Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02
BLOSSOMS TO GIVE
TOUCHING STORY OF
WARS AFTERMATH
Walter Reed Garden, One OF
Finest in U. S., to Have Ex-
hibit at Flower Show.
BARES Achievement
OF BRIG. GEN. GLENNAN
Collection From All Parts of World
Gives Convalescents Contrast
to Drab Battlefield.

A great physicians vision of the
therapy of beauty is reaching its
fruitition at Walter Reed Hospital.
One of the most striking exhibits at
the annual flower show of the Ameri-
can Horticultural Society at the Will
lard Hotel Friday and Saturday will
consist of blooms gathered by conva-
lescent veterans from one OF the finest
gardens in the United States. In the
background of this mass effect of roses
and perennials, lies touching idyl OF
the World War and its aftermath.
Brig Gen. James D. Glennan came
to Walter Reed when the great Army
hospital was receiving constant
stream of the human wreckage from
French battlefields. 1t was a dreary
constructed temporary wards and its
barren fields. There was no escape
from the odor of anesthetics, the con-
slant procession of olive-drab uniforms
and the overcoming spectacle OF
sickness and despair. Medicine and
surgery were doing their best in this
atmosphere of struggle and pain. Gen.
Glennan felt the need OF something
more-of the mental healing power of
nature which works miracles transcend
ing the skill of medical man.
Lover of Nature.
All his life the veteran soldier had
been a lover of nature. During the
busy career of an Army surgeon, NOV,
ing from post to post, he had found
scant opportunity to crafty this yearn-
ing. At Walter Reed came his oppor-
tunity and his vision. He resolved to
create here a spot of ideal beauty, a
place of cool shadows and showers OF
falling petals which would be the anti
thesis of the drab ugliness of battle
field and cantonment from which the
men had emerged. He pictured place
into which the noises and worries OF
workaday life never would intrude.
garden symbolic of peace.
Gen. .Glennan, according to his asso-
ciates at Walter Reed not only was
student of the human body, but OF
the value of suggestion and Of mental
calm In accomplishing cures. So the
garden he projected was intended only
Secondaray. as an. ornament for. mill
tary post. It had definite therapeutic
object. The atmosphere Of beauty would
tend to make life more worth living to
pain wracked bodies. 1t would restore
despairing mind to the communion OF
nature. The care Of growing things
would provide temporary interest in
life to take the minds Of the men OF
their troubles.
So he began collecting shrubs and
flowers from all over the world. There
we're many donations from flower
breeders and from persons interested IN
the welfare of the wounded soldiers. M.
Pernet considered the greatest OF mod
ern rose breeders, sent from Paris
complete collection of his creations IN
memory of his two sons who hao oleo
in the French service. Experts OF the
Department Of Agriculture provided the
design of the garden. Gen Glennan
pondered over flower catalogues from
many lands.
Death Closes Vision.
Gradually his vision began to take
shane But in the midst of its fruition
Cen, Glennan died. There is monu,
ment to his memory great natural
rock with a brass plaque on 1t-ln tne
center of the garden where on WINDY
,I,,ne mornings showers OF white rose
netals fan upon 1t. His successor mas
Carried on the work and this month
workmen are building the last section
of the garden. . a,,.h ~
IT is now III ltS SAco -..1,,
beauty. with great masses OF heavenly
h,,,s anchusas. orange and yellow blan-
ket flowers, Glove pinks, red mullen
ninks. corn flowers, veronica and oigl-
tails in the perennial section, rare
Anime blossoms covering natural rcck
hanks. thousands of blue and yellow
iris beginning to fade In the June sun
shine and great arbors Of roses. Inc
rose display is especially notable at tnls
time. particularly the large masses OF
red. pink and white polyanthus roses
growing about foot high and appear
ing like thick suspended mats OF coioI:
These will form considerable part OF
the Walter Reed exhibit. There also
are dozens of varieties Of hybrid per,
petual and hybrid tea roses now In hui
blossom.
The garden is in a natural hollow,
and this has been accumulated by the
design SO that it seems completely smut
off from the rest of the hospital esfao-
ljshment, like the garden OF a great
country estate. 1t is at It's best on
moonlit June evenings, when an aura
of romance hangs over 1t and tncre Is
an atmosphere of unworldly beauty.
This was the ideal of Gen Glennans
vision Of the therapy of beauty.
Succession Of Blossoms
The garden is so planned that there
will be a constant succession OF blos-
SONS from early Spring until late Fan
when the killing frosts nip the last oil
the chrysanthemums. Expert garden
ers are in charge of the work, out
much of the effort is provided volun-
tarily by the veterans, doctors ana
nurses. There are visitors from all
parts of the country.
Besides the garden, Gen. Glennan
gathered on the Walter Reed grounds
q large collection of rare towering
shrubs from all parts of the world
which have been acclimated and which
are labeled so that they constitute one
of the best botanical collections in this
part of the country. Constant addi-
lions are being made of rare specimens
from the Department of Agriculture.
Special efforts have been made by
the gardeners to bring flowers into
bloom for the horticultural exhibit.
Peonies in particular are being nursed
along to have them at their finest to
enter the competition Of the American
Peony Society. which Is holding its an
nual exhibit in conjunction with that
of the American Horticultural Society.