THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 323 



rendered him half crazy, he begins to think fate very unkind not to 

 grant him the fulfilment of his desire, and then, perhaps, gives up 

 rose-growing, and breaks his heart. Whether it might be worth 

 while to break one's heart about it would be worth debating if a 

 rosery were the fine thing it is supposed to be. I do not wish to 

 quarrel with any enthusiast who possesses a rosery, or intends to 

 form one ; indeed, I am ready to help, as far as I can, every one 

 who purposes embarking in the undertaking, and I have already done 

 my best that way in the " Rose Book," where there is a design for a 

 rosarium on a large scale, so placed on paper that any one may work 

 it out without difficulty, and at an expense pretty easily ascertained. 

 But I shall avoid the discussion of the policy of heart-breaking on 

 this subject by avowing my belief that a rosarium is not a fine thing, 

 and that, in fact, it is not a kind use of the rose to repeat it ad 

 infinitum on a large tract of ground. What is the rosery at the 

 Crystal Palace, in bloom or out of bloom ? It is a sight to avoid ; 

 there is no beauty in it : the queen of flowers should have better 

 treatment at the hands of her votaries than to be abused in that 

 way. Look at any rosarium now, and what is it ? What will it be 

 but a wilderness of leafless sticks from this time to March next ? 

 When the roses are in flower, will it be as beautiful a scene as 

 might be otherwise created with a similar space and a similar expense ? 

 I think not : but I like roses intermixed with evergreens, set out in 

 clumps on grass turf, dispersed, divided, scattered, made to show 

 their splendid colours and graceful outlines by contrast with masses 

 of green and deepening shadows, instead of being compelled to 

 impress the spectator with a sense of the sameness that is possible 

 by a misuse of the finest subjects. 



I know a few gardens where roses are grown well, and in con- 

 siderable numbers, and where they have a tenfold chance when in 

 bloom, and are not unsightly at other times, because they are inter- 

 mixed with fine hollies, sometimes set out in broad masses, with rich 

 backgrounds and belts of tree and shrub to give relief, and where 

 the most fastidious would not complain of satiety, and the most 

 rapacious rose-devourer would find enough. Give me well-planned 

 walks that wind easily through smooth lawns and amongst bold 

 blocks of trees and evergreens, and I will rejoice if I see roses 

 at every turn, especially if they are grouped so as to bring out 

 their several colours, though it is a fortunate fact that if a clump 

 of roses consists of various kinds brought together with no nice 

 fore-reckoning as to colours, they never mar each other, because 

 there are no strong contrasts amongst them. The English style of 

 gardening is admirable for the display of this most English flower, 

 because the bold breadths of green required, and the easy transitions 

 from light to shade, from unbroken turf to semi-wilderness, and from 

 formal lines to graceful sweeps, suit the rose at every step. On the 

 terrace standards are admissible ; on the lawn they are still more 

 appropriate; and in mixed planting tbey are the noblest of all the 

 subjects we possess to light up the scene with colour, and delight old 

 and young with their grace and perfume. 



When an amateur is bent on forming a rosarium, it is a very easy 



