August 15, 1908. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
5 2 7 
H.P. Rose A. K. Williams, 
Maclaren and Sons. 
Premier H.P. Rose 
Some years ago A. K. Williams was 
almost constantly present in winning 
stands of any large size, but of late it 
has been more or less absent from show 
boards, so that we were quite surprised to 
find it the premier H.P. bloom in the 
nurserymen’s classes at the Metropolitan 
Exhibition of the National Rose Society 
on the 3rd July. It is a somewhat difficult 
Rose to transplant, and that may militate 
against its cultivation, especially amongst 
amateurs, but when it comes good, it 
keeps well, whether the day be hot or 
cool, and nurserymen find it good for ex¬ 
hibition purposes. 
In these days of Tea and H.T. Roses 
of beautiful form, the prim formality 
of A. K. Williams possibly may act 
against it as a Rose for the masses. The 
petals are extremely numerous, and these 
spread laterally towards the tip, becom¬ 
ing, therefore, regularly imbricated or 
over-lapping, making quite a formal 
bloom with a flat top, though otherwise 
good in every respect. The colour is a 
bright carmine-red, so that when it comes 
really good, it has a telling effect in ex¬ 
hibition stands. The plant is of upright 
habit, but only of moderate growth, and 
this again may tell against it as a Rose 
for the general public. It is already of 
old standing, having been put into com¬ 
merce in 1877. The exhibitor of this fine 
bloom was Mr. George Mount, Canter¬ 
bury, who, as is well-known, grows his 
Roses to large size. 
-- 
R.H.S. 
An Exhibition of flowers, plants, etc., 
will be held at the Royal Horticultural 
Hall, Westminster, on August iSth, from 
1 to 6 p.m. At 3 o’clock Air. James Hud¬ 
son, V.M.H., will deliver a lecture on 
"The Cultivation of Figs in Pots.” 
Astilbe Arendsi Ceres. 
The above is a very handsome new 
hybrid between A. floribunda and A. 
davidiana, the latter being the pollen 
parent. The flowers have a fluffy appear¬ 
ance of a beautiful rosy pink and pro¬ 
duced in huge number s in pyramidal 
trusses, twelve to eighteen inches long. 
We think it the finest of the pinkAstilbes 
yet brought before the public. Award of 
Merit by R.H.S. in July when shown by 
Mr. George Arends, Ronsdorf, Germany. 
Astilbe Arendsi Pink Pearl. 
A very striking feature of this hybrid 
is that "the petals are very short, being 
almost absent. When closely inspected 
they are seen to be pink with purple tips, 
while the calyx is creamy. The chief im¬ 
pression a short distance away is that the 
flowers are of a clear pink, as the name 
would indicate. It was raised from A. 
japonica compacta crossed with A. davi¬ 
diana. Award of Merit by R.H.S. in July 
when exhibited by Mr. George Arends, 
Ronsdorf, Germany. 
