342 
The Garden Magazine, February, 1924 
Roses were pretty safe as regards food. Instead ot mulching 
I covered the ground beneath the plants with rock and other 
small plants, feeling that to cover the surface of the beds with 
life was not against the interests of the Rose—and so it proved. 
These are the plants for the surface, between the Roses: 
Evening Primrose 
Mignonette 
Pansies (tufted) 
Silvery Speedwell 
Baby-blue-eyes (Collinsia) 
Silvery Rockfoils 
Anagallis grandiflora 
Hairbells (dwarf) 
Rock Scabious 
Phacelia campanularia 
Wild Geranium 
Sand Pinks (Tunica) 
The Greek Viola (V. gracilis) 
Dwarf Toadflax (I.inaria pallida) 
Silvery Gypsophila 
Blue Bindweed 
Dwarf Thyme (Thymus Serpvllum 
micans 
Being of a fragile nature, the surfacing plants are in need of 
frequent attention, they have to be transplanted and the soil 
refreshed while the Roses are not disturbed for years, and not 
packed close, but to allow of better growth are set a yard apart. 
Pruning and Feeding of Roses 
T HE laws of the Medes and Persians were not so rigid as 
those that are laid down in the books as to pruning. So, 
feeling that I could not set myself against the rules without some 
proof of the futility of the common practice, my Roses were 
dashed about in storm and frost all the winter until April. 
When 1 saw proof that the plants gained nothing but injury 
in this way I gave it up and now all my Roses are put to bed 
before Christmas to do their true work of making roots. In this 
way the plants escape all inclement weather of winter and early 
spring. The idea was that if you pruned before the spring the 
bushes started too early. This, after many years’ trial, we 
have found not to be the case. After their winter the Roses 
begin to shoot vigorously, forming shoots 6 inches or more 
long by mid-April. Then the plants are looked at to see if 
any sapless growths need removal. 
As regards manure, which for some generations now has 
been spread over the surface of every Rose garden in Britain, 
it occurred to me that the excreta of animals of various kinds 
spread under the windows of a house was not desirable. I felt, 
too, that the depth and texture of the soil was of more impor¬ 
tance than any benefit to be got by the addition of animal 
manures. The Rose on its natural root in three feet of good soil 
is in no need of any nourishment, and we have a sea of bloom all 
through the summer well into the fall. 
The Grace of Clematis 
T HESE splendid climbers—the larger ones which come to 
us from China and Japan—have been shut out of the gar¬ 
dens of Europe and of America too, owing to the purblind prac¬ 
tice of grafting them in nurseries on a native of our own hills, 
C. vitalba, a vigorous plant upon which they never thrive. 
After many years of struggle with these we have at last suc¬ 
ceeded by planting only layers on the natural root. Then all 
sign of disease is seen no more, and we get the most graceful 
climber of the northern world in perfect health. 
We layer the plants in March, and grow them on oak trellis 
at the back of borders, or as pyramids on stakes of the yew, not 
trimmed. A good way is to let them climb up shrubs and low 
trees like Magnolia, in which way, and without any pruning or 
other care, they do very well. We have more than thirty species 
and varieties in fine health; not all in the flower garden, how¬ 
ever, as some are best growing up trees. 
PLANT COMBINATIONS 
Suggested by the Flowerbeds at Gravetye 
(/Is Finished December, 1922) 
1. Border against house, left of porch: A colony of Scabiosa caucasica, 
purple and white forms, edging of Linaria pallida, many years in place. On 
wall: Clematis, Roses Lamarque and Pauls Scarlet, Vitis Wilsoni, and Rhyn- 
chospermum jasminoides. Climbing Rose Mme. M. Soupert. 
2. Bed to right of porch: Rose Marie van Houtte both in bed and on wall, 
ten years in same place; Rose Mermaid, and Clematis. Undergrowth: Mis¬ 
souri Evening Primrose, hardy here. Edging: Blue Windflower. 
4. Border below and in front of pergola and with 4 ft. retaining wall of sand¬ 
stone blocks in rear, filled with Californian Fuchsia, Shamrock Pea (Paroche- 
tus), glue Bindweed, Alpine Phlox, and Linarias. Also old pink China Rose 
across one end, carpeted with the Horned Violet; and at the opposite end is a 
group of Gen. MacArthur Roses, Blue Sweet-peas. Edging: Sedum Ewersii 
and, planted deeply beneath, Crocus Sir Walter Scott. The Lily tank separates 
this and border bed and is surrounded by water-loving Iris. 
4. Groups of Roses Frances Gaunt and Joseph Hill, carpeted with Tufted 
Pansies, clumps of red and pink Sweet-peas. A large mass of Lobelia fulgens 
at the west end. Edging of purple Crocus beneath Wall Hairbeil. 
5. Long border with Hugh Dickson Roses at one end and a mass of the 
Feather Fern (Struthiopteris) and Henry's Lily at the other. In the center 
a variety of large-flowered Delphiniums; edging of a broad belt of the Siberian 
Squill planted beneath Gypsophila muralis. 
6 . Roses (Zephirine Drouhin), Regal Lilies (Lilium regale) and Narcissus, 
with a carpet of Hungarian Hepaticas (H. angulosa) and mixed rock plants. 
7. Collection of large-flowered Snowdrops, Crocus, Iris, and Pasque-flowers, 
succeeded by Baby-blue-eyes (Nemophila insignis) and Rhodanthe, sown 
in May. 
