54 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE CHAP. 
should not be narrower than five feet, not only for 
the convenience of visitors, but also for the convey- 
ance of water or liquid manure in hand-carts. 
In these beds are three rows of Roses, the rows 
sixteen inches from each other and seventeen inches 
from the grass, and the strongest and tallest growers 
naturally in the centre row. There should be no 
hesitation about planting the Roses pretty close to 
each other, for the bed will be all prepared and fed 
alike, and they will not rob each other much. 
Beginners are apt to make a mistake in this respect, 
probably having young trees and shrubs in their 
minds; but they should remember that in the case 
of ordinary H.P.s and Teas grown in the open for 
the production of the finest blooms, most of the 
Rose plants will not increase very much in size, for 
the annual pruning will prevent this. I have seen 
many Rose beds where I should have nearly double 
as many plants, and rows of standards whose 
distance apart might be counted by yards; there 
might be some excuse for wanting “‘to hide the 
soil’’ in such cases. 
It will be found most convenient for reference 
and labelling, and especially if exhibiting is contem- 
plated, to place all the plants of one variety together 
in a row; and though the first idea is to dot them 
all about the beds, the effect will be better if they 
are massed together. 
Then the distance of the plants from each other 
in the rows should depend entirely upon the varieties; 
sorts that are spreading as well as tall and strong, 
such as Mrs. Paul, should be eighteen to twenty 
inches apart, while such as are upright as well as 
small growers, as Lady Mary Fitzwillian, may be 
