MY SHRUBS 105 
I think no new Ribes is better than our old flowering currant, 
R. sanguineum, save R. speciosum, the fuchsia-flowered gooseberry, 
from California. This thrives on a wall in half shade, and its 
wands of little scarlet flowers in spring and sweet, red-golden fruits 
in autumn make it an attractive plant. Its bud breaks in winter, 
but takes no hurt, and soon after Christmas the young green begins 
to appear. R. Mensziesii is another Californian species, which I 
discarded as lacking in interest of any sort. The blossom is very 
minute and without charm. The new R. Warsecewiczii, with 
maple-like foliage, sounds a good thing, and it has a dainty name 
to frighten the birds from its crimson fruit in autumn. Robinia 
needs only to be named with affection. Its fragrance haunts the 
mountain glens by Como. R. hispida and many varieties of R. 
pseudacacia are most desirable, especially R. p. decaisneana. 
I am no rosarian, and have merely a border of pleasant and 
familiar things ; but best I care for certain of the species. Rosa 
sinica, or levigata, from the Himalayas and China, is a noble plant 
naturalised in the Southern United States, and known there as the 
Cherokee Rose. This is an evergreen of tremendous activity. 
It has made a mighty tangle over my garden room in a sheltered 
corner facing west, and here during June it opens large single 
blossoms of exquisite whiteness and satin texture. Its fine pink 
hybrid, R. sinica “‘ anemone,” flourishes superbly on a south wall, 
and I cherish also R. Brunoni, another Himalayan, a white, gold- 
anthered gem, with immense corymbs of tiny blossoms. ‘This 
splendid climber easily holds its own with the Ayrshires on a row 
of pillars. R. Moysei, from China, is a single rose of surpassing 
ruby splendour. The colour is amazing, and it makes all other 
red roses look washed out and poor. Then another Chinaman, 
fo) 
