Horticulture

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 75, 26 March 1923, Page 2

Horticulture

STRATFORD’S ADVANTAGE. A VISITOR’S VIEWS, A visitor to Stratord, a resident of Dunedin, gave some views on horticulture to a. “Post” representative which should bo of general interest. “I am interested in horticulture,” he said, “and during my stay in Stratford I have kept my eye open to see* what progress horticulture has made in the town. I notice that following on; ; tihe v reeent- ( -Flowt;r Shots; in the Town Hall seems to. have ,)jgen . jpadc ith'at good flowers could, be grdwp. . iii the district. The discovery seems t'o be belated, for the district seeris vh orjoy every possible advantage for flower-gi'owing. The gardens I have seen indicate that, with some trouble on the part of the organisers.' plenty of entries could he got for a Flower .Show. That is not to say that.without previous preparation, flowers fit for a show would he avai’able in the majority of gardens. But the nucleus ’dr'bnekboiie dPU lr slithV dxjsts in the numerous gardens one sees on a, trip round the town. What is most needed is the infusion of a little enthusiasm into the keepers of small gardens. If the flower show people can infuse enthusiasm and give a little advice and aid the number of entries for a. show should be greatly ipcreased. The spade-work in such gra campaign would, no doubt, be diffiput and involve the making of a,long-sus-tained effort; hut there would be ■eonsolatidn ■’thrtt • ditie it'wak done, it ; ; wc.uld' he done-'for lever.'Once a person is infected with entbhsiasm fpr flowers! ho always A remain, 4' a flower enthusiast; and a real enthusiast is never happier than when impressing on others the joys attendant on nursing prize blooms to maturity. No doubt better flowers would be grown in Stratford v.ith more case if heed were paid to certain consideration. For instance, far too many have been designed with paths running straight in from the front gates, thus permitting th© wind to sweep through the garden. This w;ould be obviated if paths were run in with a circular sweep, ami the difference wou d be very marked in the case of those houses which have both a large and a small gate. It is unfortunate 111 Stratford that the prevailing winds and the sunshine come from the one direction, the result being that if tall shelter is planted in order to exclude the wind it also excludes the sunshine.; -Much,can be dpne in this connection by ]> anting the higher and hardier flowers next to the wind, smaller plants being placed on the sheltered side of them. By the systematic use of this idea the ill effects of the wind could ho greatly minimised.