^ The Scents of Early Summer (j£ 



varieties. We still have R. rubiginosa magnifica, which 

 Andrews calls R. eglanteria major ^ ' the large eglantine 

 rose or Tree Sweetbriar ' ; he says of its origin that it 

 was ' a spontaneous effusion of nature in the nursery- 

 grounds of Mr. Williams of Turnham Green, who informs 

 me he found it on his premises in 1768, growing luxuri- 

 antly in the midst of a hedge of sweetbriar. Its growth 

 is so rapid that it will form shoots of 7 and 8 feet in one 

 season, which joined to the largeness of its flowers and 

 foliage induced us to adopt the specific appellation of 

 R. eglanteria major.'' 



We seem to have lost the following varieties which are 

 figured by Andrews. 1 I give them because it is so 

 interesting to try and identify any one may find in an old 

 garden. 



R. eglanteria concava. The flowers as well as the leaves 

 are all concave and resemble little spoons. It flowers 

 during the latter part of summer and until the middle of 

 autumn. 



R. eglanteria pubescens. The downy-leaved Eglantine 

 rose, the only sweetbriar with this characteristic. ' The 

 drawing was made at the Nursery of Mr. Lee in 1819, 

 where it was then called the Maiden's Blush Sweet-briar. 

 It blooms towards the end of July, during the months of 

 August and September.' 



R. eglanteria multiplex. The double Eglantine rose or 

 Williams' Sweet-briar. ' Of all the fragrant leaved Roses 

 this is certainly the finest and for which we are indebted 

 to Mr. Williams, who discovered it in his nursery about 

 23 years ago, growing promiscuously with the eglanteria 

 major ; and although found vegetating at the same time, 



1 H. C. Andrews. Roses, 181 7. 



95 



