THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



October 5, 1912 



Ed w a rd B oh a n 0 . A be a ii t i f u 1 H . T . rose 

 of gv^at size and substance. The petals re- 

 curve slightly at the tips and are very broad. 

 A massive ror^e of rich roee-red colour, 

 flushed with crimson-scarlet. A.M., R.H.S., 

 Septeml>er 24. Messrs. Alex. Dickson and 

 Sons, Newtownards. 



DAHLIAS. 



Gigantic. — A large cactus dahlia^ with in- 

 ' 'li ving tips to its long, narrow florets. Tlie 

 It old g*»l<l colouring fades to pink from 

 ' < ciitre outwardri. F.C.C., N.D.S., Sep- 

 tt'inlu r 17. Messrs, J. Stredwick and Son, 

 St. Leonards. 



George Schofiold. — A very neat, fair-sized 

 oactuH dahlia, with incurving tips. The 

 colour is pink, paler at the tips, })ut t he 

 centre of the flower i.s yeUovv. F. ('.('., 

 N.D.S.. September 17. Messrs. J. Stredwick 

 and Sun, St. I^eonards. 



Usi'tul. A v<^ry distinct decorative dahlia, 

 and oiif that we hope ifl the forerunner of 

 a good r.H »' ut garden varieties. The flowers 

 are three to four inches across, double, but 

 not, he;i \ y '>r trlolmlar, shapely, and borne 

 eiert nil UuA-]<mg stems. The variety 



ifs \ 1 ' ry 1 1 ev 1 1 i ) \\ I ' i- i II g ^ and the bb>oni h 



wel I a i>n \ (■ tile to! i a ire. The enlotir is pur- 

 r>lis)i mauvv. A.M.. IMI.S.. F. ('.('.. N.D.S., 



September Mr. J. T. West, Tower Ilill, 



lire nt wood. 



Johnny. — A capital pompon varietv very 

 neat and >hapely . < 'olou r (Uh'|> rnaroon- 

 cnin-(Hi. I'.C.**., X.D.S., Septeinhej" 17: 



A \l , IMI.S.. September 24. Mr. J. T. 

 ^\ r^t I'ourr Ilill Urentwood. 



Jeiinv \\'r< n, A charming medium sized 

 raetns v,i ri**t v, wit h pink incurving florets 

 and a yellow centre. X.D.S.. and 



A.M.. IMI.S,. September 24. Messrs. J. 



Stre<l\viek and Son. St. Leonards. 



Mrs. Handle. — A large cactus dahlia of rich 

 pink eoionr. with lighter shading. F.C.C., 

 N.D.S.. and A.M.. bMLS.. September 24. 

 Me?wsr>. .1. Strrdwirk :\]\<\ Son. St. Leonards. 



oi)<)N rioi).\ mai;(;am l A. 



A pretty hybrid between Odontoglossum 

 MadrenBe and (*o< hhoda Noetzliana. The 

 flowers are of nnnlinm -ize. soft scarlet, with 

 rose-purple shading. .\ FMT.S., Septem- 

 l>er 24. AL^ns. H. (;raire, Ami^-ns. 



KNTPHOriA JOIIX IU:XAHY. 



\ hand-ome and st;itely variety with large 

 brilliant red flowers lM>rne erect on stout 4ft. 

 stems. A splendid atldition. It has also 

 been shown as Kniphotia rx>rd Eoberts. 

 A.M., R.H.S., September 24. Messrs. J, 

 Veiteh and Sons. Chelsea. 



rKXTSTKMOX MRS. F. FULFOED. 



A handsome and stately variety with large 

 flowers of a deep and rich red hue. A.M., 

 R.H.S., September 24. Mr. Fulton, Tar- 

 bolton. 



