AT FLORA'S FEET 



LEONARD BARRON 



Impressions of the Year's Big Flower 

 Shows at New York and Indianapolis 



A GARDEN OF ROSES 



Roses of many hues and for all sorts of purposes— stalwart 

 bedding Roses, graceful climbers, and appealing little 

 trailers — were effectively congregated in this Gold Medal 

 winning display of Cromwell Gardens (A. N. Pierson) 



after all, is the ultimate goal of all gardening— was permitted 

 to enter in. No indeed. That was not proper! 



To-day how different! The appeal is made frankly to the 

 public's sense of beauty, with perhaps little to cater to the ex- 

 perts' more minute examination. And in proportion as the old 

 style is distanced does success seemingly attend. Never should 

 it be forgotten that the new pace for New York was set by the 

 visit of the National Flower Show under the direction of the 

 Society of American Florists in 1 9 1 3 . The credit for the further 

 development is due chiefly to the Horticultural Society of New 

 York and particularly its treasurer, Mr. F. R. Newbold, through 

 whom the active cooperation of the Garden Club of America 

 has been secured. Thus the New York spring flower show as- 

 sumes the dignity of a national event, even more so indeed than 

 does the actual National Flower Show which this year was wel- 

 comed by Indianapolis. This latter, national in being, visiting 

 different centres in succession, and stirring local activities into 

 an awakening, justifies itself, however. That New York has 

 ridden onward better than any other centre is perhaps only 

 the natural response of the metropolis. It has a considerable 

 population of its own and it is a pivot of attraction for people 

 elsewhere. 



It was the Rose gardens of the two Piersons at the 1913 Nat- 

 ional Show that set the pace. Suddenly the horticulturists 

 realized that the public was not so greatly concerned in the 

 balanced niceties of individual varieties as in the spectacular 

 effects of mass grouping in suitable environment. The lesson 

 learned, successful flower shows followed, leading up to the peak 

 of success attained this spring. 



But there was only one Rose garden this year, instead an 

 Azalea garden (Bobbink & Atkins) struck a new note and 

 showed that the great Easter plant will be with us again. It is 



jHILE the ancients bore gifts to the 

 goddess of spring and made obei- 

 sance to the personification of flow- 

 ers, the modern American in his 

 thousands takes the direct course and pays 

 his tribute to the gate-keeper of the hall of 

 flowers wherein he enters to worship or 

 admire the realities themselves. The New 

 York Flower Show has become indeed some- 

 thing more than an "exhibition" of plants. 

 It is a gala display of their effectiveness and 

 decorative possibilities. Only a very few 

 years ago the conception of a flower show 

 was a gathering of examples of the cultural 

 skill of the grower, arranged in orderly way 

 on benches or tables where the technicali- 

 ties could be analysed for the benefit of 

 other technical growers. Nothing of the 

 appeal to the sense of beauty, of color har- 

 mony, of charming mass etc., etc. — which, 



SPRING IN FULL SWAY 



Familiar favorites — Hyacinths, Tulips, and Daffo- 

 dils — in massed planting filled this small formal 

 garden with refreshingly clear color, and acces- 

 sories of various kinds were used as accent points 

 in the design. (F. R. Pierson) 



