RHODODENDRONS — ROSE 



391 



They require a deep, fibrous earth, and it is supposed that they 

 do not thrive in hmestone soils or where wood ashes are freely used. 

 While rhododendrons will sometimes succeed without any special prep- 

 aration of the ground, it is advisable to take particular pains in this 

 regard. It is well to dig a hole 2 or 3 feet deep, and fill it with 

 earth compounded of leaf mold, well-rotted sod, and peat. The 

 moisture supply should be never faihng, for they suffer from drought. 

 They should be mulched summer and winter. Plant in spring. 



The hardy garden forms are derivatives of Rhododendron Cataw- 

 biense, of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Pontica and 

 other forms are not hardy in the North. 



The "great laurel^' of the northern United States (p. 299) is Rho- 

 dodendron maximum. This has been extensively colonized in large 

 grounds by being removed from the wild in carload lots. When the 

 native conditions are imitated, it makes unusually good mass planting. 

 Like all rhododendrons it is impatient of drought, hard soil, and full 

 exposure 'to midday sun. This species is valued for its foliage and 

 habit more than for its bloom. The wild form of R. Catawbiense is 

 also transferred to grounds in large quantities. 



Rose. — No home property is complete without roses. There are 

 so many kinds and classes that varieties may be found for almost any 

 purpose, from climbing or pillar subjects (p. 31 S) to highly fragrant 

 teas, great hybrid perpetuals, free-blooming bedders, and good fohage 

 subjects for the shrubbery. There is no flower in the growing of which 

 one so quickly develops the temper and taste of the connoisseur. 



Roses are essentially flower-garden subjects rather than lawn sub- 

 jects, since flowers are their chief beauty. Yet the foliage of many 

 of the highly developed roses is good and attractive when the plants 

 are well grown. To secure the best results with roses, they should 

 be placed in a bed by themselves, where they can be tilled and pruned 

 and well taken c^re of, as other flower-garden plants are. The ordinary 

 garden roses should rarely be grown in mixed borders of shrubbery. 

 It is usually most satisfactory also to make beds of one variety rather 

 than to mix them with several varieties. 



If it is desired to have roses in mixed shrubbery borders, then the 

 single and informal types should be chosen. The best of all these is 



