12 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



January 6, 1912. 



of the honeysuckle family^ both tlie minor 

 branches and the loaves being disposed in 

 tlie regular manner common to some of tho 

 cotoneasters. This lonicera> is said to reach 

 a height of 3 to 6ft. in height. It is of a 

 somewhat erect, compact habit, the numer- 

 ous shoots being thickly clothed with small 

 ovate 1-eathery leaves that liaA'e a brilliant i , t 



on the tipper surface. The tinv January brings the snow, and makes 



creamy-white flow^ers are in no ways showy, 



but pleasantly fragrant. ^ ~ . ^ 



Osmanthus Delavavi shown at one of the . strengtlien-s/' but he also knows, and 



gloss 



THE ROSE SEASON OF 1912. 



An Anticipa.tion. 



With the passing of Christmas, the ro&a- 

 rian, forgetting those things that a.re be- 

 hind, looks forward to that which is to 

 come. Plant life is istirring. He is told 



that January brings the sno„, 



our feet and lingers glow/' and he knows 

 the old adage, as the days lengthen tlie 



spring meetings of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society by Messrs. Paul and Son^ is so dis- 

 tinct from the other member of the genus, 

 and withal sueh a pretty shrub, that it 

 merits at least a passing notice. It is a 

 neat, compact growing evergreen, clothed 

 with small boxlike leaves of a dark greeii 

 colour. The white flowers are tubular in 

 shape, with a widely expanded mouth 

 nearly a-n inch across, and borne freely in 

 clusters at the point of every shoot. Its 

 hardiness in this country has yet to be 

 prov^ed- 



Elscholtzia Stanntoni, a Chinese member 

 of the Labiate family, wais, I believe, 

 shown for the first time from Aldenliam 

 Gardens, at the Horticultural Hall, on Sep. 

 tember 26. It is of a^ half-shrubby charac- 

 ter, and as shown formed a bushy speci- 

 men about six feet high and four feet 



The pointed, sharply serrated 

 leaves have a decided mint-like odour 

 when bruised. The flow.Ms, which are 

 freely borne in terminal spikes, are of a 



peculiar, almost indescribable, magenta 

 sliade. 



Many of the novelties of the last few 



through. 



variegated 



years have already become very popular, 

 particularly Berberis Wilsonte, a pretty 

 little speeies, very attractive in autumn ; 

 Buddleia variabilis, represented by several 

 forms; Cotoneaster applanata, Cotoneaster 

 humifusa, and Cotoneaster rugosa Henryi ; 

 Dimorphanthus mandchuricus, 

 leaved forms; the newer hydrangea-s," Hy- 

 pericum patuium Henryi^ Ilex Perneyi, one 

 of the prettiest of the' hollies; Petrowskia 

 atriplicifolia, so effective in a mass; Popu- 

 lus lasiocarpa^ by far the largest-leaved 

 poplar; Eobinia Kelseyi> a. ]arge-flowered, 

 sniall-growiug member of the Fa^se Acacia 

 family; and Viburnums Carlesi, V. Henryi, 

 V. rhytidophyllum, and V. utile. The free- 

 growing and profuse-flowering hybrid 

 broom, Cytisus Dallimorei that was raised 

 in the Royal Gardens, Kew, a few years 

 ago has during the past year fully justified 

 the Award of INferit made in its favour by 

 the Eoyal Horticultural Society in 1910. 



When in bloom its rose-purple flowers pro- 

 duce a fine efi'ect. 



Though not new, yet Elliottia racemo.sa 

 is so rare that it« claims to mention can- 

 not be overlooketl. It flow(^red at Kew last 

 summer, perhaps for tho first time, aud 

 certainly for the first time within ivcent 

 years. It belongs to the order Krir-acefe, 

 and forms a deciduous shrub, which bears 

 erect racemes of pure white fragrant blos- 

 soms about an inch across at the end of 

 July. Another old plant, which was com- 

 paratively uuknown till 1910, when it was 

 given an Award of Merit, namely. Sym. 

 phoricarpus orcidentalis, lias this ^autumn 

 been much a<lmired as it is an ornamental 



subject much superior to the common Snow- 

 berry. ^p 



Pro. 



