22 



The Garden Magazine, March, 1922 



Mattie Edwards Hewitt, Photo. 



ROSE GARDEN OF MRS. EDGERTON WINTHROP AT SYOSSET, LONG ISLAND 

 The symmetric, somewhat formally patterned bed is, of course, the traditional home of the Rose and this modern adaptation has both character and charm 



several rose nurserymen were passing the word on the rela- 

 tively slow sale of good Climbing Roses as compared with the 

 Hybrid-teas. One said he had 140 varieties of Climbers, most of 

 them good, and he insisted that others of us knew little of them. 



Believing as I do in the desirability of these modern suc- 

 cessors to the old Baltimore Belle and Prairie Queen, it oc- 

 curred to me to count up the Climbers that make Breeze Hill 

 beautiful in June. I found I had sixty-nine sorts, and as I 

 go over them, I find myself very reluctant to give up many of 

 them. To be sure, there are about a dozen that have not 

 yet shown me their flowers, but that is a joy to come. 



I have reached a certain state of hard-heartedness about these 

 Climbers. If any variety fails to "make good," out it comes, to 

 give room for another candidate. Thus have passed away 

 Goldfinch, because it was not distinct enough, and Trier, for the 

 same reason. Climbing American Beauty is reduced to one 

 plant, because, though very lovely when it opens, it "holds its 

 dead," as one friend expresses it, in retaining its faded petals. 

 Mary Lovett froze away, and I did not renew because Silver 



Moon and Purity are as good, or better. I have no Crimson 

 Rambler, and want none; Excelsa is far more satisfactory. 



Several are on the suspense list: Elizabeth Ziegler may stay, or 

 she may go. Aunt Harriet will have to prove herself a real 

 aunt to stay in my Rose family. 



The Critical Date in Planting Out 



FOR several years I have observed that a surprising differ- 

 ence in eventual growth and prosperity was evident in 

 field-grown Roses planted at varying dates in the spring. The 

 March or early April planting has, in my experience, preceded 

 prompt starting, satisfactory blooming, and permanent strength, 

 while planting in late April and at any time in May at Breeze 

 Hill has actually meant weakness of growth and bloom and 

 sometimes a large proportion of loss. 



As I write I have just been looking at certain rose beds, one of 

 which was planted April ist, 1920, and the other April 21st. 

 Both were of Hybrid-teas on multiflora stock, and from the 



