or patient waiting on seedlings, but the 

 York and Lancaster rose has a history 

 all its own, ^nd has just been rescued 

 from oblivion. The details of its early 

 propagation in England are not known. 

 The story goes that when the rival 

 houses of York and Lancaster, after 

 fighting from 1445 to 1486, decided 

 to end the Wars of the Roses, and seal 

 their truce by the marriage of Eliza- 

 beth of York and Henry the Seventh, 

 the red and white roses which had been 

 the badges of their fealty were blended 

 in one flower, which showed both the 

 red and the white in its striped petals. 



For many a long year on both sides 

 of the water this was a favourite orna- 

 ment in old-fashioned gardens, but 

 not being easily rooted it gradually 

 died out. After more than twenty 

 years of patient effort, the rose has 

 been built up again, and once more 

 tells the old story of its origin. 



112 



