a par with professionals. Another prize was awarded to Miss 
Helen S. Jones by popular acclaim at the same exhibition. In 
another competition at the South Shore Garden Club Mrs. 
William Decatur Parsons won the prize with her plan for a 
mixed border. 
The latest competition was in the Ulster Garden Club at Ulstee 
Kingston, New York. The problem here was a back yard garden. Club 
fifty feet by fifty on a convential suburban lot. It was judged Contest 
by a scale of one hundred points, ten possible points for each of 
the following: Suitability for back yard; ease of upkeep, » 
practicability and conveniences ; fence, hedge or boundary ; effect 
when seen from the house; variety and hardiness of plant 
material used; color effect; succession of bloom; relation to 
house, and least original expense. 
The judges were very much impressed by the splendid know- 
ledge of plants, good taste and originality shown in these plans. 
The Ulster Club has certainly some practical "Gardeners of 
Taste ' ' among its members. The first prize went to Mrs. Herman 
Kelly of Kingston and also of the Shaker Lakes Garden Club. 
Her plan was informal in treatment but at the same time 
perfectly balanced and made ample provision for compost heap 
and cold frame, as well as a charming arbor and bird bath, etc. 
She connected the garden with the house very cleverly with a 
small terrace which would add greatly to the sense of space. 
The second prize was won by Mrs. Spencer L. Dawes for a 
semi-formal treatment enclosed in simple wire fence, to be com- 
pletely covered with choice roses and vines. The planting was 
confined to a border around the edges of the garden, with a low, 
narrow inner bed for choicer plants which was charmingly 
placed. 
Mrs. George Washburn won the third prize for a simple and 
practical planting. 
Mrs. Nielson Parke won the fourth prize for a very beautiful 
plan of paved garden, using an old mill stone as its central 
feature. This plan would have received the first prize had it 
been practical for a back yard garden. It was more suitable 
for a side garden, being so decorative and architectural that 
it should be seen as a part of the house from the street. 
It is hoped that some of these prize winning plans may be 
either printed in a later edition of the Bulletin or at least be 
on exhibition at our office, as an inspiration for the rest of the 
Clubs. 
In judging garden plans it is most important that at least 
one of the judges understands plant material, for at a certain 
public competition three gifted architects were chosen as the 
judges. The practical gardener could not help but smile when 
she noted that the prize winner of a back yard garden plan had 
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