JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  26,  1902. 
OJ. 
Coronation  Rose  Show  and  Conference. 
By  way  of  celebrating  the  Coronation  year  of  our  greatly 
honoured  Sovereigns,  King  Edward  VII.  and  Queen 
Alexandra  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  inaugurated  a  great 
Rose  exhibition  and  conference,  which  event  has  to  be  duly 
recorded  as  one  of  the  leading  features  in  tlie  London  programme 
of  public  ceh'brations  during  this  present  memorable  week. 
Tuesday  and  Wednevsday  were  the  days  set  apart  for  the  organi¬ 
sation,  and  Earl  Ilchester’s  beautiful  park  at  Holland  House, 
Kensington,  was  the  scene  of  the  meeting.  On  the  opposite 
page  we  illustrate  a  view  of  this  historical  mansion,  one  of  the 
most  renowned  in  or  around  the  metropolis,  and  to  which  we 
directed  attention  in  our  Spring  Number  in  March,  1901.  The 
prc'-ident  of  the  confereno?  again  on  this  occasion  was  the 
Very  Rev.  S.  Reynolds  Hole,  Dean  of  Rochester,  who  is  the  father 
and  president  of  the  National  Rose  Society,  the  metropolitam 
exhibition  of  which  will  be  held  next  week  in  the  Inner  Templo 
Gardens,  on  the  Thames  Embankment.  ' 
It  is  thirteen  years  ago  since  the  great  National  Rose  Con¬ 
ference  was  held,  this,  too,  being  under  the  aegis  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society.  The  venerable  Dean  was  then,  as  now, 
the  guiding  light  in  the  proceedings,  and  Mr.  William  Paul,  of 
wondrous  vitality,  contributed  of  his  well  of  rosarian  lore,  as  he 
has  done  at  tiiis  latest  meeting. 
Nearly  all  of  the  supporters  of  that 
first  conference  in  1889  are  still 
m joying  the  blessings  of  .strength  and 
health;  but  two,  at  least,  have  left 
the  Roses  of  earth,  each  of  them  men 
of  ardent  sympathy,  the  elder  being 
the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Penzance,  and 
the  other  Mr.  T.  W.  Girdlestone. 
That  conference  was  undoubtedly  of 
exceedingly  great  value  from  ,  many 
points  of  view.  It  gave  an  impetus  to 
Rose  culture,  it  systematised  the  aims 
of  the  body  of  rosarians,  and  directed 
their  efforts  to  new  lines;  and,  be¬ 
sides  furnishing  a  new  classification  of 
Roses,  it  brought  together  the  best 
knowledge  both  of  botanists  and  prac¬ 
tical  Rose  growers.  Undoubtedly  the 
greate.st  development  since  1889  has 
been  among  the  Decorative  Roses, 
especially  the  Rambler  and  pillar 
sorts,  whose  charms  are  many  and 
well  appreciated.  The  Wichuriana 
Rose  has  furnished  a  train  of  forms, 
and  the  numerous  crosses  with  this 
and  R.  rugosa  are  not  without 
interest.  The  possibilities  of  this 
creeping  Rose,  when  bred  with  the 
Rambler,  too,  has  lately  been  shown 
to  advantage  in  the  variety  Dorothy 
Perkins,  and,  as  represented  by  an 
American  novelty,  staged  by  Mr. 
Dona,ld,  of  Boston,  at  this  present 
meeting.  And  no  finer  cross  has  been 
made  than  the  somewhat  tender  Rosa 
laevigata  bred  with  the  China  Rose. 
R.  indica.  In  1889  Rosa  laevigata  was  almost  a  total  stranger 
in  our  collections,  and  it  is  not  at  all  common  now. 
