MAKING A ROSE GARDEN 



75 



CHAPTER VII 



MAKING A ROSE GARDEN— TO LIVE IN AND LOVE 



CAN one conceive of a more fascinating occupation for January 

 days than that of planning and planting a Rose garden ? 

 There are three essentials for successful Rose growing with us, 

 as elsewhere: good soil, good drainage, plenty of sunshine, prefer- 

 ably of the morning sun, and if the situation is sheltered without 

 being shaded, so much the better. Deep digging, artificial drain- 

 age, if necessary, rich, warm, loamy soil, with some sand, and 

 always clay for the Hybrid Perpetuals, are the first steps in the 

 creation of the Rose garden. 



More and more garden makers of the South are coming to 

 realize that the planting of Roses in number sufficient to furnish 

 blossoms for the house from month to month does not necessarily 

 make a Rose garden. Far from it. To be a garden worthy of 

 the name there is another requirement which needs as close con- 

 sideration as the three that are usually stressed first. The Rose 

 garden must be a beautiful picture, in season and out of season. 

 Usually no artist would call that part of the grounds devoted to 

 Rose growing either beautiful or worthy of his brush and canvas 

 at any season. This is all wrong. Does not the "Queen of the 

 Garden" deserve a setting fit for her majestic grace of line and 

 wondrous beauty of color and tone ? 



