Roses and Rose Growing Part 4

_Lady Penzance_, one of the most attractive, though less hardy and vigorous than others, resulted from a cross with the Austrian Copper; _Lord Penzance_ from the Austrian Yellow. This last is extraordinarily fragrant, the scent of the leaves after rain filling the air to a considerable distance. The rather small flowers of both these show their parentage very clearly in colour. But for size of blossom and effect, none of the fourteen varieties equal the bright pink and white _Flora McIvor_, the crimson _Meg Merrilies_, and the superb dark crimson _Anne of Geirstein_. This last is a plant of extraordinary vigour, forming in a few years huge bushes ten feet high and nearly as many through. For a high rose hedge or screen these hybrid sweet briars are invaluable, while they may be also used for pillars and arches. And, with the exception of _Lord_ and _Lady Penzance_, which are of more moderate growth, they are easy to propagate, growing readily from cuttings, which, if put in early in the autumn are in flower the next summer. The foliage of the common Sweet Briar, however, remains the most fragrant of all, with a clean, wholesome sweetness that is unsurpa.s.sed by its more showy children, always excepting _Lord Penzance_, which, if possible, excels it. Therefore let no one discard the old friend, and let them plant it beside a walk, so that they may give it a friendly pinch as they pa.s.s, to be rewarded by its delicious scent.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCOTS BRIAR.

STANWELL PERPETUAL.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCOTS BRIAR.

STANWELL PERPETUAL.]

THE SCOTCH BRIAR, _R. spinossima_,

is a most fragrant little rose, its compact bushes forming an excellent hedge round a rose garden, covered so closely with the sweet little double, globular flowers that the tiny leaves are almost hidden by the ma.s.s of blossom. They can be had in yellow, white, or many shades of pink. But none are prettier than the common rose-pink. The yellow is a hybrid--raised in France early in the nineteenth century.

The _Stanwell Perpetual_ is a Scotch briar, hybridized most probably with the Damask Perpetual or some such rose, flesh-coloured and flowering from May till the autumn.

ROSA RUGOSA, THE RAMANAS ROSE OF j.a.pAN,

was introduced into England in 1784. But this fact may, I imagine, be as great a surprise to some of my readers as it was to myself, when I discovered the statement on unimpeachable authority an hour ago. I well remember the first plants of the common pinkish-red variety, which I first saw in 1876. It was then considered something of a novelty; and I recollect how we all began cultivating it in our gardens, and that we were enraptured, as were the blackbirds and thrushes, by its large, handsome bright scarlet fruit in the autumn.

The varieties in cultivation in those days were _alba_ the single white, introduced in 1784 by Thunberg, a very lovely flower; and _rubra_, the single pinkish-red (Cels. 1802). The hybridists began work upon these some twenty years ago. Paul and Son brought out _America_ in 1895; and the fine _Atropurpurea_ in 1900, one of the very best singles, deep glowing crimson with brilliant golden stamens when opening at sunrise, and turning purple later in the day. Double hybrids were also raised, the charming white _Mme. Georges Bruant_, 1888; _Blanc double de Coubert_, 1892; _Belle Poitevin_, 1895, rose-coloured and very fragrant; and the handsome _Rose a parfum de l'Hay_, 1904, carmine cerise and deliciously scented. _Fimbriata_, 1891, semi-double, white tinted blush, the edge of the petals fringed like a dianthus, is perhaps the prettiest of all, and is specially suited for growing as an isolated bush.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RUGOSA.

CONRAD FERDINAND MEYER.]

But of all the hybrids none can be compared to the superb _Conrad Ferdinand Meyer_ (Muller, 1900). This last is said to be crossed with _Gloire de Dijon_. It certainly possesses just the same rich fragrance as that invaluable rose, while its beautiful colour, a warm tender pink, its large size and perfect form, its more than vigorous growth, and its persistence in blooming--I have it in flower here from the middle of May till December--render it one of the most valuable additions to the rose garden of the new century.

Besides these there are numbers of other varieties, as the continental growers, such as Bruant, Cochet, Gravereaux, Schwartz, etc., have paid considerable attention to these roses of late years. But the future of this race is bound to be a very important one, and so far we have not in the least realized what its effect may be.

PROVENCE ROSES, _R. Centifolia_.

Cabbage, or Common Provence, 1596. Rosy pink.

Crested. _Vibert_, 1827. Rosy pink, pale edges.

Unique, or White Provence. _Grimwood_, 1777. Paper white.

Sulphurea, or the Old Yellow Provence. Golden yellow.

Miniature Provence Roses.

De Meaux, 1814. Rosy lilac.

Spong. Blush pink.

White de Meaux. White.

MOSS ROSES, _R. Centifolia muscosa_. (Summer flowering.)

Baron de Wa.s.senaer. _V. Verdier_, 1854. Light crimson, in cl.u.s.ters.

Common. _Holland_, 1596. Pale rose.

Comtesse de Murinais. _Vibert_, 1827. White, large and double.

Crested. _Vibert_, 1827. Rosy pink, paler edges.

Crimson Globe, _Wm. Paul & Son_, 1891. Deep crimson.

Celina. _Hardy_, 1855. Rich crimson, shaded purple.

Gloire des Moussues. _Robert_, 1852. Rosy blush, large and full.

Laneii. _Laffay_, 1846. Rosy crimson, tinted purple.

White Bath. _Salter_, 1810. Paper white, large and beautiful.

Zen.o.bia. _Wm. Paul & Son._ Fine satin pink.

PERPETUAL MOSS ROSES.

Blanche Moreau. _Moreau Robert_, 1881. Pure white.

James Veitch. Violet shaded.

Mme. Edouard Ory. _Robert_, 1856. Bright carmine.

" Louis Leveque. _Leveque_, 1904. Colour of _Captain Christy_.

" Moreau. _Moreau-Robert_, 1873. Vermilion red.

Mrs. William Paul. _Wm. Paul & Son_, 1870. Very bright rose.

Perpetual White Moss. Blooming in cl.u.s.ters.

Salet. _Lacharme_, 1854. Bright rose, blush edges, fine.

Venus. _Welter_, 1905. Fiery red, one of the best.

THE FRENCH ROSE, also called "ROSE DE PROVINS," _R. Gallica_.

Belle des Jardins. _Guillot_, 1873. Bright purple, striped white.