232 
The Garden Magazine, May, 1924 
I N NEW YORK the gardens differed not greatly from those seen in 
previous years. Bobbink & Atkins massed in this manner a display 
of Azaleas in both Belgian and Kurunte types. They well displayed the 
stocks of these things that are now available. 
F. R. Pierson had a sedate exhibit that was perhaps seventy-five 
per cent, practical, by which we mean that it could almost be reproduced 
in actuality in both design and material. It won the Garden Club 
of America gold medal on that account. 
John Scheepers Company staged in both cities gardens of similar 
character. The same material and the same general design being 
adapted according to the space and situation. The effective bloom of 
Hyacinths against a background of Cedars and pergolas had an ap¬ 
preciable atmosphere of mystery and repose that attracted universal 
attention, and won its creator the highest award at the Western Show. 
Of Orchids and Other Things 
O RCHIDS were seen in surprising quality in both exhibitions. 
Such specialists as Lager & Hurrell, and E. H. Roehrs made note¬ 
worthy contributions, and in New York Mr. Clement Moore’s collection 
of Cattleya Hybrids was an education. Mr. A. C. Burrage sent from 
his rich collections in Massachusetts a notable display to Cleveland, 
and from Pennsylvania came the prize-winning Laelio-Cattleya Joseph 
Manda, of Mr. F. E. Dixon. Mr. Pooley’s contributions should also 
be mentioned. 
Of plants odd and unusual or specially interesting there were 
really few to be seen. Such things as are in collections are not 
brought out by the individual private owners and, of course, the 
bars are up against their introduction in ordinary channels. The 
source of supply is completely cut off and nothing can be had. 
However, from W. A. Manda’s collection in New Jersey were a number 
of fascinating specimens for the plant lover, things rarely seen— 
a number of varieties of English Ivy, some few species of the Cactus 
family, a cool greenhouse vine with violet-blue flowers somewhat 
resembling the flowers of our native Fringe-tree although not related 
to it, Petra volubilis. Around this display many an old-time gardener 
hung in rapt reminiscence renewing his acquaintance. 
In both the Shows the cut flower displays were of the stand¬ 
ard to be reasonably expected on such occasions. 
Sweet-peas from Burpee were seen both East and West. 
Charles H. Totty had new Roses; and in New York the 
display of bulbous plants was of an unprecedented qual¬ 
ity, especially Van Waveren’s Narcissus and the general 
display of Stumpp & Walter. 
The new Rose, Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, was appropriately 
displayed with masterly skill in both .places (F. R. Pier¬ 
son) ; a yellow sport from Ophelia, and as that Rose has al¬ 
ready proven its merits, both under glass and in the open, 
we can confidently anticipate that this new yellow will be a 
real addition to our garden varieties. It is a clear full color 
yellow Rose of characteristic Ophelia build and size. In 
the cut flower trade it has shown special lasting qualities 
which is an interesting attribute and, as seen at both these 
exhibitions, the color became intensified instead of fading 
as the flowers unfolded day after day and as they aged. 
Mrs. Calvin Coolidge comes with all the promise of being 
a successful and brilliant garden Rose. At Cleveland 
there was a ceremonial performance of “christening” 
this newcomer bv Miss Ruth Stone, ex-President of the 
Women’s Civic Club. 
Constructive 
Contributions by 
of America 
the Garden Club 
W ELL, the man that gets them things together has 
got brains!” This admiring comment of a specta¬ 
tor whose capacity for appreciation had apparently outrun 
his erudition was called forth by the fascinating array of 
miniature model suburban homes staged by the Garden 
Club of America at New York. The three problems pre¬ 
sented—(i) the planting of a 50x 125 ft. lot for beauty 
combined with economy of initial cost 
and economy of upkeep, (2) theplant- 
ing of a 125 x 150 ft. lot with chief em¬ 
phasis on beauty and no special re¬ 
striction as to cost, (3) community 
planting for well-planned groups of 
two, three, or four houses—-were 
solved in ways so various and so at¬ 
tractive as to be a forceful and illumi¬ 
SCHEME FOR AN ELASTIC GARDEN 
This sketch reproduces the salient features of the garden exhibit of Knoble 
Bros. Co. at the Cleveland show, it is adaptable to a variety of little 
garden plots by expansion or reduction in either direction. The shrub¬ 
bery masses—in which Rhododendrons, Pieris, and Azaleas are included 
with deciduous flowering kinds—are fronted by irregular areas of her¬ 
baceous plants, annual or perennial, and a new acquisition could be 
added without deranging the arrangement in any way. The evergreens 
(shown in shaded line) are Yews, Retinisporas, and such like. These 
effectively give accent and elevation without overpowering the scale 
nating object lesson in the possibilities of the small place and banish for¬ 
ever the notion that little yards need be either monotonous or unlovely. 
