THE WIGHURAIANA ROSES 7 



he is acquainted with the wichuraiana class of rose, of 

 which she is the archtype. 



In growth and leafage all wichuraianas are more or 

 less like Dorothy Perkins, though naturally they differ 

 in size, colour, and form of blossom. But they all have 

 this feature in common, they are the easiest of roses 

 to grow ; they will thrive in any soil that is soil, even 

 if it be light and gravelly, though they will grow far more 

 lustily in better ground. I need say little about planting 

 them, except to emphasise the advice given in a later 

 chapter to plant in late October or November ; this 

 is the first thing the beginner should learn. He has 

 only to plant one rose in November and another in 

 March, and to note the difference in results at the end 

 of the summer, to be for ever assured of the wisdom of 

 early autumn planting. Of course, one may plant roses 

 any time between the end of October and the middle 

 of April (I have planted them at all times between these 

 dates), but it is not very wide of the truth to say that 

 for every week that elapses after the end of November, 

 there will be a good rose the less the ensuing summer. 

 Following this reasoning to its logical conclusion, it 

 follows that from an April planting there will be no 

 good roses at all the first summer, so that it need not be 

 taken quite literally, but merely as strongly discourag- 

 ing late planting ! I do not wish to disillusion the 

 beginner, but it is as well that he should know the 

 best and the worst. I have done much unorthodox 

 gardening. I have planted roses in April, spring- 

 flowering bulbs in January, and, by one of those 



