CHILDREN’S GARDEN CIRCLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 13

CHILDREN’S GARDEN CIRCLE

Dear Members, — 1 hope you all enjoyed your holiday, and have settled down to your studies for the winter term. How do you like getting up these cold mornings? Some of you have long distances to walk or ride to school, but you get lots of fun, and school life is made so interesting for you. So with “a song in your hearts” and a cheery ‘'good morning,” you start the day right. i must tell you that I was invited to Westmere to meet the little members, and the mothers who were present, and 1 did enjoy my afternoon there, and admired the several entries in the flower display. They arc clever friends and demonstrators. 1 was very interested watching Mrs. Anderson making posies, and I have made several since, it’s a very fascinating hobby this floral work, going round the garden choosingall the suitable small flowers, berries and leaves to make the posies. I will hope to see many beautiful ones at your springshow. Have you ever thought of forming a scented garden. It need not be a very big space, just a bed or two, or even a border in a sunny spot. You would plant in it Sweet Lavender, Pinks and Dianthu, Lilies of the Valley, Stocks, a bush of Azalea, and others with Honeysuckle, or Jasmine scrambling over the fence or wall; the scents would be exquisite. Wc went to the bush out Okoia way on Saturday last. It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed it all very much. The tree ferns are wonderful there, hundreds of them in this valley sheltered by the native bush. They have grown to perfection and make a wonderful sight. We gathered some more little treasures for my fernery that I am making. I am going to make a miniature garden, too! Are you following Mrs. Anderson’s instructions carefully? This lady tells you in a very interesting and fascinating way, how to build and arrange your little gardens. Keep all the notes Mrs. Anderson gives for future reference. We will see wonderful attempts at the Spring Show, and the public will say, “What a lot of architects and landscape gardeners there are in Wanganui.” I must away, please excuse short letter this month, I have many appointments. Hoping the little sick ones will soon be well. “AUNTIE.” WHEN GARDENS SLEEP.' J shall miss my garden most When the Summer goes. Heart will long for pansy friends, Marigold and rose. Still, tall vases will contain, Blossom faces gay, But it will not be the same As my garden way. 1 shall miss so many things, Words can ever tell; Browing flowers on their stems, These have loved me well. These have answered life in me. Held communion deep. I shall miss all this and more When my gardens sleep. • —George Elliston.

Dear Members,—This week I wish to draw your attention to the annual meeting of our Circle. This will take place m our rooms on Wednesday evening, June 9, at 7.30 p.m. The meeting is an important one and every member and parent should endeavour to attend. A social evening will follow and if we all have as good a time as we did at our last one we will enjoy the evening. Members are asked to kindly help the evening by bringing along something for supper. We hope that every member will try and be present. Till then, the best of luck. “CARNATIC-” OUR LETTER RACK. Neville Hussey.—Many thanks for sending along a donation. I suppose you are just anxious to see your daffodils bloom. Sorry to hear your home was destroyed by fire. “Gwynfa.”—Many thanks for helping our funds along. We do hope you will be able to attend our annual meeting. “Water Lily.”—Many thanks, Gwen, for your interesting letter. It is certainly quite nice to pass the cheer germ around. Could you manage another letter for publication—say “Passing That Cheer Germ.” “Blue Eyed £>aisy.”—A thousand welcomes back to Letterland, Fay. Could you send a few leaves of the violet plant? Yes, Uncle Wai is quite well. Glad to see the interest you have taken in our Circle. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Children’s Garden Circle will be held in the W.D.F.U. Rooms, McGruer's Buildings, on Wednesday, June 9 (next week), at 7.30 p.m. Some very important business is to be brought forward and members and parents are urged to make a special effort to attend. After the meeting a social evening will be held for parents and • members. I know most members will be pleased to hear this. Parents and members are asked to kindly assist by bringing a basket. DONATIONS. Neville Hussey.. 2,’« ' Gwynfa Jones 1/- ' — WESTMERE. Members are reminded of the > monthly meeting to be held on Satur- I day, 12th. The competition for the j day is “Posies,” and the demonstra- > tion will be “Buttonholes.” Members I ’ are asked to make a special effort to | attend as the opportunity will be taken of saying farewell to Mrs. M. Laird. We all known the splendid work she has done in the district and we will all miss her very much. WESTMERE NOTES. Westmere is extremely sorry to ; learn that it is losing its energetic I secretary. Mrs. M- Laird will be I sadly missed. We wish her luck at Te Awamutu and hope that her new | garden flourishes. j Tn the posy competition next week members win not be disqualified if they use tinted leaves in place of

