HOW TO GROW ROSES 55 



with a few inches of fine soil. This should be firmly 

 trodden in and the hole then filled with the ordinary 

 soil. If the weather be dry, yet not frosty, it is well to 

 settle the soil above the roots by means of a heavy 

 watering. If the roses are to form a bed, they may, 

 if dwarfs, be planted at an average distance of about 

 eighteen inches apart. 



But a bed of roses, beautiful as it is, is but one ex- 

 pression of the culture of these precious flowers. Over 

 walls, trellises, arches and arbours they should be allowed 

 to trail and climb at will, showing the graceful curves 

 of briar stem, as well as the beautiful flowers themselves. 

 Many roses, too, can be used to form hedges either 

 alone, in the case of such varieties as the Ayrshires and 

 Evergreens, Rosa Brunonii, the Crimson Rambler, the 

 Scotch Briars and some of the Penzance Sweet Briars, 

 or with other shrubs in the case of more leggy and 

 straggling kinds. 



In the April of each year, cut out all weak sappy 

 growths, and, in the case of hybrid perpetuals, cut back 

 to about eight inches from the surface of the ground 

 the strong shoots which remain. Teas, if required for 

 garden decoration, need only be thinned out, any dead 

 wood being removed at the same time, and similar 

 treatment is applicable to most of the summer roses. 



It is difficult to select a few varieties as specially 

 worthy of cultivation where so many are excellent. 

 The old Provence, Gallic and Moss Roses bloom only 

 in June and July, but are well worth growing for their 

 fragrance, beauty and associations, as are also such 

 summer bloomers as that vigorous hybrid China known 

 as Blairii No. 2, and the very floriferous white Madame 

 Plantier. The hybrid sweet briars, notably Lady Pen- 

 zance and Anne of Geierstein, are of the easiest culture, 

 but a warm sheltered situation is required by the beauti- 

 ful Austrian copper briar, which is not everyone's rose. 



