38 



iiMsii (iAi;])i:MN( 



The Rose Garden 



A Ki.w N. 



Most iiu>xi)erioiUTil Hosr •;r<i\vfrs. afirr a 

 (.•oupU* of sfiisdus of irrt'^nilar ami lia|tlia/.aril 

 attenti(»n t«t tlirir plants, aiv. too apt to lay ilic 

 l)lanu' of tlu' |>oor ivsiilt of tlicir t-lToits to tin 

 destnu-tivi' tondi'iu-irs of the many |H'sts with 

 wliifh tlu'V havi' cause to Ik' familiar. Of 

 cotirsc iiiiKh'w and <;iv('ii-lly and the various 

 otiu'r ciKMiiics take full toll wlu-u utu-hcikcd. 

 and ivduco hotli cpiuntity and ipialify of hlooius 

 to least possihle dimensions. But the aiiuiteur 

 at l^os(^ culture has more to thank injudicious 

 ])runinL' for the poor success that crowns his 

 work. 



At the outset the prnieii)le of ])runing should 

 he thoroufrlily miderstood. The main ohject 

 of ])runinti of all plants is the conservation of 

 enerijy. Due ])ro])()rtion hetween the gntwtli 

 bath of ])Iant and root must l)e preserved : 

 and it is only natural that if the u])\vard develop- 

 ment is gaiiu'd at the expense of tlie due growtli 

 of the root, disaster is the only result to he 

 exi:)ectcd. 



h\ Rose growing in particular, where so nnich 

 bloom is required for the size, too much care 

 could not be taken to have the roots in the best 

 ]X)sitifm for their future Avelfare, and here 

 artificial ]iruning assists materially. Even with 

 the most favom-able circumstances the roots 

 of newly planted Roses take a full year to 

 secure a bold on the ground and put out fresh 

 rootlets to collect and store the sustenance for 

 their advancement. Therefore it can be 

 plainly seen if the growth of plants is gained 

 in-egularly it will not be a lasting one, such as 

 will be of use in producing flowers worthy of the 

 name. 



The first pruning of Roses is generally the 

 most important, and show permanent results. 

 \\liether the planting has taken jilace in the 

 autumn or s])ring the dwarf Roses should be 

 ruthlessly cut down to three buds from the 

 stock. This will usually be at the height of 

 about four inches from tlie ground. All Climb- 

 ing varieties should be likewise shortened to 

 about a foot. Frequently the bushes sent out 

 by the nurseries have a number of stems which 

 api^ear so fresh and well ripened that it seems 

 hard to cut them away. Still the harsh method 

 of pruning is eventually the Aviser. Two or, in 

 exceptional cases Avhere the plant is well grown, 

 three stems are enough to retain after cutting. 

 New growths will quickly spring from the base 

 and form healthy A\ood productive of much 

 bloom. When too many shortened branches 

 are retained some are boimd to die back and 



Itfcoinc unsi'_dilly stubs. <ir else send out short. 

 Useless twiggx gr<iwth of no possible use. 

 ("ul behind and upwards in a slope so that the 

 knife blade appears just abo\c the liud retained, 

 and this bud should alwa\s l)(> facing out front 

 the centre of tiic |ilant. Oiu- shoidd cndcavoin- 

 to \isualise the liose tree as it will be in the 

 niidille of the growing season, and the pruniii'.,' 

 unisl be dircct«'d to secure a sha|H'ly ri'sull. 

 N' » long snags (tf wood are to be left above the 

 l>ud. 'i'his |)nrtion is bound to die back, and 

 often alTords welcome shelter to insects. 



i'luning of Roses other than lu-wly planted 

 ones has a dilTerent object in \ iew. It is to 

 si'cure a yearly succession of new wood which, 

 being ripened (hiiing the suuniicr. will continu'! 

 <he existence .f the plant in the healthiest 

 ])o-;sible coiulitian. .Much de|KMids on the 

 nature of the ])articular Rose. Those of a Nciy 

 vigorous ty])e shouKl be allowed t:) form a good 

 bush. and. with ])roi)er care, will give the 

 maximum amoimt of bloom. All thin, straggling 

 growth should be removed com|)letely. and the 

 longer shoots shortened by a third. The danger 

 in growing Roses of this type is to retain too 

 many of the lateral shoots. These are a])t to 

 form a hoi)eless tangle ojice growtii starts ; the 

 buds get injured by ru1)bing, and much of the 

 wood is too crowtled to become thoroughly 

 ri^iened. Moderate pruning is the best for this 

 type ; and if this system does not ensure tlie 

 throwing up of strong young slioots from the 

 base, the plant sliould lie cut liard back every 

 three years or so. 



Once the main principles of the art of ])riining 

 are understood, close attention should be paid 

 to the different habits of the various tyjies, and 

 even to the different plants of the same variety. 

 And in this respect experience is the best 

 teacher. 



It is not unusual fo;' . I Hybrid Pci])eiual Rose 

 or a Hybrid Tea, after ])iuiiing. to tlirow uj) a 

 single shoot without much lateral growth. 

 When the soft unripened portion of this is cut 

 away, side shoots appear, forming a bushv head. 

 and a small Standard Rose is gained. Here 

 the flowers Avill be on a more convenient level 

 for ins])ection, and the whole ap])earance will 

 ])e particularly pleasing. 



Climbing Roses of the W'ichiM-aiana class, 

 such as Dorothy Perkins. Lady (iay, and 

 American Pillar, and the Multifloras — viz., 

 Crimson Rambler, Fairy, Aglaia and Mrs. F. W. 

 Flight, &c. — will need no further care than the 

 removal of any dead wood, careful thinning 

 of unnecessary growth, and shortening the tops 

 of growing branches. The Hybrid Austrian 

 Briars, Rayon d'Or, Juliet, Beaute de Lj'on, 

 Soleil d'Or, Madame Edouard Herriot, Muriel 