The  Very  Rev.  the 
President  of  tlie 
The  first  day  of  the  exhibition  brought  as  perfect  June 
weather  as  the  most  exacting  could  well  have  desired.  Perhaps 
the  sun’s  heat  was  a  trifle  too  .strong,  but  the  cool  green  grass 
and  sylvan  surroundings  gave  a  measure  of  relief  under  the 
Circumstances.  Inside  the  huge  tents  there  was  ample  space  for 
everybody,  and  exhibitors  widely  took  advantage  of  it  in  arrang- 
ing  their  groups.  Never  before  have  we  seen  better  arranged 
groups  than  those  in  the  largest  tent  of  all,  where  the  renowned 
plant-growing  firms  had  their  contributions.  Set  as  they  were 
on  the  smooth  grass,  their  choice.st  .subjects  were  seen  all  under 
the  eye,  and  to  the  very  best  advantage.  Orchids  were  less 
numerous  than  at  the  Temple  Show  in  May,  but  all  the  great 
houses  had  representative  collections.  Messrs.  Hill  and  Son 
arranged  choice  exotic  Ferns,  and  out  of  doors  there  ivere 
selections  of  shrubs  and  cut  bushes. 
Messrs.  Sutton’s  Gloxinias,  under  their  glass  case  and  awning, 
was  quite  a  novel  and  interesting  feature.  Roses,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  Avere  exceedingly  poor,  and  two  sides  of  a 
table  in  one  long  tent  held  the  whole  of  the  entries.  Hardy 
flowers,  Aquilegias,  Begonias,  and  Sweet  Peas  were  among  the 
other  features  most  numeromsly  shown.  Though  there  were  a 
large  number  of  awards  by  the  committees,  yet  nothing  of  out¬ 
standing  merit  was  seen.  Perhaps  where  everything  was  of 
such  great  excellence  it  is  unfair  to  expect  any  one  subject  of 
surpassing  quality.  The  efforts  of  the  Council  were,  how’ever, 
happily  croAvned  Avith  unqualified  success  so  far  as  the  exhibition 
and  the  conference  Avas  concerned,  though  at  the  moment  Avhen 
these  lines  were  AA'ritten  the  attendance  of  Ausitors  appeared 
indeed  meagre.  The  band  of  the  “  Blues  ”  Avas  in  attendance, 
but,  OAving  to  the  bad  news,  it  did  not  play. 
At  1.30  p.m.  on  Tuesday  the  Council  entertained  the  judges, 
committees,  and  friends  to  luncheon,  Avhen  J .  Gurney 
FoAvler,  Esq.,  the  treasurer,  pre, sided,  in  the  ab.sence  of  Sir 
Trevor  LaAvrence,  Avho  had  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  with 
the  Earl  of  Ilchester.  The  Earl’s  beautiful  garden  and  grounds 
Avere  open  to  inspection  by  the  visitors  on  payment  each  of  one 
shilling.  The  money  thus,  taken  is  to  augment  the  funds  of 
the  tAA'o  gardening  charities — the  Gardeners’  Royal  BeneAmlent 
Institution  and  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  respectiA'ely. 
We  Avere  Avell  satisfied  to  learn  that  ,so  much  as  £10  Avas  taken 
during  the  luncheon  hour  alone,  and  a  goodly  .sum  might  thus 
be  expected  for  the  tAvo  da.ys.  OAving  to  Coronation  Day 
arrangements,  the  greater  part  of  our  report  must  be  held  over 
till  next  AV’eek. 
At  the  afternoon  conference,  the  painful  intelligence  in  re¬ 
gard  to  King  Edward’s  health  AA^as  broached  in  the  sympathetic 
reference,  and  the  folloAA’ing  message  AA'as  despatched  to  Queen 
Alexandra  from  the  Society ;  —  p  i  t*  i 
“  That  this  meeting  of  Rosarians  and  FelloAvs  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  Ai'ish  to 
express  their  heartfelt  sympathy 
to  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  and  the 
members  of  the  Royal  Family  in  the 
illness  of  His  Majesty  the  King,  and 
their  greatest  desire  for  his  speedy 
recoA^erj^.” 
The  Dean  of  Rochester  added  a 
feAV  Avords  after  Sir  TreA^or  LaAvrence 
had  read  the  above  message. 
Medals. 
