Gardening for Amateurs 



219 



Climbing Roses on garden steps. 



(Complete Guide to Rose Growing 



IT is, perhaps, but the utterance of a 

 platitude to say that there are many 

 beautiful flowers the Rose, the Carna- 

 tion, the Sweet Pea, the Pansy, the Viola, 

 the Lily, and others ; each has its special 

 circle of admirers, but of all the Rose 

 easily takes precedence. It is as Ix-nuti 

 fill as any in form, it is more glorious 

 and varied in colour, whilst its fragrance is 

 incomparable ; it blossoms in profusion, and 

 probably for a longer period than any other 

 flowering plant. Byron writes of seeking 

 " Roses in December, ice in June," etc., 

 meaning that such a quest is absurd, but 

 " we have changed all that." Roses in 

 December are not now uncommon, and 

 <\.n on Christmas Day one may often 

 gather a py. 



To grow Roses in perfection we shall need 

 good soil, healthy, well-rooted plants, plenty 



of light, air, sunshine, manure, water, tools 

 and appliances, and the knowledge how and 

 when to use all these things. Climate we 

 must take as we find it, but soil may l>e 

 improved. 



Where to Put the Roses. The first 

 thing to be done is to choose the place for 

 the Rose garden or ROM- beds. It is little 

 use advising those with very small gardens 

 where to put their Rose beds. a-> there is, 

 alas ! too often no alternative sjM>t for them. 

 But the more fortunate among us, possessing 

 large or fair-sized gardens, should choose the 

 sunniest situation and the best soil possible ; 

 avoid the neighbourhood of large trees, a^ 

 these, unless well to the north, north-east, 

 or north-west, not only keep off the sun, and 

 do harm in wet and misty weather, if near 

 enough, owing to the constant drip from the 

 leaves, but their roots invade the soil amongst 



