28 



ROSES 



THE love of roses is innate in man. The earliest records of 

 cultivated plants tell us of roses. The literature of many 

 lands ni history, philosophy, poetry and song, enshrines the glory 

 of the rose. When England's wars were fought, the rose of red 

 and the rose of white received the tribute of contending hosts ; 

 and as long as men are brave and women beautiful the rose will 

 grace alike the breast of valor and of gallantry. All nations 

 acclaim her the Queen of Flowers by reason of her great beauty, 

 and right royally she crowns herself with a garland of her own 

 weaving. 



Draper tells us that during the Moorish occupation of Spain, 

 the Caliphs ventilated their houses with perfumed air brought by 

 underground pipes from distant flower beds (see conflict between 

 Religion and Science, page 141 ). If such luxury was vouchsafed 

 to pagans in the fifteenth century, is not an American citizen of 

 the twentieth century entitled at least to a rose bed in his back yard ? 



And this brings us to the point the writer has in mind, viz., 

 that the suitable place for a rose bed is in the back yard. The 

 rose is a special-purpose plant and, with the exception of the East 

 Asian family, the Rosa Rugosa, and the well-known Sweetbriar, 

 Rosa Rubiginosa, it does not lend itself to general landscape 

 effects. When in bloom it is too dignified in aspect to comport 

 well with the restfulness of demeanor which we like to associate 

 with good garden influences. When not in bloom the wood is 

 stubby and ungainly in growth, and the foliage becomes an easy 

 prey to insect enemies, unless the bushes are kept together in solid 

 beds and sprayed with a good control. 



It is difiiicult to imagine a greater pleasure than comes to the 

 possessor of a large rose bed. Fifty to one hundred bushes is 

 none too many. A little bouc[uet of a few buds does not satisfy : 

 it only excites the yearning for more. You want a vaseful for 

 your table and a basketful for the hospital, church or club. Rose 

 growing is the most democratic of all occupations : it make you 

 feel kin to all life and eager for others to share your joy. And it 

 is a beautiful fact that the more bloom )ou cut, the more the 

 bushes produce. In this respect it is like loving: the more you 

 give the more you have. " Giving is hoarding, extravagance is 

 economy, and waste itself the very source of wealth." Bv all- 

 means ])lant a rose bed and feel tlic thrill of life. 



Plate IC 



ROSE-COVERED PERGOLA 



An ell-shaped pergola showing the brick floor, border of California 

 Privet hedge and thatch of roses and vines. The large-leaved vines show- 

 ing on the right are Dutchman's Pipe, those on the left are Wild Grapes, 

 and the canopy of roses consists of Dorothy Perkins and Ever-blooming 

 Crimson Rambler. 



Many of the Hybrid Perpetual 

 VARIETIES OF roses are indispensable for the amount 



ROSES TO PLANT '^'^'^^ gorgeousness of the early summer 

 bloom and the occasional buds that open 

 in September. But the term "Perpetual" is a misnomer, for they 

 are not perpetual in any sense. June Roses would be a better 

 designation. About one-quarter of a rose bed shoitld be of this 

 class, and a quarter each of Plybrid Noisette, Hybrid Tea and 

 Dwarf Polyantha. The last three classes are not strictly hardy, 

 but what of that! Cover them u]) in the winter and ha\c roses 

 all summer! WHiv not? Is it n(~it worth makiu"- the effdrt? 



