124 



THE NATURE BOOK 



Fragrance is the very soul of a garden of 

 roses ; the breath of its hfe ; wanting in 

 sweet perfume it is an outcast from 

 Flora's realm, without charm and dis- 

 enchanting. Most delightful time of all 



and leaves. Gloaming in the garden of 

 roses is counted as one of the supreme 

 joys of days and hours in a garden ; 

 there is, perhaps, none comparable to it. 

 It is then that the roses charm as never 



MK. TATE'S ROSE GARDEN AT DOWNSIDE, LEATHERHEAD. 



in the rose garden is when the shadows 

 lengthen, when evening falls and the 

 still air is heavy with the subtle scents of 

 flowers, with rich aroma from the Cabbage 

 rose (plebeian only in name), full fragrance 

 from the Monthlies and Damask, and 

 the scent, delicate yet distinct above 

 all others, of the Tea rose. Then is the 

 garden of roses a place that conjures 

 dreams with power to solace and please. 

 Is is as though at the whisper of the 

 flowers a fairy wand had worked a magic 

 change ; the fragrance-laden air soothes 

 dull care away, the roses' lips are wet 

 with the kiss of dew and gleam like jewels 

 as evening falls to dusk, and the moon- 

 beam's silvered glow lights up the flowers 



they charmed in the sunlight's glare and 

 glitter. 



It is a far cry from the old-fashioned 

 roses of half a century ago to those that 

 depend for their attractiveness on rich 

 colour and perfect form rather than 

 fragrance. Is it possible that the rose 

 gardens of the future shall be bowers 

 of scent and arbours of subtle perfume 

 no more ? The gods forbid ! Yet many 

 of the new roses of the twentieth century 

 appeal, not by the enchanting scent that 

 has been characteristic of roses and rose' 

 gardens from all time, but by their sur- 

 passingly beautiful colours and shades 

 of colours, poise and form of petal, perfect 

 to the artificial standard of the florist. 



