BOURBON ROSES. 



245 



most desirable of this division ; but not for grouping, as it outgrows all its con- 

 geners. As a pillar rose it will form a splendid object ; indeed, I cannot ima- 

 gine anything more imposing in floriculture, than a pillar from twelve to fifteen 

 feet hi<*h, covered with the splendid flowers of this rose from June till October: 

 it will also form a fine standard. Gloire de Guerin, like the last, departs from 

 the characters of the group; but, like all that I have retained, it has the pleas- 

 ing feature of autumnal flowering. This is a dwarf rose, adapted for the front 

 of the rose border. Henri Plantier is a good variety, with large and double 

 flowers, of nearly a bright carmine: this, like Augustine Leheur, may rank 

 among the finest of the 'true Bourbon Roses. Ida is also a beautiful rose, with 

 much'smaller flowers, perhaps of a still deeper carmine. The plant is dwarf, yet 

 possesses all the characters of the true Bourbon Roses in the prominency of its 

 buds, and in its foliage. La Tendresse has flowers of a silvery-pale rose-colour, 

 very double and large. Its habit is robust, hardy, and luxuriant, fit for the 

 centre of the rose bed. This is a most distinct and desirable variety. 1 Lutifoha 

 is a fine bold rose, much like Augustine Lelieur in its colour and habit ; a good 

 rose, but not required in a collection where that rose is grown. Madame 

 Desprez — this fine and robust rose has never yet bloomed so beautifully in this 

 country as during this autumu (1837): its large clusters of very double flowers 

 have indeed been superb. Monsieur Desprez, a distinguished French rose ama- 

 teur, raised it from seed about five years since. It is, most probably, a little 

 hybridised with the Noisette Rose, as it blooms in larger clusters than any other 

 Bourbon Rose. Marshal Villars approaches to the China Rose in habit, which 

 takes from it that compact growth peculiar to most of the true Bourbon Roses; 

 this has flowers of a bright purple tinge, very vivid and double* Philhpart, if 

 not the same as Augustine Lelieur, is too much like it to be grown in the same 

 collection. Psyche is a very remarkable rose, a hybrid of humble growth, with 

 double pale pink flowers, of the most perfect shape. Philemon is a compact 

 and pretty plant, with flowers of a bright purplish rose, erect, and generally so 

 abundant as to cover the whole plant. 



Queen of the Bourbons is a new variety, and very beautiful. Its flowers are 

 of a vivid rose-colour, a little tinged with buff, very large and double. Phoenix 

 is also quite new, nearly a true Bourbon Rose of a fine rosy red. 



Rivers, so named by a French rose cultivator, who raised it from seed, is a 

 pretty delicate rose, a true Bourbon ; and called by the originator an « extra 

 fine rose ;" it has not yet bloomed here well enough to support that character. 

 Thimocles is a large and fine rose, very double, and a genuine Bourbon, of 

 luxuriant growth, and distinct character. Victoire Argeutee is one of those 

 beautiful silvery-pale roses, with very double flowers ; a true Bourbon, and a 

 fine and distinct variety. The White Bourbon was raised from seed by Monsieur 

 Desprez, who annually raises immense numbers of Bourbon and other ruses from 

 seed, to'procure new varieties. This rose is a little hybridised with the Noisette, 

 which has given it a clustered character, and, unfortunately, taken from its 

 flowers that bold and peculiar shape, so beautiful in the Bourbon Roses. The 

 French cultivators are at deadly strife respecting this rose ; some swearing, by 

 all their saints, that it is a veritable Bourbon, while others as stoutly maintain 

 that it is a Noisette Rose. An Englishman, after listening to such warm dis- 

 putants (Frenchmen generally are), and to so " much ado about nothing,"' 

 would coolly turn away and smile at such violent altercation, and their making 

 a trifle « light as air" a matter of such grave importance. Walner is a true 

 Bourbon Rose, dwarf, bright-coloured, and very distinct and pretty. 



A few very remarkable additions have been made to this family since the 

 publication of the first edition of this little work ; which, were it not for the end- 

 less variations iii which we find pleasure, would seem to leave us nothing more 

 to wish for in Bourbon Roses. Dark crimson varieties, with double and finely- 

 shaped flowers, were desiderata, but are so no longer: for in '• Le Grand Capi- 

 taine," perhaps so named in compliment to our '■ Great Captain," we have one of 

 the most brilliant Crimson Scarlet Roses known : this seems a seedling from 



• The flowers of this rose seldom oycii well; a distinguished rose amateur linn expressively, 

 luit whimsically, named liouruun roses of this character" hard-heads." 