Gold  to  Mes.srs.  Sander  and  Sons 
for  Orchids,  neAV  and  rare  plants ; 
Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  for  green¬ 
house  plants,  Bamboo.s,  and  Aquile¬ 
gias;  Mr.  Jas.  Cypher,  for  decorative 
plants;  Messrs.  B.  R.  Davis  and  Sons, 
for  Begonias ;  Messrs.  T.  RiA’ers  and 
Son,  for  fruit  trees  in  pots;  Me.s.srs. 
Wallace  and  Co.,  for  Lilies,  Pseonies, 
Calochorti,  and  Irises;  Messrs.  Cut- 
bush  and  Son,  for  floAvering  plants  and 
clipped  trees;  Martin  R.  Smith,  Esq., 
for  Carnations 
SiLA^ER  Cups  to  Messrs  Cannell  and 
'  Sons,  for  Cannas  and  Aquilegias ; 
Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons,  for  hardy 
floAvers  and  pigmy  trees ;  Mes.srs. 
Carter  and  Co.,  for  Gloxinias  and 
vegetables;  Me.s.srs.  Fi.sher,  Son,  and 
Sibray,  for  stove  and  greenhouse 
plants;  Me.ssrs.  J.  Hill  and  Son,  for 
Ferns;.  Messrs.  G.  Bunyard  and  Co.„ 
for  pot  fruit  trees  and  cut  floAvers; 
Messrs.  CharlesAvorth  and  Co.,  for 
Orchids;  Messrs.  J.  Cheal  and  Sons, 
for  floAvering  shrubs;  Messrs.  Amos  Perry,  for  hardy  flow'ers 
and  aquatics;  Me.s.srs.  J.  Waterer  and  Sons,  for  Rhododen¬ 
drons  and  Kalmias ;  Sir  F.  Wigan,  Bart.,  for  Orchids; 
Mes.srs.  Blackmore  and  Langdon,  for  Begonias ;  Mes.srs.  Dobbie 
and  Co.,  for  Pansies  and  Aquilegias;  Me.ssrs.  Cripps  and  Sons,  for 
Japanese  Maples. 
Sila^er-Gilt  Flora  to  Messrs.  J.  Laing  and  Son,  for  miscel¬ 
laneous  plants  and  .slirubs ;  Mr.  H.  B.  May,  for  Ferns  and 
floAA'ering  plants;  Mr.  John  Russell,  for  hardy  trees  and  shrubs; 
Messrs.  H.  Loav  and  Co.,  for  Orchids  and  miscellaneous  plants; 
Mes.srs.  W.  FromoAV  and  Son,  for  Japanese  Maples  and  Lilium ; 
Mr.  M.  Prichard,  for  hardy  flowers  ;  Mr.  J.  Colman,  for  Orchids 
and  stoA'e  plants;  Messrs.  J.  Cowan  and  Co.,  for  Orchids; 
Messrs.  Stanley,  Ashton,  and  Co.,  for  Orchids ;  Me.s.srs.  Sutton 
and  Sons,  for  Gloxinias. 
Sila’er-Gilt  Knightian  to  Mr.  S.  Mortimer,  Farnham,  for 
Tomatoes,  Melons,  and  Cucumbers. 
Silver  Flora  to  Messrs.  J.  Peed  and  Sons,  for  Gloxinias  and 
Begonias ;  Messrs.  KelAvny  and  Sons,  for  Pseonies  and  Delphi¬ 
niums ;  Messrs.  Jones  and  Son,  for  Irises  and  Sweet  Peas; 
Messrs.  G.  Jackman  and  Son,  for  herbaceous  and  Alpine  plants; 
MeSiSrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited,  for  herbaceous  and  Alpine  plants; 
Mr.  Reamsbottom,  for  Anemones;  Messrs.  B.  S.  Williams,  for 
hardy  floAA'ers. 
SiLA’ER  Banksian  to  Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  for  cut  floAvers ; 
Mr.  H.  J.  Jones,  for  Begonias,  Pelargoniums,  i%c. ;  Mr.  R.  C. 
Notcutt,  for  Arctotis  grandis;  Mr.  A.  W.  Wade,  for  hardy 
Dean  of  Rochester, 
Rose  Conference. 
