132 ROSES FOR ENGLISH GARDENS 



Should any bloom threaten to become too much 

 developed before the judges come round, it will be 

 well to tie up the centre petals again. The flowers 

 having been thus carefully arranged, the lid should 

 be replaced on the box and nearly, but not quite, 

 closed. As soon as the order is given for the box lids 

 to be removed, the lids should be taken off, the few 

 remaining ties removed from the blooms on which 

 they have been replaced, and any final touches to the 

 arrangement given that may be necessary. 



Exhibiting Garden or Decorative Roses — Culture and 

 Pruning. — These so-called "garden" Roses belong 

 to such different sections that it is impossible to 

 lay down any special rules as to culture. In all 

 cases, however, the object aimed at should be the same, 

 namely, to obtain strong-growing plants of all the 

 varieties cultivated, to thin out the shoots sparingly, 

 and to prune back lightly those that remain. The 

 climbing varieties should be treated as recommended in 

 the chapter on pruning (p. 104), those of less vigorous 

 growth should be cultivated as free-flowering bushes, 

 while in the case of dwarf-growing Teas and Pompons 

 the same bushy habit should as far as possible be en- 

 couraged. 



Cutting the Flowers. — As the cutting and arranging 

 of " garden " Roses takes considerably longer than 

 does that of the exhibition varieties, it is advisable 

 to commence operations earlier in the afternoon pre- 

 ceding the show day. In selecting the sprays those 

 on which the most forward flowers are only half 

 open should be chosen, and the remainder should 



