White Ground Fancy Carnations

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 18, 2 November 1910, Page 39

White Ground Fancy Carnations

The illustration of Delieia that is given herewith conveys an excellent idea of the white ground fancy carnations. Visitors to the carnation societies’ exhibitions may have observed on examination of the exhibits, that all, or nearly all, the successful competitors choose yellow grounds, also buff or apri-

cot grounds, variously marked with rich coftouitk The (white grounds are left severely alone, judges and exhibitors alike favouring the coloured grounds. It is scarcely a matter of taste, for exhibits quite as tasteful might be made of white ground fancies, as witness the group of nine stems of Delieia, an exquisitely beautiful seedling raised by Mr. •I. Douglas in his nursery at Great Bookham. There are many very beautiful white ground varieties in cultivation. One named Willie has been in evidence for a number of years. Besides Delieia, which is new this year, another fine variety is The Bride, a pure white ground lightly marked with rose flakes. Sweet Briar is another very charmin o ’ white ground, marked with lavender and rose. Caesar and Pompey are two distinct varieties, but both are pretty, and if you have Caesar one year it may be Pompey the next, or vice versa. Charm is another delicately coloured white ground of merit. Hon. Dorothy Legge is a distinct variety, white, very freely marked with bright rose. Rhoda (Taylor) is a quite distinct and charming white ground, the petals very freely marked with lavender and rose. The Nizam is also a beautiful variety, quite distinct in its pure white ground and scarlet markings. There can be no doubt that it is possible to make a stand of single flowers or a group in vases of white grounds to equal, if not to surpass the coloured grounds, and the special societies should give such encouragement to them as would give them due prominence. There seems to be a general feeling that self-coloured carnations and fancies are quite out of place displayed on cards. These classes might be eliminated from the schedule of the National Carnation Society, and a class for vases of white ground varieties be provided, the blooms to be shown as grown, like the group of Delieia. The vases would certainly form an attractive anil interesting feature.