§^ The Scented (jar den (j[Z 



which the late Mr. R. Farrer describes so enthusiastically 

 as the * snowdrift rose ' in his book, The Eaves of the 

 World. 



The Cinnamon rose (R. cinnamomea), formerly called 

 the Whitsuntide rose, has large flat pink flowers. Modern 

 authorities assure us that the name is a misnomer, and 

 certainly the very faint scent of this rose is not even 

 suggestive of cinnamon. Gerard, who describes both the 

 single and double cinnamon rose, tells us that its scent is 

 in its leaves : ' The Cinnamon Rose, or the Rose smelling 

 like Cinnamom hath shootes of a browne colour, four 

 cubits high, beset with thorney prickles, and leaves like 

 unto those of Eglantine, but smaller and greener of the 

 savour or smell of Cinnamom, whereof it tooke his name 

 and not of the smell of his flowers (as some have deemed) 

 which have little or no savour at all : the flowers be ex- 

 ceeding double, and yellow in the middle, of a pale red 

 colour, and sometimes of a carnation : the roote is of a 

 wooden substance.' The old ' Rose without thorns ' 

 has also wellnigh disappeared. It was commonly grown 

 in Elizabethan days, when it was also known as the ' Rose 

 of Austrich, because it was first brought from Vienna, 

 the Metropolitan citie of Austrich and given to that 

 famous Herbarist, Carolus Clusius.' Gerard describes it 

 as ' of a most sweete smell.' I quote his picturesque yet 

 accurate description : 



' The Rose without prickles hath many young shootes 

 comming from the root, dividing themselves into divers 

 branches, tough and of a woodie substance ; of the height 

 of five or sixe cubites, smooth and plaine without any 

 roughnesse or prickles at all ; whereon do growe leaves 

 like those of the Holland Rose, of a shining deepe greene 

 124 



