IRISH GARDENING 



163 



Decorative Roses. 



By Mrs. Butler, Priestown, Co. Meath. 



Decorative Roses may roughly be placed, in three 

 divisions : — (1) Ramblers, as Dorothy Perkins, 

 &c. ; (2) single and semi-single, as Irish Elegance 

 and Old Gold, &c. ; (3) Roses of other types, as 

 General MacArthiir, Mdme. EdoiiardHerriot, &c. 



The ramblers are quite a class in themselves, 

 and their ciiltivation and arrangement give 

 endless opportunities. Personally, I do not 

 think their possibilities are properly appreciated. 

 To begin with, they are cheap, and if one plant 

 is bought, anyone not in a hurry to do everything 

 at once can in a couple of years have an almost 

 unlimited stock from cuttings. Of course they 

 have only one flowering period, but then it is a 

 longish one, and the wealth of bloom from large 

 collections of them is a marvellous sight. 



I have a large double tennis ground wired in, 

 and growing all round on the wire are dozens of 

 Perkins and Dennisons, and I cannot think of 

 any prettier display from mid-July to end of 

 August, and after the main bloom has gone 

 little clusters of flowers keep coming out till the 

 frost cuts them off finally. 



Many people do not get by anv means the 

 best results from their ramblers, as it appears 

 to be the idea to plant them growing up a pillar 

 or any suitable place, and tie them up year by 

 year and cut out nothing but dead wood. To 

 get really good results much more trouble must 

 be taken. As they grow, the new shoots must 

 be tied up and retied ever\' week or so, to prevent 

 breaking, and about September or October the 

 whole bush should be untied and most, or all, of 

 last year's wood cut away. Sometimes the new 

 growlih is not good, from dry Weather generally ; 

 then they camaot be treated so drastically, and 

 one has to do the best one can with the freshest 

 looking of the old wood ; but anywhere w'here 

 water is plentiful and can be given in dry seasons, 

 there need be no fear of want of ne\V growth. 

 Ramblers are very strong and healthy ; the only 

 bad enemy they have is greenfly. Given plenty 

 of well rotted manure in the autumn and plenty 

 of spraying for fly in spring and summer, anyone 

 can have a marvellous display. As to what 

 kinds to grow, the pioneer Dorothy Perkins is 

 very hard to beat, but Dennison's introduc- 

 tion, Dorothy Dennison, is quite as free a 

 grower ; then Excelsa is most distinctive, and 

 White Dorothy is very pretty, though it will 

 insist on having a few pink flow'ers. While on 

 ramblers as decorative Roses, I hardly think 

 one could describe the Crimson Rambler as 

 being such. It makes a fine bit of colour in 

 the distance, but I never saw anyone who could 

 arrange the cut blooms to advantage, and it is 

 so subject to mildew as to be a nuisance. 



As to where to put these Roses, it is easier 

 to say where not to put them. They apparently 

 do not get enough air on a wall ; but anywhere 

 else — Wire railings, trellis work, posts, an old 

 tree stump, or even growing trees, creeping 

 about on banks, through hedges, or even on the 

 stereotyped pergola. Their green is so fresh 

 and bright that even when not in flower they 

 are effective. 



While on the subject of ramblers to jump to 

 the opposite extreme, two Polyanthas may be 

 mentioned — Madame Norbert Levavasseur (the 

 baby Crimson Rambler) and Maman Levavas- 

 seur (the baby Dorothy). They only grow 

 about two feet high, and frequently have two 

 flowering periods, and, as far as I have noticed 

 Madame Norbert Lavavasseur is not at all as 

 subject to mildew as its grown up type. Massed 

 in large beds these Roses give a splendid colour 

 effect, and they are so opposite in every way 

 to the Crimson Rambler and Dorothy Perkins, 

 except in floWer, which is the same, that thej^ 

 make a most interesting contrast. 



Another Rose that I really do not know 

 whether it should be classed with the ramblers 

 or with the singles is Carmine Pillar. It is 

 much earlier than the ramblers and is practically 

 out of bloom by the first week in July, and has 

 never made any attempt at a second bloom, 

 but when it is out it is the most brilliant Rose 

 in the garden. The proper place for this Rose 

 is an old apple tree. I have seen it one mass of 

 bloom for over twenty feet, and I Would willingly 

 spoil an apple tree for it ; but appareiitly there 

 is no need to do this. I put one on an old tree 

 that had almost given up bearing, and since it 

 has been on it there has been more apples each 

 year than there were altogether in the pre- 

 ceding ten years. I suppose this Was the result 

 of very drastic and rather indiscriminate j)runing 

 to give the Rose more light and air and the 

 manure the Rose has since got, but whatever 

 the cause the result is as I say. 



Some of the single Roses are quite the most 

 decorative of any, lending themselves to tasteful 

 arrangement and lasting longer than the average 

 of cut flowers. All Alex. Dickson's " Irish "' 

 class are suitable for this purpose, but I. f^legance 

 and I. Fireflame are the best. Semi-single, such 

 as Simplicity and McGred} "s Old Gold, are 

 charming. Their growth and habits are too 

 Well known for me to say ajiything about 

 them. 



Roses of the General MacArthur type are 

 really pcri)etual bloomers. There are any 

 immber to select from, and a little intelligent 

 observation at shows and the study of some of 

 the numerous Rose catalogues we have showered 

 on us so freely will enable anyone to make a 

 choice to suit their own taste. 



