Miniature Garden Contest for Spring Flower Show 
Those who were at the North Shore meeting last year will 
remember the little model of a garden, built upon a tray about 
three (3) feet square. A number of our Club Members have, 
from time to time, made such models for their own amusement 
or for Club contests, and now prizes are to be offered at our big 
Spring Flower Show in New York City for such models of 
gardens, planned and constructed by Members of the Garden 
Club op America. 
The rules governing this exhibit will be found elsewhere in 
the Bulletin and further details will be mailed to each Club 
President. 
Models of these miniature gardens may be seen at the studio 
of Mr. Robert Olyphant, 140 West Fifty-seventh Street, New 
York City, and also at several other studios. 
Miss Mary Jay has kindly loaned us one of her exquisite 
models which she made for her own exhibit a year or so ago. 
This will be on exhibition at our office, 598 Madison Avenue, 
after January first, and will serve as an inspiration and example 
of what can be done with patience and Plasticine. 
Miss Jay makes the following helpful suggestions: Design 
should first be drawn on paper to scale, allowing either -J or \ 
of an inch to a foot; then laid on the bottom of the tray 
and position of walks, beds, trees, etc., plainly marked. The 
garden can then be built up from that to its different levels. 
Materials to use: Plasticine in three grades, soft, medium and 
hard, (medium is best) and in colors green, white and red. Tiny 
flowers and foliage can be found at the Decorative Plant Co., 
230 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Pieces of rubber sponges, 
painted green, can be used for hedges, fine native sponge for 
clipped box. All these materials take oil paint with a great deal 
of turpentine. Mirrors can be used for ponds, etc. A few 
modeling tools are necessary; a stiff brush is used on the 
Plasticine for indenting the lawns to simulate grass. Nails, 
painted white, are used for posts and uprights to pergola. 
In using the scale of ■£ of an inch to a foot, six foot borders 
would be three-quarters of an inch on the plan. This gives 
plenty of room for detail planting. The main paths would be 
four feet which is one-half of an inch on the plan. The shrubs 
would be from one inch to one and one-half inches high. 
Perennials would be one-quarter of an inch to three-quarters. 
Small trees would be from two inches to three inches. Elms 
would be from four and one-half to five inches. A two story 
and a half house should be about four and one-half inches. 
This gives you an idea for the £ inch scale. If you wish you 
can use the -} inch scale, but the smaller one is prettier. 
Ed. 
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