i natural ones. The autumn leaves are I getting difficult to find. Choose firm ’ leaves for they are easier to manage. 1 MINIATURE GARDENS. 1 Dear Children,— 1 There are three things one looks for • in the nearest approach to the per- ' feet miniature garden. I must say the nearest approach, for I know how ■ hard it is sometimes to get little ' things just the right size to fit in with E your scheme. There are three:— 1. —Perfect proportion. 2. —Neatest construction. 3. —General completeness. If you have read my previous notes you will not fail to remember what is meant by No. 1. Proportion is the main thing, and one thing too large or too small spoils the rest of your work. I have explained to you also that in making your garden or ornaments neatness makes your work look so much better. You cannot be too neat when making anything on a small scale. As for the third point, you will readily understand that a child who has gone to the trouble of . making a complete garden must come out ahead of anyone who has not bothered to finish the job. I apologise for the phrase "general completeness,” but I cannot think of anything more descriptive. I do hope that these notes have been of some use to you and that you have understood them all. I know you cannot all win prizes. The majority of you won’t, but you will all gain a great deal of pleasure, and indeed ,a great deal of knowledge by making miniature gardens. I am looking forward to seeing lots of new ideas at the show this spring, and I wish you all the best of luck. — Yours sincerely, (Mrs.) R. ANDERSON. THE CHILD’S OWN GARDEN ’ AN EDUCATIONAL RECREATION ' Soon spring will be with us, and the child, as well as his parents, feel .• the urge to dig and to plant. This I urge, to "grow something” is easily I led into useful channels of the child I is given a gardening place, the rei suit being that he not only will culI tivate flowers, but a colour sense and I taste of beauty as well. If each I child has his owu garden, friendly cooperation with his parents will cer- ; tainly ensure to spur him on his work. - Gardening should surely be listed as : an educational hobby. Its possibilities ■ as a hobby or a game are so boundJ less that one cannot easily lose inj terest. I The child, if possible, should have a garden entirely of his own. A small plot may be cleared for the initial attempt, with a simple design featuring narrow borders, so that weeds may be easily reached, and blooms picked without the plants being trodden down by inexperienced little feet. Tools will be the first purchase, and sets can be procured in small sizes suitable for ; children. Substantial, well constructled ones will prove the most economical. The child will then be instructed to care for the tools properly. A I trowel, band-fork, and an iron rake i are sufficient for the average child's j I garden. Children usually find water-1 | ing cans irresistable, so one of these i should be included, a can equipped |

I with a fine spray nozzle being ad- ■ I visable, lest the seedlings be flooded.: Counselled by Grown-ups. j At the beginning, at least, the I child will need the co-operation of Ihis parents. Such problems as those I of fertilisation and preparation of the ' i soil will require the counsel of the I I experienced gardener. The seed sow-j ! ing might also be directed by the . i elders, as children need help in thisj ■ regard. The seed selection should be : I guided by parents lest the child be i ■ influenced too greatly by the illustra- i : tions in the seed packets. A great I ■.deal of joy can be experienced by j both the child and his parents in the ■ planning. ' The simple annuals are the best ■ i plants for children’s gardens. By us-! iing this type of plant the child is I able to watch the entire growth of > • the plant from seed to maturity. A• ■ child cannot be expected to be en- j I thusiastie over a perennial that taxes ' ■ a long while to produce a short per-! ; lod of bloom. Bright Colours. ■ Bright colours, especially reds, ;seem most appealing to children. • Plants or seeds that are easily grown and produce a long and unfailing suc- ■ cession of gay blooms are the best for the child to commence with. . Marigolds, pansies, phlox drummondi, ; candy tult and corn flowers are ol •simple habit. The child of experience ■ will wish to try his hand at grow ing .flowers for exhibition and the two , flowers the Childrens Garden Circle I is encouraging its members to grow are daffodils and gladioli i The C.G.C. Children joining the C.G.C. are sup- j plied free with the above if the mem-: bership fee of Is is paid. Other gifts j of seed and plants are made during the year and the city and rural members are helped by the aid of personal instruction by the C.G.C. supervisor. These people have offered their services free to the C.G.C. and all members are visited or addressed by these supervisors. Classes for competition are arranged at the childrens annual show held each September. At the coming spring show visitors will be able to see some splendid blooms grown by members of the C.G.C. from bulbs supplied free to them. Parents in Wanganui and districts are asked to kindly consider the advisability of allowing their children to join the C.G.C., and have garden plots of their own. Write to “Carnatio" c/o "Chronicle" for full particulars of the Childrens’ Gardening Circle.