The South Gardens
Throughout the Exposition these garden beds are to show a succession of blooms. At the opening of the Exposition five thousand daffodils were in bloom over two hundred thousand yellow pansies.
The South Gardens, besides having two great pools, at the end of which are the Mermaid Fountains by Arthur Putnam of San Francisco, have a most decorative fountain called the Fountain of Energy.
In the pool below are seen great sea animals, representing:
1. The Atlantic Ocean, with coral in hair and seahorses in her hand, riding on the back of an helmeted fish, suggestive of armored cruisers, etc.
2. The North Atlantic, an Esquimaux riding the walrus, ready to spear the enemy.
3. The South Atlantic, a negro riding on the back of a sea-elephant playing with an octopus.
4. The Pacific Ocean on the back of a great creature unknown on land or sea.
In the pool, on the dolphins" backs, ride most charming sea maidens.
Around the base of the earth are grouped sea spirits.
The earth shows on one side a great bull representing the Western Hemisphere, a great lioness denoting the Eastern.
One sees the swirling of the waters around the figure of Panama.
Surmounting the globe, standing in his stirrups, rides Energy, the force that has overcome the play of the waters and has put thru the Panama Ca.n.a.l. Energy is strongly suggested by this stalwart male, who rides on, having surmounted all difficulties. This is the great power that is responsible for the completion of the Panama Ca.n.a.l, and Fame and Victory blow bugles long and loud from his shoulders.
The idea of energy is further carried out by the splendid play of the waters from the fountain itself, tremendous force being evident.
At the west end of South Gardens, opposite the Band Concourse, are most interesting groups of trees, shrubs and flowers. The members of different floral families have taken the opportunity of meeting and establishing themselves in the same neighborhood, and the result is delightful for the lover of flowers. Now is the time to study differences and similarities in the plant world - and our opportunities are appreciated.
Notice the splendid groups of trees and shrubs on either side of Horticultural Palace.
Monterey pines, Monterey cypresses, Lawson cypresses, acacias, laurustinus, veronicas and dahlias are grouped so as to make a most remarkable effect in form and color.
The Dracaena Canariensis or Canary palm, as we are in the habit of calling it, and the Washingtonia robusta, or California fan palm, are seen in alternate arrangement, double rows on either side the Avenue of Palms.
On the south side of the Exposition grounds is a wall, twenty feet high, of living green. It is made of mesembryanthemum spectabilis put in boxes, six feet by two by two and a half inches, filled with earth, over which is put a wire-mesh screen. This is the first time this work has been tried and it has proved to be a thorough success.
Festival Hall
Architect - Robt. Farquhar of Los Angeles, California, widely known for his fine domestic architecture.
On the south side of the Avenue of Palms, opposite the Court of Flowers, stands the building in which the majority of the musical festivals of the Exposition are to be held.
The main hall will hold three thousand people.
There are about five hundred conventions to meet here during the time the Exposition is open.
The organ, of marvelous tone and sweetness, is one of the finest in the world.
Edwin H. Lamare of London will give one hundred performances, each recital beginning at 12 M. He starts his musicals the first of June.
The building is French in style, having been inspired by the Beaux Arts Theatre, Paris.
It has a large dome, the cupola of which is lighted by projectors beneath the floor of the building.
Sherry Fry of Iowa has done the sculpture, all of it being suggestive of festivity.
Bacchus, with his grapes and wine skin, reclines on one side, while "The Reclining Woman" listens from her position.
On the west are two Floras with their festoons of flowers.
Little Pan sits with his panpipes on an Ionic capital over which is thrown a fawn skin. He has just stopped playing to watch the lizard that creeps at his side.
The Torch Bearer, a most graceful figure, is poised on each corner dome.
A border of pinkish-lavender hydrangeas, four feet in diameter, with a fringe of lavender and pink baby primroses, adds much to the beauty of this spot.
Pinkish-lavender erica, or heath, borders the steps leading from Festival Hall to the Avenue of Palms.
Above the western entrance one see the old Greek drinking horn, the rhyton, suggestive of festivity.
The Color Scheme
Jules Guerin, probably the greatest man in his particular line in the world, has had complete charge of the Exposition coloring.
He has used only five colors, but of course these colors are not all the same tone.
All walls are pastel pink or a sunset shade, as seen in the Court of the Ages. All niches are the same shade.
All ceilings and sh.e.l.ls are ultramarine blue, with two exceptions. The Court of the Ages is a pastel blue, and that of the Court of Palms is fawn-color.
The domes of the Fine Arts Palace, and the Court of the Universe, are burnt orange, or, as one writer has expressed it, "sea-weed washed with brine."
The other domes are an oriental green, approaching copper-green.