Napier's Beauty

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 284, 4 January 1930, Page 6

Napier's Beauty

VISION OF THE FUTURE City Of Great Fossibili= ties AN EXPERT'S REV1EW Very llattcring connnent 011 Napier's parks and gardens is made in an { article entitled "A Yisior, of the Future," written by the special commissioner of the New Zealand Smallholder in a recent issue of that journal. In its liorticnltural sectiou tlie paper ■ says - "Napier is a city of great possibilities, as will soon he learned by oue wlio has the pleasure j of meeting its popular Mayor (Mr J. j Vigor Brown) of tlie enthusiastic I treasurer of its Thirtv Thousand Club (Mr R. C. Wright), or other of its citizens who have a vision of the future of Hawke's Bay with Napier as its port and tlie huh cf much of its aetive life. My own interests are deeply in connection witli horticulture, and it was these matters which made I'or aesthetic development that claimed my attention on a recent visit. The interest tliat the citizens take in gardening may be gauged bv the fact that about 200 of them gathered at Clive Fquare at 10.30 a.m. on a recent morning to hear and see liow to go about making a rock garden. At tliis function I met a number of the enthusiasts connected with the progress of tlie citv and its liorticnltural development. At _ the invitation of the Mayor, the writer, accompanied hy the curator fM'r W. C. Corner) a trained man from the Old Country. made a somewhat exhaustive tour of inspection CLIVE SQUARE. "The first open space visited. Clive Square, is a veritable "lung" right in tlie heart of the business portion of the city, of something over oue acre in extent. It is hard to estimate its value to the community. The choice Canary Island, palms, bouganvilles, and other plants give it quite a res'tful and tropical appearance, which will he greatly enhanced when the proposed Winter gardens are added to the square. Valuable and useful as are the larger reserves, Ntliese smaller areas have a value and use' to the public wliich is tinique. THE BOTANICAL GARDENS. "In the 14 acres of Botanical Gardens the citizens have a lovely garden practically in the centre of the town, yet secluded, and protected from almcst all winds and frosts. The colJection of iorest and ornamental trecs is a very fine one, iricluding many varieties of the cupressus family, sequoias, cedars, and many other trees and shrubs, including some fine tropical palms of various sorts. Most of these trees are jealously guarded. The years as they pass only add to their beauty and usefulness. Thero are, however, quite a number of old pine trees which in years gone hy were of value as nurse trees to the choicer varieties, but their period of usefulness has long passed away, and it is hoped that they will shortly he removed to give place to a choice selection of fiowering and ornamental treas and shrubs. The general conditions in these gardens mah'e it iiossible to grow any temperate or sub-tropical trees, and plants, except heatlis, azaleas, and rhododcndrons, which do not succeecl on account of ihe amount of free linie in the soil. When tho projected improvements are eft'ectod, and ail the new and old trees and plants are eorrectly riamed, this park will in reality he a sectional Botanical Gardens. TREES PLANTED IN STREETS. "Nelson and McLean Parks are very fine areas, where ail open-air games are played. Tlie upkeep is a credit to those in oharge. Considerahle use has been made of fiowering eucalypts with fine effect. Many of the new streets are on land which has in recent years heen reclaimed from the salt marshes. These include Vigor Brown street, Kcnnedv road. and the intersecting streets, which have beeu judiciously planted with a useful seleetion of native and exotic trees and shrubs. I was informed tliat in this vicinity there are some 18 acres of neatly kept grass plots in the streets. George's Drive has great potentialities for, lay-out. "If planted with Canary Island palms. crimson gums, and New Zealand Christmas trees, it would form a fine speetacle, wiuding alonsside the riverside as it does for l.| rnile. "Tlie hospital is a beautiful structure and in a commanding position. Tts gardens are officially under the Hospital Board. Ifc has great potentialitips for effective heautifica,tion, tliough its areas are limited. Many of the old oorners and vantage spots on the hills are being treatecT by an effective seheme of planting which in time will add materially to their beauty. THE MARINE PARADE. . "No reference of Napier's planting schenie would l>e complete witliout reference to its wonderful "Marino Parade," a street wliich is famed far beyond the confines of New Zealand for its beautiful lines of Norfolk "Island pine trees and its ocean view. The planting of these trees was starfcel many years ago, and tlie line of this remarkable avenue is annually l>eins extended Clivewards. Tfc is hoped, with tlie eo-operation of the outside local authorities. to continue the planting yearlv till it. extends not only to Clive, but from the Breakwater to Hastings itself. There is soiue talk of planting clumps of pohutakawa and other suitable native trees to afford shade and protection on thc sliingle hetween the eastern row of Norfolk Island pines and the sea. Once estahlished, these wonld add a finish to this already beautiful and far-fanied Parade.

MEANEE RESERVE. "The city 'has several larger reserves >a few miles out of town. One of these, known as the Meanee Reserve. was visited, and a plautation of eucalypts, now seven years old, was inspected. Some of the largesfc trees are upwarcl of 50 feet high and a foot in diameter. Thanking our hosts for a pleasanfc nnd profitahle afternoon, during wliich the presenfc attainments and future potentialities of the horticultuTal and aesthetic side of Napier had been amptlv demonstrated, we joined the car for Palmerston North."