438 



GARDENERS' 



MAGAZINE. 



July 9l 



roses For Cottage Walls. 



l suppose that our omniscient Editor has selected me to deal with 

 this subS became I live in a part-the Isle of Wight -where roses on 



i wm now iun w *~~ b ~ «* n vji me uinerent sorts mn?t i;u t 

 advisable to be used as climbers, with a few notes on each y ° r raoit 



We naturally begin with the universal maid-of-all-work* th* n • 

 Dijon, and its descendants. It has, as everybody knows manVl ,, * 

 qualities. It is very hardy, does not much mind where it is C T v! "? 

 and very sweet, and some of its shades of colour are nrettv in 

 masses. But it is about the most utterly shapeless rose that exS. 

 what is more curious, the exceedingly rare blooms of tolerahlTU 

 seem just as likely to come in a wind-swept situation as nn ', , * 



which might have had a Marechal Niel. Madame Berard TdlS* 

 of the Gloire, is far better in shape, and deeper and more unifoS? 



you must, therefore, proportionately feed it or the K 

 tap-roots, and shoots towering above, will eat un all t£ f 0 ^ with 

 before the little rose can get at it at all. P he food "> tl 

 7. Never plant a mere summer rose, like Charles T a „ * 

 this subject, Deciiuac » - r—- - f th kingdom, roses will bloom for more months than the others will f„, , °* 

 T*\ e r ] ^hZ^^^ ^^ are quiS a's well I will now run through a few of the di&^^S^g; 

 though he more ^ r ^%°\^ \ s l reme mber, do so as freely. ■* be used as climbers. w,th . & ° st ^ 



However at any rate' here,' thank heaven, we do not see very much- 

 th^fer^uch-of that accursed destroying parasite, the ivy which 

 inougii J* , , rnun ties Deople p ant on their cottages to save them- 



is to think that one -r th ? f £ c 



rouble Aat wm have to be taken to keep the ivy down and repair the 

 S«S damage that it does, let alone the certain insects and probable rats 

 that it harbours, would have sufficed to cover the walls with the 

 exquisitely refined Ampelossis Veitchi, and with any number of different 

 coloured roses, provided they were wisely chosen, and decently tended 



My own village of Shorwell is, I think, on the whole the rosiest 

 villaee in the island, but several others are much like it in this respect, 

 and I fancy (from hasty inspection) that you will see more roses on walls 

 in the outer streets and lanes of Ryde, particularly m the Swanmore 

 part than you will in any of the villages. One or two roses, however, 

 were it seemed to me, thought quite enough for each cottage, and the 

 choice was apparently quite at random, and without any reference to the 

 particular aspect, or to the habit of the particular rose and its economy 

 of space. The front wall of a cottage, facing south, when all covered 

 with Reine Marie Henriette, for example, looks very nice from a coach- 

 top in Tune,butthis rose will probablynot give one really good bloom, while 

 there might have been two first-class roses of different colours. 



The roses which I find in most general use in the cottages here are 

 Gloire de Dijon (of course), Devoniensis (almost a speciality of ourselves 

 and Devonians), General Jacqueminot, Reine Marie Henriette, Marechal 

 Niel (only possible in the milder climates), Jules Margottin (not the 

 modern climbing variety, but simply climbing by its own vigour), the old 

 pink China rose, and an old red rose of which I am not sure, possibly 

 Edouard Morren. On the whole this is not a bad selection, though it 

 might be improved. There are, of course, specimens here and there of 

 many others, including the only one I ever saw of Madame Levet, an 

 almost forgotten seedling of Gloire de Dijon, of a deeper shade of yellow 

 than its parent ; Solfaterre, Marie Leonida, Lamarque, and a few others, 

 if we make an accurate census. The Banksians, both yellow and white, 

 grow profusely over my own vicarage, and I have the grandest 

 tree 1 have ever seen of William Allen Richardson, which, not finding 

 enough scope in two stories, is now trying its effect on the roof. To 

 these I have added several by gifts in the village, as of Cloth of Gold 

 which we ought to grow, if anybody can), William Allen Richardson, 

 and Crimson Rambler ; while a beautiful Madame de Watteville, budded 

 from mine on a lady's single-storied wall, under thatch, was formerly a 



» soil 

 Som< 



sheltered 



sight for the gods to envy. I am informed 

 roses are grown in Paradise, so that we may look forward hereafter to 

 the post of assistant-gardeners, if we qualify by diligence here. 



