THE GARDENS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18940, 10 December 1929, Page 12

THE GARDENS.

(Written for the “Star.”) There’s a pond surrounded by yellow Japanese irises, with here and there a clump of arum lilies, and, in the background,r hododendrons; a tree of soft est feathery pink, and further back still, foliage in every shade of green, light and dark. Most of it is reflected in the still waters of the pond, and the sun glints through here and there. There’s another pond with an island covered with heavy, dark growth of leaves and surrounded by water lilies, cream and pale 'pink, and a group of dear deep rose-pink ones in bud; around the edges are irises of softest pastel shades! There’s another smaller pond with a great clump of arum lilies, just as many of the dear things as could possibly grow on one root. I am not sure if it be one root, but the blooms stand close together amidst their dark green leaves, in pure, calm, sweet dignity, and the little red goldfish glide happily round and round them. At the edge,

all around, there are the yellow Japanese irises, and in front of them, on the path, a border of bluest of blue forget-me-nots and dark purple violas. There’s another pond. Two ducks landed at Collingwood, New Zealand, and looking around with a rather discontented expression, waddled over to Gisborne, and with two or three quacks, left its shores for the lily pond, passing as they went, a clump of beautiful irises with dark brown velvet petals, lighter brown varying with the darker shade. These somehow escaped their notice—foolish, foolish creatures — rather like us humans sometimes, too busy being discontented, thinking of the things we haven’t got, and missing the great and beautiful gifts which God never fails to give us. He just goes on loving us, and giving and giving. And then—l am sure I could never describe the thrill and the uplift, almost as if one had reached the very gates of heaven itself. Just think of it! Great patches of blue, dark blue, lighter blue, with light touches of pale-pink-merging-into-blue lupins, bordering the paths and stretching away under trees great and small—some with light green, yellowy green, very dark green, and dark plum foliage, and the blue sk}' overhead. The birds singing, and thesunlight clear and soft and beautiful over it all. Beauty! Loveliness beyond the telling! The Gardens!