8. Mixed bed of bronze-hued Roses on own roots and Gladiolus primulinus. 
Edging: Crocus beneath Silvery Rockfoils. 
9. Has trellis background with large-flowered Clematis, Romneya tricho- 
calyx, carpeted with Aquilegia glandulosa. 
10. Rose Renee Wilmart-Urban; underneath: Silvery Rockfoils. Edging: 
Gypsophila, Jubaea. 
11. Convolvulus tenuissimus. Border: Carnations. Edging: Alpine Sca¬ 
bious. 
12. 1 ncarvilleas, Carnations, and Violet Cress (lonopsidium). Edging: 
Lady Knox Pansies. Trellis in rear covered with Roses and Clematis. 
/ 4. Rose Theresa, with undergrowth of Collinsia grandiflora. 
14. Mme. Hector Leuillot and Nita Weldon Ro.ses. Edging: Geranium 
lancastriense. 
/ 5. Rose Mme. Ravary, and Pansy True Blue. 
16. Roy de Velous Clematis on rough yew stake; undergrowth of Rock¬ 
foils and Greek Violet (Viola gracilis). 
/y. Background of Roses and Clematis on oak trellis. In bed: Lady 
Hillingdon Roses, with undergrowth of Silvery Rockfoils and Horned Pansies. 
15. La Tosca and Belladoria Roses, edged with White Swan Pansies. Under¬ 
growth: Mauve Queen and Lady Knox Pansies. 
ic). Roses Pharisaer and Anna Olivier with undergrowth of the Prairie 
Primrose (Oenothera). Edging: Wall Hairbeil. 
20. Clematis on rough yew stakes with Roses C. Louis Breslau and J. C. 
N. Forestier. Undergrowth: Pansy Mosely Perfection. Edging: Blue Bind¬ 
weed. 
21. Rose Scuvr. de Stella Gray. Undergrowth: Blue Flax. Edging: 
Geranium lancastriense. 
22. Delphinium belladonna with a background of Clematis and Roses. 
Edging: Gypsophila muralis. 
2). China Roses in variety. Edging: A broad belt of purple Crocus. 
24. Collection of large-flowered Clematis on rough yew stakes and a group 
of Hugh Dickson Roses at one end, with an undergrowth of hardy Ferns, mostly 
evergreen, and the Great Chilian Evening Primrose (Oenothera aculis). Edg¬ 
ing consists of a broad band of Snow-glories (Chionodoxa) which are followed 
in summer by some light annual, such as the Swan-river-daisy. 
as. Rose Mme. Herriot. Undergrowth of Councillor Waters Pansy. 
26. Roses Mrs. David McKee and Louis Leroy; Scarlet Turk's-cap Lily, and 
the Narbon Flax as an undergrowth. 
27. Rose Zepherine Drouhin cn own roots planted a yard apart, with White 
Phlox (Tapis Blanc) between. Edging: the blue Trebizond Muscari. 
25. Rose Mme. Lambard. Undergrowth Phacelia campanularia. 
29. Rose Irish Elegance, carpeted with Shamrock Pea (Parochetus). Edg¬ 
ing of Corydalis cheilanthifolia. 
40. Bright colored Phloxes. Edging: Thymus micans, with Crocus be¬ 
neath. 
41. Rose Mme. Leon Pain. Undergrowth of Inchmery Pinks. Edging 
of Gypsophila over Margot Crocus. 
12. Golden Tea Roses in variety with undergrowth of Silver-leaved Speed¬ 
well (Veronica incana) and Horned Violet. 
43. Collection of Tea Roses including Joseph Hill, Le Progres, also group 
of Irish Fireflame, with undergrowth of Chinese Meadow-rue (Thalictrum 
dipterocarpum). Edging: Gypsophila. 
44. Clematis and Monkshood, with undergrowth of Pentstemon heterophyl- 
lus. Edging: Coronation Pinks. 
45. Rose Mile, de Kerjegu, undergrowth Scabiosa graminifolia. Edging: 
Wall Hairbeil. 
46. Rose Christine de Pisan. Undergrowth: True Blue Pansy. Edging: 
Sand Pink (Tunica). 
47. Rose Mrs. Aaron Ward, with edging of Pinks. 
48. Clematis Nellie Moser on rough stake, undergrowth of Linum Lewisii 
and Nemophila insignis. Edging: Mosely Perfection Pansy. 
49. Convolvulus althaeoides, Chinese Meadow-rue (Thalictrum dip¬ 
terocarpum). Edging: Helichrysum bellicoides. 
40. Sun Roses, mixed; Grey-leaved Senecio; Rose K. of K.; Lilium Szovitsi- 
anum; and Perovskia atriplicifolia. 
41. On rough yew stakes, Rose Billiard et Barre, and in bed a mass of Marie 
van Houtte and Mme. Abel Chatenay. Planted between the Roses: Delphin¬ 
ium belladonna. Edging: G. Wermig Viola. 
42. Collection of Lavender interspersed with a variety of Gladiolus. Edg¬ 
ing: White-flowered Thrift. 
44. Large-flowered Clematis on rough supports. Undergrowth of Oen¬ 
othera speciosa and Delphiniums. 
44. Rose Grande Duchesse Marie-Adelaide with an undergrowth of Pinks in 
variety. 
45. Large-flowering Clematis with undergrowth of Columbine (wild species). 
46. A collection of large-flowering Clematis on rough yew supports. Under¬ 
growth of hardy Agapanthus (A. Mooreanus minor), and Tulips. Edging; 
Thrifts. 