Anchusa italica Opal. I observe 



an enquiry in the Gardeners' Magazine 

 as to the origin of^ this anchusa. which 



as you rightly say in your reply, is quite 

 di.^tinct. Tlie pale blue form known as Opal 

 and introduced by Mr. B. Ladhams, Shirley 

 onginat'.d in the vicar's garden in Swan- 

 more a.-, a chan -e s-edling. As a border plant 

 it det^rves extended cultivation, growing 

 freely and flowering abundantly. To see the 

 great difference between this and the 

 dark blue form known as the Dropmore 

 variety, which I have grown under the name 

 of fiuperba, the two varieties should be 

 planted side by (>ide in the same border. 

 Well-grown plants of each will reach 6ft. 

 high, and, when furnished with several main 

 stems, which spread outwards as they groT 

 each one will produce a brilliant diisplay of 

 colour that lasts a long time in the summer. 

 The plants should be replenished every two 

 years, as, when they reach that age. they are 

 apt to decay at the crown. Every piece of its 

 thong-like roots, two inches in length, will, 

 if placed in sandy eoil in the spring quickly 

 grow into a vigorou*> plant.— E, Molyneux, 

 Swanmore, Hants. 



DWARF POLYANTHA ROSES. 



It is not surprising that the dwarf poly- 

 antha roses should have oome to the front 

 so rapidly, for they are not only very 

 free in growth and bloom, but can be de- 

 pended upon not to break away from a 

 compact, and yet un crowded growth. So 

 many roses that would otherwise be good 

 bedders are apt to throw out an occasional 

 long growth, which detracts from the 

 general effect. In the dwarf polyanthas, 

 however, we can keep them almost as uni- 

 form as begonias, etc 



Nor does it appear that one season suite 

 them better than mother, for during the 

 past/ trying summer they were quite un- 

 affected. Even now our plants are in 

 bloom, sufficiently so to produce a bright 

 effect. 



fted plai 

 e turned 



^iiseful these 

 Led when I st 



ing the end of April, have been a mass of 

 blossom since early in July. They have 

 the merit also of doing well upon their own 

 roots, and so are much less expensive in 

 proportion to many others. 



Both in beds, or edgings to others, also 

 beneath standards, in lieu of other subjects 

 than roses, they are most suitable. Some 

 of the prettiest effects I have seen during 

 the past summer were beds of dwarf poly- 

 anthas, having short standards of the same 

 section in the centre 



look 



They form good 



raised a little from the ground in this way. 



As pot plants, too, it would be difficult 

 to improve upon these, their usefulness 

 being enhanced by the length of time their 

 huge trusses remain in flo?^'er. So con- 

 stant blooming are they that plants which 

 have been forced under glass will come on 

 rapidly, and give an excellent summer and 

 autumn display if turned out after flower- 

 ing and due hardening off. Still, I would 

 prefer to partly ripen off the best of them 

 in the usual way of treating pot roses as 

 th is would tend to better results when 

 forcexl again early in the year. 



Dwarf poly antha roses do not seem very 

 particular as to soil, hut I have found a 

 rich, light loam suit them hest. Not hav- 

 ing so much growth to support ag the 

 stronger growers, they thrive in shallow^ 

 soils that are unsuited for the general run 



of roses, and this is another point in their 

 favour. 



With the planting season now close upon 

 us, a list of some of the best may be of 

 service, and I will select them alphasbeti- 

 cally, for it would indeed be difficult to 

 place them in order of merit, except in the 

 ca.se of some special colours. 



Aennchen Muller has immense trusses of 

 bright rose-coloure<l flowers, with the pecu- 

 liarly twiste<l petals of a miniature cactus 

 dahlia. In bloom from June until weather 

 stays it. It is one of our earliest. 



Anne Marie de Montravel is pure white ; 

 the flowers small, but very full. A profuse 

 bloomer, and one of the sweetest-scented, 



Aschenbrodel contains a toucsh of hlood- 

 red among its clear peach colouring, and 

 has a salmon-orange centre- One of the 

 best for massing. 



Boskoop Baby is comparatively new, but 

 it promises to be the best of the clear China 

 ^ colours. It is wonderfully free-bloom- 

 ing and sweet-scented. 



