THE ROSE GARDEN 157 



the stench of the passing motor. But lovely 

 Lady Penzance has of late been a disappoint- 

 ment to me. She is far more delicate than 

 the others, partaking more of the beautiful 

 and capricious nature of the Austrian Copper 

 Briar than of her other hardier parent the 

 Sweet-briar. For the first two years after 

 planting she was a wondrous sight, a perfect 

 fountain of flame ; but she gradually dwindled 

 away, and has ceased to exist. 



Besides Sweet-briars, and the dear old Persian 

 Tellow Briar, the border contains many bushes 

 of that invaluable importation from the Far 

 East, Rosa Rugosa, the Ramanas Rose of Japan. 

 Early morning is the time to see the noble 

 Atropurpurea in its glory ; for the great single 

 flowers which turn purplish under the sun 

 are then deep crimson, and with their brilliant 

 centre of golden anthers they glow like car- 

 buncles. That touch of purple or magenta, 

 which to my mind spoils the colour of a 

 pink or red Rose, is the chief fault of all the 

 coloured Rugosas. But one gladly forgives 

 this for the sake of their handsome foliage, 



