Title
The recreation ground, New Plymouth, New Zealand. The residents are justly proud of their beautiful reserve
Description
New Plymouth possesses the finest recreation ground in New Zealand, and the dainty little scene in the photograph is but one of the many to be found therein. Covering an area. of about 45 acres, it forms both a public garden and a sports reserve. Its natural and varied formation of gently rising hills, clothed with native bush; its miniature valleys, luxuriant with ferns, plants, and shrubs, flourishing in their natural condition; its two lakes, abounding in wild ducks, white and black swans; these, and its many other characteristics, make it a veritable Garden of Eden. The remarkable beauty of the Gardens is equalled by the excellence of the Sports Reserve, which is claimed to be one of the finest in the colonies. There is seating accommodation for 20,000 people, and on the occasion of an important football or cricket match, or an athletic display, the attendance is enormous. One of the features of the New Plymouth Recreation Ground is the excellent opportunities it affords for distant views of the snow-tipped peak of Mount Egmont. In the foreground of the stereograph stands the octagonal-shaped rotunda, whose picturesque roof forms a pleasing contrast to the lake beyond. The beautiful flora of New Zealand shows to fine advantage on the sloping bank opposite, whereon we see ferns and trees, rich in foliage and hue. Amongst the smaller trees, the kotukutuku, or fuchsia the karaka, and the mahoe figure prominently in these lovely gardens. The grounds are under the management of a board of trustees, and are maintained by a small subsidy from the Town Council, in addition to public subscriptions and donations.
