1951-07-14 — Page 4

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GOTHAM GARDENER

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1951.

PLANNING months in advance, architect Robert Carson (left) and Hegemeister make preparations for a Puerto Rican tropical display.

HIS doral displays are probably as brilliant and eye-catching as the legen- dary Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Yet Homo Hegemeister never breaks a nali, dirties a hand or suffers from calloused knees--the occupa- tional hazards of gardening "Hege" as he is known to intimates is the distinguished horticulturist who keeps the three and a half acres of Rocke- feller Centre landscaping always fresh and flowery. He supervises the work of six permanent assistants and 24 more at planting time-man who create a frapront oasis in the heart of noisy New York's gasoline-fumed atmosphere.

Surrounded by skyscrapers, Hegemelsler's flower beds extend from the Fifth Avenue Channel to the picturesque seventh and 11th floor gardens. An average of 130,000 persons daily, weary of stone and steel, and comfort in the prolusion of flowers, rich green lawns, clear pools, sturdy hedges and shrubbery.. Busy executives and tired stenographers, working in skyscraper ufflees, resi their eyes on tress and greenery hundreds of feet above the street.

One week, Hegemeister plants 20.000 crocuses, the next, 5,000 tulips appear. A sudden storm and the display may be ruined, bringing "Hege" on the run. Rush calls to greenhouses in the city produce a kaleidoscope of colour and beauty,

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Each flower display-there are approximately 12 a year is planned months in advaner, and it in here that Danish-born Hegemeister's 25 years of experience pays off. It's a jub of clock-like precision to figure exactly when greenhouses must start growing thousands of flowers that will be at their proudest bloom when the gardens get new' Anery.

For, live full days a week. Hegemeister worries over his flowers, trees and brooks, On weekends, at home in Morris Plains, N, J., he slips into comfortable' slothes, carries his chair out on the lawn,' then sits back to supervise his son, daughter, and even his wife, landscaping.

in an 11th-floor rock garden, horticulturist Home Hagemeister checks a load of earth brought by gardener Frank Lee, in distance can be seen the majestic Empire State building..

A PICTURE of case, Hegemeister and his wife relax on the lawn of their home while daughter Helen, a model, waters grass. Son, George, is following in pop's footsteps,

OBLIVIOUS of the busy, street traffic far below, Frank Lee climbs a wall and, Ander the direction-of Hagemeisist, prunes a tree growing in the sky"

BUSY AT HER TYPEWRITER, Rosalind Kinsler, a private secretary, latunaware that Kardeners Jebm Buckley and Frank Lee are keeping her 7th-floor garden in shape.

IN THE SHADOW of inspiring St. Patrick's Cathedral, across the street, Hego melater, and his crew."manicure", one of their roufion Jawns iri midtown area,