74 



■HORTICULTURE 



July 24, 1920 



RAMBLING OBSERVATIONS OF 

 A ROVING GARDENER 



I have been interested to note that 

 the new rose. F. 11. Grootendorsl, has 

 aroused considerable interest at the 

 Rose Test Garden in Minneapolis, and 

 that It is highly thought of there. 

 This is a new type of rose, and judg- 

 ing from the specimens in my own 

 garden, is going to make a worth- 

 while addition to varieties which are 

 suitable for massing in landscape 

 work and possibly for hedges. This 

 doesn't mean that the rose is not a 

 good one for small gardens, either. It 

 throws an immense number of blooms, 

 and its habits include some of those 

 which characterize its two parents, 

 the baby rambler and rosa rugosa. 



The flowers are odd because of the 

 curious notched appearance of the 

 petals. I know of no other rose which 

 is marked in just this way. The color 

 is a good red. and one which holds 

 well. 



The rose was originated by Groot- 

 endorsl, in Holland, I understand, but 

 a fair stock now exists in this country. 

 I know that Jackson & Perkins, of 

 Newark, N. Y.. have l>een growing it 

 for a year or two, and Mr. W. R. Pier- 

 son tells me that there is quite a field 

 of roses on the A. N. Pierson place 

 at Cromwell, Ct. I understand that 

 the rose is to be catalogued this year, 

 and I have no doubt that it will meet 

 with a wide sale as soon as its pecu- 

 liar merits are appreciated. 



Without much doubt Mr. A. J. Pauls 

 of Palisades Park, N. J., is growing 

 the largest specimen of Azalea Schllp- 

 penbachii in this country. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, the number of plants of 

 this remarkable rhododendron as yet 

 found in this country is very small. 

 Mr. Pauls' plant, however, is about 

 six feet high and nine feet In diame- 

 ter. It blooms freely each season and 

 was a picture of remarkable beauty 

 this year. It will be remembered that 

 this is the azalea which has attracted 

 much attention at the Arnold Arbor- 

 etum, and seeds of which have been 

 dustributed to many propagators in 

 this country and abroad by the direc- 

 tor, Professor C. S. Sargent, these 

 seeds having been obtained by Pro- 

 fessor E. H. Wilson. The plants at 

 the Arboretum, however, are not 

 nearly so large as Mr. Pauls', and 

 neither are those on the Proctor es- 

 tate at Topsfield. 



Azalea Schlippenbachii promises to 

 be one of the most valuable broad 



leaved evergreens tor American gar- 

 dens, and e.specially for New England 

 and other northern states. It blooms 

 early, is remarkably beautiful, and en- 

 tirely hardy. No doubt it will come 

 into commerce before long, as a num- 

 ber of nurserymen have expressed in- 

 terest in it. Its name is rather against 

 it. but perhaps a less difficult name 

 will be obtained for popular purposes. 

 The name Schlippenbachii was given 

 in honor of a Russian admiral who is 

 also an expert horticulturist. 



Climbing roses, as I said last week, 

 are growing rapidly in popular esteem. 

 Somehow they seem to be especially 

 adapted to suburban homes, and I am 

 glad to find that they are being planted 

 in greater variety. There are several 

 distinct classes of climbing roses. Some 

 kinds make a wonderful show in the 

 garden, but are of little value for cut- 

 ting, while others last quite as well 

 when cut as any bush rose. Two varie- 

 ties which I find giving the greatest 

 satisfaction to amateurs who grow 

 them are the climbing American 

 Beauty and Dr. 'Van Fleet. The Ameri- 

 can Beauty climber is one of the first 

 to bloom, and seems to be hardier than 

 almost any other climbing rose. It 

 goes through the hard winters of 

 Minnesota and other Northern states 

 where almost every other kind is 

 killed back unless taken down and pro- 



tected. The blossoms are large and 

 showy, and last well before dropping. 



Dr. Van Fleet is among the very 

 best of climbers for cutting. It will 

 last fully a week in the house, and 

 keeps its color much better than out 

 of doors. When it first apears there is 

 no climber and few bush roses to sur- 

 pass it in sheer beauty of form and 

 delicate shadings. 



My Excelsa has been very late in 

 opening. In fact it is just showing 

 color when this is being written, the 

 eighth of July. Usually it comes 

 earlier, and I find it one of the best ol 

 roses to grow on a post. 



I have noticed that Rubus Odoratua 

 is making a good show in the Jamaica 

 Plain Parkway in Boston. This is 

 really a delightful shrub and one 

 which is worth more attention In 

 private gardens. Some people, I be- 

 lieve, report having difficulty in grow- 

 ing it, but I cannot understand why, 

 as it seems to be perfectly hardy with 

 me and flowers very freely. It has a 

 tendency to spread like any raspberry, 

 a tendency which must be curbed, al- 

 thougli it provides an easy way for get- 

 ting new plants in abundance. It is a 

 gracefully growing shrub, and hand- 

 some even when not in bloom. 



Visitors to the Arnold Arboretum 

 have been impressed with the attrac- 

 tive arrangement of climbing vines on 

 the walls. This is a matter which has 

 been given much attention by Prof. 

 C. S. Sargent, the Director, with the 

 result that landscape effects of great 

 beauty have been secured by the use 

 of vines in this way. 



Vines on .\rnold .\rboretum Wall** 