Sparmannia africana. — 



hah\y owniir to tlio roastiiiir tbw loccivrri 

 the plant,, ot tlie S pa rniarni ia that wrn^ stood 

 ont>ide diiriiio- the .^nmmor and rarlv autumn 

 are tins season flowering with unusual free- 

 dom. The mast striking feature of tlie 

 flowers is the beautiful purple and velhp.v 

 colours of the crowd long brush-like 



stamens. — S. W. 



knows full well, that when the white pall 

 is withdrawn, the first whiflF of a spring 

 atmosphere, so delicious, so invigorating, 

 may be inhaled at any moment. A few 

 weeks later the sight of a florist's shop 

 window daintily dressed out with Flora's 

 choicest gifts, fills him with delight. Those 

 long-stalked Richmonds and Chatenays 

 and the pearly-white Kaiserins, with their 

 dan-k-green foliage, are irresistible, and, re- 

 gardless of mud or motor ^ he crosses the 

 street to gaze at and admire his loved 

 ones. And standing there, entra.nced, he 

 sighs to himself, How beautiful, how 

 beautiful ! " Yes, the spring is coming, we 

 know it by its herald, the Brimstone bnttor ■ 

 fly, and soon the lark's song will awaken 



our Queen to summon her subjects to her 

 durbar. 



At the closie of his letter of greeting to 

 the members of the National Rose Society 

 in annual meeting as-sembled, Mr. Edv/ard 

 Mawley^ from his sick-room, which one 

 and all prays that he may speedily quit, 

 wished us A happy Christmas and a 

 better rose season next year than that of 

 1911." We reciprocate that wish. But 

 what are the prospects? As to the weather, 

 that question lies in the cap of the gods^ 

 but, so far as man is concerned, never were 

 the prospects more rosy. 



In the first place, we shall be summoned 

 to the greatest event of the year, to Flora's 

 Court in the Royal Hospital Gardens, Chel- 

 sea, on May 22 to 30, there to see the very 

 best that the horticultural ,skill of the pre- 



The schedule of 



sent day can produce. 



this great Royal International Horticul- 

 tural Exliibition provides twenty -six classes 

 for roses, and such classes that wonM have 

 been impossible ten years ago. Let us 

 glance at the description of some of them. 

 In the section for rosos in pots we find a 

 Group of roses, in a space not exceeding 

 500 square feet," One hundred roses, 

 polyantha-dwarf section, five varieties, 20 

 plants of each, in pots not exceeding 6in," 

 '' Twelve roses, distinct, sent out since 

 January, 1909, as evidenced by the Na- 

 tional Rose Society's lists, climbers ex- 

 cluded," Six climbing roses," on the same 

 conditions ; ''Thirty-six roses, distinct, 

 sta.ndards, weeping varieties excluded,'* 

 '^Nine standard roses, distinct, weeping 

 varieties." In the cut flower section we 

 read of a Group of I'oses in space not 



pma and altaica, sinica, and niultiflora, 

 iutea:, and its hybrids. The Metropolitan 

 exhibition of the society in the Botanic 

 Gardens on July 9 will bring roses from ail 

 points of the compass, and on such a date 

 a great show may be confidently antici- 

 pated. A few days later, July 19, the so- 

 ciety will take a trip to the Emerald Isle, 

 where we know a hearty welcome awaits 

 the visitors. With the display of autumn- 

 flowering roses in the Horticultural Hai] 

 Vincent Square, on September 12, the Na- 

 tional Rose Society will complete its pro- 



gramme 



At the Royal Horticultural Society's ex- 

 hibition at HoMand House, on July 2, roses 

 will again occupy a prominent position, 

 whilst rose shows in the provinces from 

 early in June to well on in August will 

 more than fill up vacant dates. A five 

 months' series of rose shows! Cau any 



other flower claim a longer exhibition 

 season ! 



