n8 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



It is instructive to study the influence of Rose books upon the Rose 



as well as that of the Rose exhibitions, as they brought about 



an idea that the Rose was not a " decorative " 



The Rose not a P lant in the language of recent days. In these 



" decorative " books it was laid down that the Rose did not 



plant. associate properly with other flowers, and it was 



therefore better to put it in a place by itself, 



and, though this false idea had less influence in the cottage garden, 



it did harm in all large gardens. In a recent book on the Rose 



by Mr Foster-Melliar we read : 



I look upon the plant in most cases only as a means whereby I may obtain 

 glorious Roses. I do not consider the Rose pre-eminent as a decorative plant ; 

 several simpler flowers, much less beautiful in themselves, have, to my mind, 

 greater value for general effect in the garden, and even the blooms are, I imagine, 

 more difficult to arrange in water for artistic decoration than lighter, simpler, and 

 less noble flowers. It must be remembered that the Rose is not like a bedding 

 plant which will keep up continual masses of colour throughout the summer, but 

 that the flush of flowers is not for more than a month at most, after which many 

 sorts, even of the Teas, will be off bloom for a while, and the general effect will 

 be spoiled. 



He, the author, is only describing the practice and views of the 

 Rose exhibitors which most unfortunately ruled the practice of 

 gardeners, and it is very natural many should take the prize-taker 

 as a guide. 



There was some reason in the older practice, because until 

 recent years the Roses most grown were summer flowering, that is 

 to say, like our wild Roses, they, had a fixed and short time of 

 bloom, usually not more than a few weeks ; but in our days, and 

 within the last fifty years, there have been raised a number of 

 Roses, which flower for much longer periods. There are, for example, 

 the Monthly Roses and the lovely Tea Roses, which also come in 

 some way from the Indian Rose, and which, when well grown, will 

 flower throughout the summer. So that, while our forefathers might 

 have been excused for taking the view that Roses are only fit to 

 plant in a place apart, there is no need for the modern grower to do 

 so, who is not tied to the show bench as his one ideal and aim. 



The Rose is not only "decorative" but is the queen of all 



decorative plants, not in one sort of garden, but in many not 



in one race or sort, but in many, from Anna 



Back to the Olivier, Edith Giffbrd, and Tea Roses of that 



flower garden noble type in the heart of the choicest flower 



garden, to the wild Rose that tosses its long arms 



from the hedgerows in the rich soils of midland England, and the 



climbing Roses in their many forms. And fine as the old climbing 



