention. Violas a re showing their wonderful powers of continuous flowering, and the bright yellow Bullion has not ceased to make a fine show, A great, long curving bed of miohaelmas daisies shows these handsome flowers in much variety and at thoir maximum of display. Delightful are the opposite beds of summer chrysanthemums. Masie Mathew makes a great n-£ c s of pink in one place, and a little further oi h a group of widely-varied but charmingly harmonious colours. They are a collection of choice now varieties flowering here for the first One of the rarest sights that the Gardens present just now is a circular bed of rich autumn-tinted foliage built up of sumach amelanchier, berberis, and primus pisardi. all leading up to the crowning glory of a golden ash in the centre. Dahlias continue to fill many of tho smaller hods with their bright hues, and pink and red geraniums ac** fig «ail ,■ dcivorM ivp a* ovor. A glance at tho long lines of healthy autumn chry santhemum? with their bursting buds shows that they will scon he a centre of admiring attention. T he ribbon border still shows much Colour, and tho mixed herha'-oou? border opposite is as interesting a? ever Oyer ! near tho Winter Gardens i egonias, helm tropes, and fuchsia continue to adorn ■ their beds »dth a cheerful pem-stence that ; speatks eloquently for the mildness of the season this fa l- . In the greenhouse begonias of most lovely hue and form and fuchsia gra"e fully shading them from above form the mainstay . of the display. In the new greenhouse next the fernery there "re xaato glorious begonias set low and graded j

back so that everyone of them oan be looked upon directly and with ease* Streptooarpus continue to flower m the orchid house, where a number of orchids preparing to flower have just been brought down from the hothouses. The fernery grows more beautiful every visit, and the fact that it is going to prove a groat success is now thoroughly established. The scientific naming of the hosts of varieties represented has now been completed. The ferns are seen to be not only holding their own, but making fresh growth in the most vigorous and promising fashion. In. the aquarium ponds carp, silver eel, perch, brown and rainbow trout are a source of never-failing interest to visitors. Baskets of ferns alternated with baskets of Wandering Willie, has- a very pleasing decora live effect. Outside the buildings red salvias and many different marigolds may be found flowering in profusion. The visitor would hardly expect to see much in the azalea garden up on the hill just now. but as a matter of fact the rich dark rod of their leaves make a picture well worth seeing. In the nursery the charm of autumn tints may be enjoyed again among the little acers. This is the time for berries, and the berberis border on the path from the upper to th< lower wardens is very beautiful just now. Dahlias and antirrhinums refuse to pass yqt, and are flowering in gay abundance in the neighbourhood of the tea kiosk. It is in this area that not onlv every botanist but every lover of his country may study what is by far the finest collection of Xew Zealand flora in existence As is generally known the foundation foi this was laid in the first place by the gift of the splendid collection of the late Vlr Henry Matthews, of Mornington. The superintendent (Mr D. Tannock) has since greatly added to it through the valuable co-operation of such enthusiastic amateur? ns Sir George Fenwick, Messrs Hart, Darton, the Thomson brothers, and G Simpson. A? a matter of fact the exist mg collection has already solved the problem of a national garden of New Zealand flora which has been arusing some discussion in northern centres of late The careful naming of the species add? greatly to the interest and value of the collection. On his return with the Tutanekai from his recent visit to the Snares, th« Auck land and other outlying southern island?. Captain Bullons brought back for the Cardens many specimens ot plants characteristic of those parts. Some of them Mr Tannock did not have before, and all of them are a most welcome addition to his stock. In the extensive greenhouses one may get a peep behind the scenes and learn something of the care arid thought and skill necessary to prepare for the beautiful displays that are always to be seen out doors and within in the gardens below Here in soil and surroundings carefullv suited to their needs are boxes and boxes of geranium cuttings, Marguerites, and nentstemonsj pelargoniums, and calceo larias. orchids and streptocarpus, begonia? being propagated from loaves, cyclamen carnations and many another less common but not less beautiful flower. The greater part of the frames outside aro occupied just now with cinerarias, calceolarias, and hydrangeas. It is all very interesting and fascinating, and loads one to wonder why more people do not wish to devote them solves to this constant creative co-opera lion with nature that gardening afford? But perhaps the visitor sees only the plea sant and successful side of it!

A less attractive, perhaps, but mon severely practical side of the reserves do parturients' activities has to do with the nurseries that stock its broad plantations Vigorous young pinus insignus andpinu? ponderosa or yellow pine are growing n. rows >n thoir thousands, and many of them will be transferred to Waipori immediately after Easter. The little trees grow very thickly together, and seven rows of no great length are estimated to contain 40,000 of them. They are “wrenched” from time to time in order to prevent them from -booting away too rapidly, as they will have many rough win'd? to contend with o-'f in tho plantations, and also to pro mote strong root growth. Experiment? seem to show that the laborious process of lining out is not really necessary, and that the trees may be safely sent out from the >-edi in which they have first grown Mr Tannock has estimated that tho tots 1 cost of the trees is only about £1 a thor sand. He is experimenting just now is sowing Oregon down in tho autumn instead of in the spring a? usual. Lovers of this iho most beautiful cih >i the most hea''tif d country in the world may well give thanks for the work of th reserves dpe-artmont, directed with such -.vnert hv Its superintendent, Mr Tannock