Mr. Ambrose Lloyd Taylor, Head Gardener of the Christchurch Domain and Parks, is the son of a gardener and forester in the service of the Duke of Bedford. He was born at Oakley, Bedfordshire, in the thirties, and brought up by his father to the occupation in which he has been engaged all his life. Before coming to New Zealand, he was at Chatsworth and Kew Gardens, and manager of several properties in England, including the estate of Baron Rothschild, in whose service he continued for twenty years. Mr. Taylor was selected in 1889 for the position he occupies out of thirty applicants, and arrived in Lyttelton by the s.s. “Ruapehu.” Since taking charge of the parks he has effected many improvements. He joined the Masonic Order in Lodge 591, Berks and Bucks, and passed various chairs, taking also the Royal Arch degree; he is unattached in New Zealand. He is also member of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. Mr. Taylor was married in 1884 to a daughter of Mr. Tomkinyon, of London, and has three sons and one daughter.