32 THE ROSE GARDEN. 



When the walks are of grass, it is perhaps not desirable to plant edgings to the 

 beds. When they are of gravel, it is decidedly necessary to do so ; and Box, 

 slate, or fancy tiles may be used. In many instances, too, the Pompon and Fairy 

 Roses may be introduced as edgings, with a very happy effect, to form a com- 

 plete hedge, of less than a foot in height, covered with their miniature blossoms; 

 the one variety blooming in summer only, the other throughout the autumn. 



It is desirable that the Rosarium should have a raised spot in its vicinity, from 

 which a bird's-eye view of the whole may be obtained during the season of 

 flowering. A mound of earth thrown up is the simplest plan ; and some burs and 

 stones may be placed upon the surface. The sides of the mound may be planted 

 with Ayrshire, Sempervirens, and other running Roses, or climbing plants of 

 various kinds : on the top may be formed a Rose Temple, or a cluster of Pillar- 

 Roses. From this spot we obtain, in the flowering season, a view of the Roses 

 en masse, as they lie beneath us, the effect of which is agreeable and striking ; and 

 indeed every one can appreciate the beauty of the picture thus submitted to him. 

 It needs neither the knowledge of the Florist nor the refined taste of the connois- 

 seur ; the beauty and effect of the coup cVceil thus obtained is acknowledged alike 

 by the skilled and unskilled in these matters. This we regard as one important 

 point gained in the formation of the Rosarium ; but there are others deserving of 

 attention. 



When the Amateur forms a Rosarium, he does not usually plant for effect : he 

 views his plants individually, rather than collectively. And we should suppose 

 that, to meet his approbation, the Rosarium should be so formed that he may 

 attend to, and examine, each plant, without risking an injury to the rest. He may 

 be delighted with viewing his collection as a whole ; and, in addition to this, the 

 knowledge that his friends, who may be less skilled in floriculture than himself, 

 would derive the highest gratification from such a sight, would induce him not to 

 neglect this point. But he finds greater pleasure in looking at his favourites sepa- 

 rately. What would be tedious and uninteresting to them, is to him highly 

 amusing. Each of his plants has a name by which he distinguishes it. He 

 regards them as so many friends or acquaintances, every one of which has a claim 

 upon his attention. He therefore wishes them so disposed that he may attend to 

 each in turn, without annoying the rest. How often have I seen, in large beds of 

 Roses, the soil round a favourite tree trodden as hard as a gravel walk ! I have 

 also seen the adjoining trees, whose beauty was only dimmed by the presence of a 

 brighter gem, seriously rubbed and broken, being altogether unheeded in the 

 eager haste to inspect more inviting specimens.* It would seem desirable, 



* I have a vivid recollection of committing this error. I once stepped pat on a seedling in 

 the garden of a Rose-grower in France. A glimpse of La Reine, for the first time, was the cause 

 of my misfortune. I was made acquainted with the real state of things by a very un-French- 

 manlike roar. Fortunately the plant was uninjured, but the flower-bud was destroyed ; and the 

 amount of mischief done was the keeping of the owner in a state of suspense for a mouth or two 

 longer. Perhaps I was very near annihilating a very fine variety. 