I think, then, that the most helpful thing I can do is, first, to discuss 

 a few general principles needed to be borne in mind, epecially for 

 choosing roses for walls ; and, secondly, to name and criticise a few leading 

 varieties most likely to be used, or most suited for carrying out these 

 principles. 



1. For a high wall (say of two stories) a real rampant or climbing rose 

 is needed. Many times I have seen a good rose on a wall, expected to 

 do its twelve or fourteen feet, when six feet was an effort for it. 



2. For a low wall (single story) it is probably better here (I speak 

 without safficient knowledge of more northerly climates, as far as regards 

 rose growing) to take a vigorous rose which is not ordinarily described 

 as a climber. I have, for example, on a small piece of east wall, a 

 Maman Cochet, which covers its seven feet, and gives early blooms of 

 show quality. Some people would have put a Gloire de Dijon here, if 

 anything, and wasted the space. 



3. Always consider the aspect and the standing of every little scrap 

 of wall you possess (I have only a few scraps), and do not put in Gloire 

 de Dijon everywhere, simply because it is the only rose whose name one 

 ran remember, or because a small local nurseryman has hardly anything 

 else in stock. You can get a good plant of any sort from one of the great 

 nurserymen safely by post, or a bundle by rail, and the good and great 

 nurseryman will do his best to suit you, even for a tiny order — such is the 

 true rose spirit — if you will only say exactly what you really want, and 

 leave it to him to choose for you. If you have more walls than one, put 

 a really good rose on your south or west wall. Here, at any rate, and in 

 any tolerably favourable place, you ought to be able on a south wall to 

 ^row a Marechal Niel, or Rubens, or Niphetos, and have lovely blooms 

 from them to stand in specimen glasses on your table, or, perhaps, to be 

 the boast ot the local show, instead of a heap of shapeless roses. 



4. All roses on walls are terribly subject to blight of various kinds, 

 more than those in the open ground, chiefly the aphis, or green-fly. It 

 will not do to leave them to chance, if you want your wall to look 

 beautiful. \ou must syringe them as much as ever you can. There are 



many insecticides. One of the simnW ic fmir mmrM of nuassia rfcinc 



01 liic vjiuiic, « — «- am uccper ana more uniform in 



colour. It is not quite so hardy, but hardy enough, and rather mnl 

 ambitious in climbing. Bouquet d'Or also greatly resembles both its 

 mother and sister, but is of a brighter colour, and very pretty in bud 



Reine Marie Henriette, often called "the Red Glory," a daughter 

 of Madame Berard and General Jacqueminot, is of a bright cherry colour 

 when it comes out, but fades very rapidly. It is most annoying in shape 

 an immense proportion of blooms being tightly doubled in. 



Waltham Climber No. 1 is said to be from the Gloire crossed with a 

 red rose. The colour fades very quickly, and the shape is generally 

 poor. It is a strong grower and very early, but I do not recommend it 

 Cheshunt Hybrid is of a charming colour in bud, but opens out into the 

 most ghastly lilac-red. It is strong, early, and one of the sweetest of 

 roses, but of little use for cutting owing to its tendency to fade quickly. 



Marechal Niel, though raised thirty-four years ago, is thought by 

 many good judges to be still the most beautiful of all roses. More 

 blooms of it and Niphetos are raised for sale to florists than of any 

 other. It should have the very best situation that can possibly be given 

 to it, and on a south wall, with protecting eaves overhead, it will give far 

 richer-coloured blooms than in a greenhouse. 



Of the climbing variety of Niphetos very much the same may be said 

 as of Marechal Niel. It is too delicate for any but very favoured situations, 

 such as a sheltered south brick wall, with eaves over it, and it is too shy about 

 flowering unless it is thoroughly satisfied. But a perfect Niphetos is the 

 loveliest thing imaginable, and even quite second-rate blooms will always 

 sell readily at the florists. I may mention here another white rose, not 

 nearly so widely used as it deserves to be, but very different from 

 Niphetos, viz , Madame Alfred Carriere. This is one of the most rampant 

 of all growers, and does not seem to mind where it is put, so that it may 

 be used quite as freely as the Gloire. It has a powerful scent, which the 

 catalogues call " deliciously fragrant," but which I have heard called 

 "horrid." It would be a decidedly pleasant change from the 

 Gloire to see a cottage covered with its light green fjliage, studded with 



large showy white blossoms. . 



