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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 2 (June 1, 1928)

Station Gardens

page 12

Station Gardens

And the jessamine faint, and the sweet tuberose
The sweetest flower for scent that blows;
And all rare blossoms from every clime
Grew in that garden in perfect prime.”

The accompanying photographs of gardens made by station staffs at various places in New Zealand have been kindly supplied by the respective stations in response to our request for illustrations to indicate what has been done in the direction of beautifying the Railways.

Seen From The Train. Garden Dlots at Rakaia Station, South Canterbury.

Seen From The Train.
Garden Dlots at Rakaia Station, South Canterbury.

Those travelling up and down New Zealand are invariably greatly attracted by the appearance of some of our more carefully tended stations. Wherever a garden exists there is a tendency (because of the thoughtfulness and care necessary to secure effective results) to maintain a smart appearance in other directions as well. The lover of horticulture must be methodical to be successful. It is therefore pleasing to find an increasing attention given to this side of railroading in all parts of the Dominion. While there have been scattered attempts at beautifying in various districts, some attaining to marked success in raising the standard of appearance at their station to a very high level indeed, the only part of the country where the business is organised on a substantial scale is Otago. The Otago Women's Club have set in motion a big scheme for station beautifying to which the staff throughout the district have responded readily. Cups and prizes are offered by these ladies each year and are keenly contested for by those stations that consider their capacity to produce good gardening effects sufficiently high to be within the range of a winning chance. The ladies themselves do the judging and exercise the greatest care in allotting points for various features such as arrangement, design, selection, etc. The results of the judging are eagerly awaited and there is great rejoicing at the station that proves itself the prize winner. One of the finest features about these contests is that all members of the staff become interested in the gardening work. Moreover, they are fertile in ideas and ever willing in assistance of station garden schemes.

The photographs wilt indicate how successful the staff at certain of our stations have been in this direction, and it must be remembered that these photographs, although representative, fail to give an adequate idea of the wonderful improvement which a little work and a little care can make in the appearance of station premises. It is expected that the station beautifying movement will extend still further afield and make our railway stations what they ought to be—the most pleasant rendezvous for the public that the various towns possess.

If I Could Understand!”
“Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower—but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is!”

page 13
In the Pretty Station Garden at Rakaia Some of the flower beds. Among the palms. Rambler Roses One of the most attractive features of the Rakaia station garden is the display of rambler roses to be seen there—growing profusely over a rustic fence. The roses have been selected and arranged with a view to a good blending of colour, the whole effect being a very pleasing one, as seen from the train.

In the Pretty Station Garden at Rakaia
Some of the flower beds.
Among the palms.
Rambler Roses
One of the most attractive features of the Rakaia station garden is the display of rambler roses to be seen there—growing profusely over a rustic fence. The roses have been selected and arranged with a view to a good blending of colour, the whole effect being a very pleasing one, as seen from the train.