And what shall we see at these exhibi- 

 tions? Th e s e r r i ed ra nk s of sp ec i m en 

 blooms will be there, but in reduced num- 

 bers, because every society that would keep 

 pace with the times knows full well that 

 to confine its classes to roses staged 

 regulation boxes tends to monotony, and 

 the consequent slacking of pu^)-ic interest. 

 The demand of the present day is for roses 

 possessing co'our, perfume, and freshness^ 

 regardless of size and form, and this will 

 be supplied by more classes for f ree-riower- 

 ing varieties set up in baskets, vases, and 

 bunches, displayed with more grace and 

 more skill. The hybrid perpetuaLs have 

 all but passed away, teas are but echoes of 

 the past, and whilst the so-called hybrid 

 teas still hold the premiership, the position 

 is being challenged by the aainually increas- 



of wichuraia la and 



in 



mg varieties 

 netiaiua. 



I-er- 



^ Wo are promised by the ^;iti<ulal Rose 

 Society another Rose Confc-euce on the 

 lines of that successful one held last April. 

 But more than this, for a project is afloat 

 whereby the society will extend the right 

 hand of fellowship across the dinner-table 

 to rosa.rians beyong the seas, rGsari:His who 

 may be expected to visit and assist at the 

 International Exhibition. Mindful of our 

 indebtedness to them for some of the very 

 best and most popular roses of the day, it 

 may, as we hope it wiU, be an opportunity 



for ma ki n o- the rcou a i n tji ti^a of 



our 



acquaintance 

 brothers in the craft, and get to know them 

 almost as well as we know their ro&es. 

 In the comity of nations we once prided 

 ourselves on preserving an attitude of 

 ''splendid isolation." Recently we have 

 been informed on the best authority that 

 such an attitude is no longer tenable, and 

 one ventures to hope that, should the pro- 

 posed offer of hospitality to Amei'ican and 

 Coiitiruwit'd rosarians be accomplished, it 

 wiU in a degree, however smalL increase 



exceeding 100 squo.re feet," - Twelve varie- :V " -1 ^^^^^^^^ nowevor small, increase 

 ties of roses, nine flowers of each, with long *'^^.«P^^^t of universal fellcnvship and inter- 

 J. n • • 1 1 M ' ^ n?-tionai peace. 



stalks, in vases or long glasses 



Suitable classes for ro-ses in pots, boxes, 



and vases are also provided for amateurs. 

 Never before has there been promised such 

 a wealth of roses at one exhibition, and we 

 believe that the highest anticipations will 

 be surpassetl by the fulfilment. 



The National Rose Societv has also great 

 anticipations. It is true the society does 

 not yet provide an exhibition of ro-es In 

 May, but it will undoubtedly in the iiej.r 

 futln•(^ [ikUmm!, if the socit^ty is to ke(-j) 

 pa<(« with tinv progress of the rose world, 

 it niu^: havo n May show for rosrs grown 

 under ^|:,>s. We ;'r,^^ liowevtM-, thir v(^ar 

 })roniiscd lour sliows iiisn-ul of tlir<-e* A 

 suninier show at Snuthanipton i< fixed for 

 June 2(k Here wc shall (^x|)(M*t to fsee tho 

 early floweriuLi; teas ::.n<l livbrid teas, to- 

 gether with the Provence and Damask, nl- 



Havering. 



Joseph H Pem 



Pink Spirdea.e. — Tlicse spiraeas are 

 by no means &een at their best when forced, 

 espacially if a considerable amount of heat 

 is used, as the flowers are then, even at 

 their best, of a poor tint. When brought on 

 under glaiss in order to hasten their reason 

 of blooming, they should have all the light 

 and snnsliin? possible, while a free circula- 

 tion of air also tends to deepen the colour of 

 tht^ flowers. One reason, I think, why these 

 have not 7nade .so much prog-rcs8 in popular 

 favour wns at one time anticipated, is 

 owing to the fatt tliat many of them wore 

 forced, and their colour did*^ not then give 

 satisfaction. Planted out of doors in a moist 

 spot fully expos-ed to the eun, the blossoms 

 then acquire a very pleasing tint. — K. 



I . 



- * 