One of the most useful acquisitions of late years has been Turner $ 

 Crimson Rambler. I believe that this grand polyantha does better on 

 arches, or pillars of a verandah, or in a hedge, than on walls which woulu 

 discount it for our present purpose. But if it can be found a situation 

 which suits it, the enormous masses of blossom all coming ^etlwrH 

 divided 



to secure 



clumps like great swarms of crimson bees, are well worth trying 

 e. And we, at least, find the plant so rampant and so hard) tni 



, , 5 , ' ™_ i>_ r p ilar is an exceedingly 



it gives no trouble anywhere. 



effective single rose in colour, but I do not know what its pecu xm 

 may be in regard to walls. I should think it would be ffgfig 



hybrid sweet briars. William Allen Richardson is of such a neauj. 

 uncommon colour that it is popular everywhere, and grows ^ '/ more 

 more northerly counties. Madame Carnot, a seedling from 

 beautiful in colour, but it seems to be too delicate for general us . 

 It will be noticed that in these numerous varieties i nave 



upon there are no dark roses at all, which is aseriou ^ £ ereat chance 

 »^ «»<-~~ds in producing a really rampant dark rose nas » * ^ 



. Th? climbing sports advertised from time to time ^ 

 es need some vears to test them, and, P**??,* ^ 



Bat I 



before him 

 known roses 

 dropped out. 

 for that purpose 



leed some years to test tnem, auu, b _ - 

 Here, as I said above, General Jacquemmot s mo 

 * though it is not even considered a haffchmber 



lionstcttcn or 



0 * c 



jt vat 



arch. 



wen a suigie-biorieu piece 01 wan. — o , 



known as it deserves to be, is Glory of Cheshunt, a raw 

 rich-coloured variety, which does well with me on a wire ^ ^ 

 to be a seedling of Charles Lefebvre, but I find it nam 1 {o ^ 



car. 



ounces of soft soap. 



and 



too 

 u 



Us (E-'^VS 



which will do anywhere, but seldom get even the i«o P feaWie « 

 Mine all climb round the trunks of big trees, and tor m qx ^ 

 the garden. There is no -reat variety in them,_eitn« ^ ^ vtT ^ m 



closely 



Ayrshir 



5- Roses on walls, probably, have not got good soil immediately under 



Dundee Rambler, Ruga, Flora, and Felicite 

 best known. 



rtflbe 



»v * ,7. . > r» u »«i)i nave not got eooa sou unmeaiaieiy unoer 



Sf^TiS ° Wmg t0 th , eir lar 8 e g row *h they need good food. Give them 

 all the food you can, for they welt deserve it— ™* «rr,nina« ^hl.. 



■ ell 

 is h 

 ► to 



be 



Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. canojg 

 >a^„ ...:.u i... ctftv till they tan. well"* 



v/ • m ■ 



maim** f^i * u ' ~7~ J T '^ 1& waerve* it — road scrapings, stable 

 Z th X j t2 l ° b V el i d,luted )> a "y Wood you can get at, lour milk, 

 > n p g ;_\ he -I OSe has heave "ly gratitude for it all. 



cientlv widelv ,n 2.A ratt1er ^sightly thereby. B 



^Sm^S^SAS^i non y cl im bin g ; low. „ . anu ineir 



must, of course re memh*»r Yw fu- COVer up a11 your walL 0nly ? ou for each P^ce accordingly. 



' rcmemt}er that this exhausts more of the ground, and Shorwell Vicarav, TlL 



But if they are suffi- 

 growing roses of a 



which is rarely the case/ 7 When one begins_ to say fr*"*S 



the othi 



the walls be new you have "a fine chance. C °°5 d sJnniness, 

 height of walls, and their comparative shelter an 



w11u.11 ib rareiy me case, wnen one ue 6 .«- -- 

 it is kinder to the rose as well as to yourself ^ ^ 

 list, one which will be in contrast of colour to ™ , our 



>U„ n„ u_ _ . , n ^Unr,r(>. ConSlCiei j 



£22 J 



lad** 



G. & 



