ROSE PROGRESS 95 



Municipal Rose-Gardens 



Hartford, Connecticut, was the pioneer for America; and 

 she builded well. Starting in 1904, in Elizabeth Park, there 

 were laid out one and one-quarter acres. This the author 

 visited first upon his return from a tour among the more 

 prominent rose-gardens in England, Ireland, Holland, Ger- 

 many, and France. While delighted with the cultural suc- 

 cess and magnificent show of varieties, there seemed in the 

 ensemble much to be desired in the matter of treatment and 

 arrangement. This will probably be true of most of the test- 

 gardens referred to in the above section, because beauty of 

 landscape effect is not the first thing sought for in a rose- 

 garden made primarily for test purposes, although the more 

 there is of grace and beauty, of charm and enchantment, by 

 reason of the arrangement, of course, the better it is. 



But Hartford led the way, and nobly continues to render 

 this nation, at least the northeastern part of it, a great ser- 

 vice. She showed that even a little public rose-garden, well 

 done, begets enthusiastic public appreciation. Mr. G. A. 

 Parker, Superintendent of Parks, of Hartford, reports 

 116,000 people having visited this rose-garden in one year. 

 There are in it three hundred different varieties of roses and 

 about fifteen hundred separate plants, and the cost, both for 

 construction and maintenance, in eleven years has been 

 $0.0173 per visitor. But as for its influence upon, and value 

 to, the people who have come to see it, no money estimates 

 can be made. If any reader feels inclined to doubt this last 

 statement, permit us to suggest that he submit his feelings 

 to the test of a visit. 



There are many American cities which have roses in their 

 parks, and these cities are extending their plantings; but as 

 yet only a limited number have definitely set apart, and 

 regularly arranged for, a real rose-garden. 



If any of our readers have the opportunity to visit Port- 

 land, Oregon, certainly one of the sights of that city of won- 

 derful promise is the municipal rose-garden. It is larger, per- 

 haps, than that of Hartford, a sunken garden with rose- 