Cecile Brunner. a blush, shaded with 

 pale pink and a yellowish centre, is one 

 of the best shaped, and charming for but- 

 tonholes. 



Cananenvogel gives a very distinct and the sweetest-scented roses grown 



striking colouring wuth its golden-yellow 

 orange, rose, and purple blooms. a' 

 combination that takes the eye at once. 



Eugenie Lamesch has peculiar growth 

 and very shining foliage. It is one of the 

 dwarfest, and always upright. Seldom 

 more than fifteen inches high, and with 

 bunches of flowers shaped like a ranunculus. 

 Orange when first opening, turning to pale 

 yellow and carmine later on, 



Flo9on de Neige is a great favourite here 

 because it is even freer in blooming thau 

 the rest. It is a very aptly named rose, 

 but not so well suited to cut from as the 

 others, the petals falling in a shower when 

 touched. 



Gloire de^ Polyanthas has very tiny, but 

 perfectly-formed flowers of deep rose, with 

 a much lighter base. Very much used for 

 bedding. 



Jessie, although almost new, has made a 

 great impression, because it is not only one 

 of the brightest — a deep rosy-scarlet — but 

 keeps its colour so clear up to the last. It 

 is very good and bright under glass, and 

 has no fault as regards growth and freedom 

 in blooming. 



Katherine Zeimet is one of the purest of 

 whites, of good form, and 'borne in very 

 large trusses. Certainly one of the 'best. 



Kleiner Alfred is one of the dwarfest 

 roses I am acquainted with ; seldom reach- 

 ing a foot high, hut free flowering and in- 

 teresting in quite tiny pots. The colour is 

 a rich combination of bronze-yelloAV, and 

 red. 



Leonie Lamesch growls somewhat after 

 the style of Eugenie Lamesch, hut is much 

 stronger. The flow^ers, too, are only from 

 one to five in a truss, each resembling a 

 miniature zinnia. Goppery-red, shaded 

 with orange and a tinge of terra-cotta at 

 the margins. A most striking rose, and one 



of the best to last, 



Madame N. Levavasseur was extensively 



grown when first introduced, and is good 



still; but others have ousted it because of 



the indifferent way it keeps it colour, which 



is rosy-crimson at first, quickly fading off 



to a dull and dead-looking purple-red. 



Maman Levavasseur, a seedling from the 

 former, and with similar habit, has been 

 styled Baby Dorothy. This has much the 

 same colouring as Dorothy Perkins, and 

 keeps clear. Quite a good variety, but too 

 often confused with the other because of its 

 similarity m name. It is very dwarf and 

 free, reminding one of a large truss of the 

 well-known Dorothy Perkins. 



Mrs. W. H. Cutbush has the same habit, 

 but I think the colour is clearer and not 

 quite so deep. A very 'beautiful rose for 

 bedding. 



Orleans Ro^se is a rather stronger grower 

 than most of the dw^arf polyanthas carry- 

 ing immense pyramidal trusses of vivid 

 rosy-crimson flowers. Certainly one of the 

 best hoth for beds or pots. 



Perle d'Or has the habit of throwing up 

 a strong shoot now and again, which rather 

 spoils a smaJI bed, but these growth are in- 

 variahly ended hy extra large trusses of 

 flow^er and well spread out. It is one ot 

 the most distinct roses grown, and t^v'o or 

 three of its heautifully formed nankeen- 

 yellow and deep orange flowers are grand 

 for the coat. There is no need to spoil the 

 truss, for the blooms can be selected with- 

 out sacrificing the unopened buds. 



Phyllis resembles Mrs. W. H. Cutbush 

 so much in every way. except being brigh- 

 ter, as to need no further description. 



Schneewittchen is a clear ivory-white, 

 with large golden stamens, upon candelabra- 

 shaped trusses or lunches. It is often only 

 semi-douible^ hut very effective, and one of 



