Evening star., 1937-12-12

MRS. LILLIAN w. SMITH.
the late Mrs. Abram Eisner and Mrs.
Christian Heurich were generously CO.
operating with DR.. Marvin and the
Board of Trustees in their desire to
have the George Washington Univer-
sity take the leadership in its midst
as good neighbor setting an ex-
ample in landscape Identification
Their idea was to show what could
be done by simple and effective plant
ings on the universitys grounds, what
could be done in making g citys
midst JOY to the eye of the be-
holder
Given Position at University.
To carry out certain of the de-
tails OF this vision, DR.. Marvin gave
Mrs. Smith her first professional op-
portunity by appointing her the uni
versity's part-time gardener.
Ancient wood-sheds and fences gave
way at DR.. Marvins directions to the
sweep of open spaces of greensward.
Discouraged shrubs and trees took
on new life and vigor Grouped masses
of new planting began to frame GER
tain of the city's oldest houses, and
to make backgrounds for the uni
versity's modern building units as they
rose one by one in cleaning white
ness. In that portion of our Wash
ington, known as the Colonial town
OF Hamburger, long before the Capital
Clty's planners had even envisioned
1t as part of its boundaries, a mod
ern garden miracle was Under way.
Now. in spring and summer and
fall. hurrying students increasing hun
dreds, stop moment to and from
their classes to enjoy the beauty of
tulip or pansy or rose beds. To date
there has never been a case of depre-
dation, nor does single touch not"
sign appear anywhere, such is the
universal appreciation of what they
mean to this community.
In connection with her RESPONSIBLE
tiles at the George Washington Uni
Verslty, Mrs. Smith has supervision
over one of the most interesting
horticultural experiments ever project
ed on any university campus.
Demonstration Gardens.
With the enthusiastic cooperation
OF DR.. Marvin and the board of
trustees OF the university, the Potomac
Rose Society is sponsoring, on the
grounds OF the university, under Mrs
Smiths direction and care. a proln
OF demonstration rose gardens in
which there already are 800 rose
paintings.
The varieties chosen for this experi-
ment and the designs for the planting
were drawn by B. Y. Morrison and
Dudley H. Youngman of the United
states Department of Agriculture. with
the advice and counsel of DR.. Whit.
man Cross, known all over the United
states as an authority on rose growing.
Cooperating with the New York
The reason for this project and
its sponsorship by the Potomac Rose
society is, Mrs. Smith explained, mot
only 10 demonstrate anew that long
established fact, how lovely is the
rose Its major objective is rather
to show by scientific trial and error
In the midst of city area Just what
any student in the university or YOU
and of the public at large NAV
achieve in our own little front or back
yard plots under approximately SIM
liar conditions
Purpose of Society.
1t is the Potomac Rose Society's
purpose, Mrs. Smith further explained.
to enlist general interest in these small
rose plots as part of a definite
educational program, so that people
generally may realize that it is not
only possible for cramped city yards
10 blossom as the rose" but that "a
garden is lovesome thing" possible
OF creation within the average CITY
nome dweller's range of possibilities.
Long intrigued by the historical
ana geographical background of the
rose in some of the old Mediterranean
countries where many of the rose
species originated, Mrs. Smith is
sailing on December Is on a three
months cruise, whose high lights for
her will be the opportunities afforded
to visit certain Old World gardens.
Armed with a camera and note
books, she hopes to capture and bring
back something of the charm of these
gardens that were old when our
continent was still a primeval wilder
ness. Her journeyings will include
visit to the famous garden at Rabat,
m French Morocco, where the gov
ernor general has worked out a most
interesting experiment in modern
French and European landscape
methods through the use of native
plant material.
She also hopes to spend enchanted
hours in the gardens of Malta, famous
since the days of the historic knights
OF Malta, who made the island their
hospice and stronghold. Mrs. Smith
is likewise planning a visit to the
ancient countryside about Athens,
which region, in all probability, pro-
duced the rose species, rosa alphrestis.
While Mrs. Smith is the guest of
friends at Robert College, Istambul,
long known to the world as Con-
stantinople, arrangements have been
made for her to have access to its
native gardens overlooking the horn
OF the Bosphorous.
Mrs. Smith expects to return for
spring planting time and the con-
tinuance of her avocation that has.
become the profession of making
green things grow for those "who of
garish days grown weary in trim
gardens take their pleasure"