855 



MESSRS. HUGH DICKSOIN'S 



ROSES. 



Nearly fifty years have elapsed since the 

 late Mr. Hugh Dickson became a citizen ol 

 Belfast and established the Royal Nurseries^ 

 which for a considerable portion of this 

 somewhat lengthy period have occupied a 

 proniinenfc position among the estab- 

 lishments in the United Kingdom that are 

 especially associated with roses. Although 

 it is not intended to deal with the history 

 of the firm J interesting as it would un- 

 doubtedly be, it wall be of interest to re- 

 call the fact that the late Mr. Hugh Dick- 

 son was a brother of Mr. George Dickson, 

 as it reminds us that he shared with him 

 a strong affection for the rose, and that 

 his son, the present members of the firm 

 of Hugh Dickson, Lim., have, like their 

 grandfather, the* late Mr. Alexander Dick- 

 son, si"^*en much attention to cross-fertilisa- 



the tastefully-designed and skilfully- 

 planted gardens in which, among other 

 suitable subjects, roses of various classes 

 are fully represented. Excellent object- 

 lessons in the utilisation of rosos as aids 

 in beautifying the garden may indeed be 

 obtained in the majority of the leading 

 gardens that are passed. Not less note- 

 worthy in this respect are the nurseries, 

 whifch can hardly fail to possess much 

 value educationally to the passer-by, as 

 well as to those who take advantage of 

 their opportunities for making a moie or 

 less prolonged visit. Roses are freely used 

 in forming a setting to the residence of 

 Mr. Hugh Dickson, not in such manner as 

 to suggest that they liave been planted 

 for the purposes of advertisement, but 

 rather for the puipose of demonstrating 

 their great value for beautifying the im- 

 mediate surroundings of the bouse, and 

 suggesting the manner in which they can 

 be most successfully employed. 



esque, and by almost wholly dispensing 

 \\ iih the cross ar<"lies as generally used, 

 the .spaces i)ctwccii the two sides is so 

 light that the rosos grow and bloom freely 

 on the inner sides, an<l thus afford much 

 entertainment to those who use the walk. 

 Readers will be able to determine how far 

 such a pergola is adapttxl to their tastes 

 and requirements from the illustration 

 given heiewith, for tlu^ ]>hotograph from 

 which it was reprodiutil was taken from 

 a ])oiiit whi<'h iuclu<le<l one of the arclies 

 that iiad lucn vtn-ently replanted for the 

 ]uir|)os.' of showing the design of the woo<l- 

 work. 1'htv anangement of the be<ls along- 

 side the p(Mgola is goo<]. and, with refer- 

 (Mico to tliein it will be hardly necessary 

 to point out that, when dwarf roses are 

 associated with pergolas it is far prefer- 

 able to arrange them in befls separated by 

 narrow walks than to plant them in bor- 

 ders flanking the woodwork. Not only is 

 the crowding up of the climbing roses to 



POllTION OF FIELD CONTAINING 8(),(X)() PLANTS OF NEW EOSES 



In the Nurseries of Messrs. Hugh Dickson, Lini., Belfast. 



|ion, and as tlie result have achieved a bril- 

 ^^"^ 'success in the creation of new roses. 



Ihe nurseries, which are remarkable 

 ?"ke for their extent, the judgment shown 

 in their planning, and for their high keep- 

 'ng, are situate on the southern boun- 

 tiaries of the city, and about two miles 

 "om the centre thereof. This distance 

 is readily covered by means of an excellent 

 ^rvicQ of tramcars which pass the main 

 entrance, and the short journey is not 

 Without both pleasure and interest. The 

 route IS for the most part through Bel- 

 oiont, one of the most delightful of the 

 'f^^ential suburbs of Belfast, and affords 

 ^oundant evidence that not only is busi- 

 ness m a flourishing state, but that these 

 no are engaged therein and sufficiently 

 prosperous to live in the suburb are for 



in^ ^^^^ P'^^^'t keenly interested in garden- 

 ^^8* Many are the residences passed on 



possess architectural features 

 a high order, and not less 



an injurious extent avoided, but the plants 

 can more readily receive any attention 



On the breadth of turf that separates 

 the residence from the road are several 



beds devoted to dwarf roses, which here, that mav be necessarv, and the flowers be 

 as elsewhere, have been phue<l uiuk»r the 

 conditions favourable to tluur full de- 



numerous are 



velopment, and, in CM^nsequence, make a 

 vigorous growth and produce a profusion 

 of finelynleveloped blooms. To the south- 

 west of the entrance are numerous big 

 beds of roses with a pergohi as a ba:-k- 

 ground, this being quite distinct in <h'- 

 sign, characterised by lightness and ele- 

 gance, and affording a splendid oppor- 

 tunity for demonstrating the charms of 

 the polyanthas, the wichuraianas, and 

 other rambling roses. As will readily 

 seen, the sides of the pergola are formed 

 with a series of arches supported by stout 

 uprights, and lightly connected at the top 

 by cross-pieces. The design has much to 

 recommend it to the notice of those who 

 devote any oons' "arable share of their at- 

 tention to ramoling roses. It is pictur- 



more frcelv euiovetl 



A walk through the houses devoted to 

 the all-important work of cross-fertilisa- 

 tion, the ripening of the crops of rose 

 seed, and the raising of seedling roses, was 

 of intense interest; and, with Mr. Hugh 

 Dickson and Mr. Alex. Dickson as guides, 

 (>ne could have wished that the time avail- 

 able had been longer. Both, as so well- 

 ktiown, are the keenest of rosarians, both 

 are fully oonversant with the scientific 

 and practical aspects of cross-fertilisation 

 in its relation to the rose, and they are 

 equally ready to discuss the various ])oints 

 of interest connected therewith. Conse- 

 quently an hour or so was all too short 

 for obtaining information first-hand on 

 \arious pointe that suggested themselves 

 as one passed through the several struc- 

 tures. In the earlier days of raising 



