DUNEDIN’S SHAKESPEARE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 80

DUNEDIN’S SHAKESPEARE GARDEN.

TREE PLANTED BY MISS ELLEN TERRY. Mr Tannock, curator of the Botanical Gardens and tho Town Belt, is nothing if not an enthusiast, and when the idea of founding a Shakespeare garden was mooted ho entered into the project heartily. By earnest study of the poet’s works he learnt that tho l- Bard of /avon ” has mentioned 114- trees in his works—namely. Aconite, oak, apricot, aspen, bay tree, bilberry, birch, blackberry, blessed thistle, briar, broom, burdock, brown furze, burnct, camomile, carnation, cedar, , chestnut, clover, cockle, colocynth, columbine, cowslip, crab, hemlock, hemp, henbane, holy thistle, honeysuckle, ivy, kecksios, knot grass, lady’s smocks, lavender, leek-lilies, line-tree, locusts, long heath, long purple, love in idleness, mandragora, mandrake, marigold, marjoram, mary-buds, medlar, mint, mistletoe, moss, mulberry, musk-rose, mustard, nettles, nightshade, oak, oakwort, onion, oxlip, pammy, parmacoty, peony, petty whin, pignut, plantain, poppy, potato, primrose, mince, rose of May, rosemary, rue, rushes, saffron, crowflower, crown imperial, cuckoo buds, cypress, daffodil, daisy, darnel, dewberry, dogroee, cherry, eglantine, elder, elm, dingoes, fennel, filberts, fleur-de-lis, fumitory, furze, garlic, gilly flo'wers, harebell, charlock, hazel, hawthorn,, hobenon, speargrass, strawberry, sweet flag, sycamore, thistles, vine, violets, warden pear, willow, woodbine, wormwood, wild thyme, and yew. Mr Tannock has not only procured seeds or plants of all these, but he has also identified the lot by their botanical names, and each will be labelled in Latin and in English. Most of the trees mentioned here are ready for planting out in the littlo garden, about half an acre in extent, near the Opoho road. It was natural that the Shakespeare Society should take advantage of the presence in Dunedin of the famous Shakespearian actress, Miss Ellen Terry, to invito her to plant a tree in the reserve. Miss Terry was driven to tho Gardens by Mr T. W. Whitson, president of tho Shakespeare Club, where they met the Mayor (Mr Shacklock), the chairman of tho Reserves Committee (Mr Todd), a vice-president of the club (Mr J. C. Stephens), and Mr Tannock, who were in turn presented to Miss Terry. Miss Whitson handed to Miss Terry a beautiful bouquet, the gift of tho Shakespeare Club, and the Mayor welcomed Miss Terry to the oity and to the Gardens. Mr Whitson stated that it was some 37 years since the Shakespeare Club was formed, and the work done by it had stimulated other cities tc follow Dunedin’s example. It had given pleasure to many, and had encouraged the study of tho best literature. At Mrs Colqnhoun’s suggestion that a garden should be established on tho lines of the Shakespeare garden at Stratford on-A von. .the club waited on the City Council, which referred the deputation to Mr Tannock. This was fortunate, as that gentleman at once adopted the idea, and it was entirely owing to nis skill and friendly attitude towards the project that the grounds were now ready for planting. After paying a graceful compliment to Miss Terry, Mr Whitson asked that lady to plant a tree Everything was ready, and, under Mr Tannock’s supervision and with his assistance, Miss Terry planted a well-grown mulberry tree, jokingly remarking that in America she had had to do the hard work connected with the planting. Miss Torrv then addressed those present as follows:—“I think I need not say how glad and proud I am to bo asked to plant a tree in this most beautiful garden of this most beautiful country. I pray that it may live and flourish and be a joy to your children and their children. In one of Bacon’s Essays ho speaks of a garden as * the purest of human pleasures,’ and he goes on to say: ‘lt is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man—without which buildings and palaces are but gross handiworks.’ Again he says; 1 And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air than in the hand, therefore nothing is more fit for that delight than to know what be the flowers and plants that do best perfume the air. That which above all others yields tho sweetest smell in the air is tho violet, especially the white double violet. Next to that is the musk rose .... sweetbriar, wallflowers, pinks, and gilliflowcrs. But those which perfume the aT most delightfully, not passed by as the rest, but being trodden upon and crushed, are three —that is, burnet. wild thyme, and water mint—and therefore you are to set whole alloys of them, to have the pleasure when you walk or tread.’ In return for the pleasure you have given me this morning, may I ask you to accept a little gift? Here are some violets to plant in your Shakespeare gar-den-some white double violets. I give them with my love, remembering that Shakespeare says; ’ Never anything can be amiss when simpleness and duty tender it. Good-bye. my friends, and good-bye, my tree, and may all the saints have you in their keeping.” The coin pa ny made the occasion something of an arbour day, a number of trees being planted. The Mayor “ planted ” an oak. Mrs Colquhoun an aspen (trembling poplar), and Mr Whitson a silver birch. At the close cheers were given for Miss Terry.