In these days of rapidly building suburbs and congested communities 
no topic more vital could have been chosen, and the Garden Club of 
America is to be congratulated on its constructive contribution to a 
much neglected and widely important phase of gardening. A very 
practical addition would be supplementary lists of suitable plants for 
suburban gardens in the different sections of the country where climate 
and conditions of growth are so diversified, and it is hoped that next 
season’s Flower Show will bear fruit in this direction also. 
Most happily the prize winners of the New York competition were 
sent to Cleveland where they did not attract so much attention, curi¬ 
ously enough, thus showing that there is cumulative solace in shows. 
Another interesting feature fathered or, perhaps more correctly, 
mothered by the Garden Club of America was the treatment of “A 
Niche in a Carden Wall.” The walled garden, long appreciated on the 
Continent for the seclusion and shelter it offers to plants and humans 
alike, is beginning to captivate American popular fancy, and even a 
quite small garden increases immeasurably in charm by the creation of 
a focal point. The wall may lift or dip a bit, may curve back a little or 
jut forward, may do any of a number of things which offer an engaging 
setting for some choice piece of statuary, for a bold blue vase, for a tiled 
or terra-cotta fountain. Considerable divergence of manner was evi¬ 
denced in the rendering of the particular problem in question—a niche 
5 ft. deep by 9 ft. wide, wall 8 ft. high—ranging from the pleasantly 
convivial grape and bacchante motif of the East Hampton Club to a 
serious and delightful madonna and child with pigeons, votive bou¬ 
quets, and a generally Old World flavor (Garden Club of Philadelphia). 
It is really a pity, however, that the genuinely fine bronzes in some of 
the other treatments were not more adequately set—simplicity and a 
harmonious background are essential; the statue must have a chance 
to speak for itself, to reach the spectator’s eye and consciousness with¬ 
out conflicting distractions and all planting must be subdued to meet 
this end—just for a second the .garden submerges its appeal in order 
that this other beauty of man’s making may be enhanced. Among the 
groupof exhibits, that of the Garden Club of the Oranges—with a lovely 
bronze “Narcissus” (by Enid Yandell) bending forward over a little 
semi-circular poo! brightened by darting goldfish whose gold was re¬ 
peated in the long pistils of surrounding C.allas offset by Ivv 
and Cedars—seems most nearly to have met this ideal. 
Tidings of Great Joy 
A LTOGETHER the New York International Flower 
Show as an annual occurrence can scarcely be over¬ 
praised, whatever its lacks or lapses from year to year— 
and this season’s display as a whole seemed scarcely up to 
that of its two immediate predecessors—or whatever the 
motive power that “puts it across.” Mutterings about 
“commercialism" and disparaging contrast between Amer¬ 
ican “almighty-dollar methods” and British “pure love 
of horticulture” occasionally make themselves heard, jus¬ 
tifiable comment perhaps but after all of little moment. 
The spectator has no curiosity as to motives, to him the 
spectacle is everything, and literally thousands of people 
crowd in each year from bleak March streets, drawn by the 
color and scent and hope that so much massed loveliness 
vields in generous measure. The connoisseur finds a new 
jewel or two to set in the crown of his especial garden 
treasure, whether it be Roses or Orchids or some humble 
little Sedum to lie between flagstones; the child gets his 
first large lesson in plant life, as fascinating a kingdom for 
the imagination and far saner than the tainted realm of 
“movies”; suburban dwellers, anxious to lift the little 
plots, which are home to them, out of commonplaceness 
into beauty, make profitable voyages of discovery. And of 
all the pilgrims to the yearly feast of flowers none are more 
touchingly eager than the old folk one sees being pushed 
about in wheeled chairs with a sort of reflected spring¬ 
time glow on their age-weary faces. Truly no city can 
afford to be without its Flower Show! 
The National Flower Show Commit¬ 
tee has decided upon annual exhibi¬ 
tions instead of biennial as originally 
scheduled and has already completed 
plans for two years ahead selecting 
Kansas City, Missouri, for its 1925 
show; and those close neighbors, Min- 
neapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, for 1926. 
