54 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  18,  1901. 
Rose  Hedges. 
Why  should  the  majority  of  hedges  planted  in  gardens  be  formed 
of  Holly,  Box,  Yew,  or  Privet  ?  They  are,  of  course,  valuable  in 
some  cases  where  they  form  a  thick  set  boundary,  but  when  only  a 
screen  is  necessary  to  divide  one  part  of  the  garden  from  another,  by 
all  means  let  us  have  something  as  attractive  as  possible,  something 
which  will  gladden  the  eye  with  beauty  in  summertime,  and  laden 
the  air  with  sweet  perfume.  Then  let  us  have  hedges  formed  of 
Roses.  Happy,  indeed,  was  the  thought  which  prompted  the  planting 
of  the  first  Rose  hedge,  for  the  idea  has  “caught  on,”  and  many 
hedges  will  in  the  future  be  “things  of  beauty”  indeed.  Before 
planting  it  is  necessary,  in  all  instances,  that  a  good  foundation  be 
laid  by  thoroughly  preparing  the  soil.  Mark  off  a  space  3  or  4  feet 
in  width,  trench  the  land  deeply,  add  plenty  of  manure,  and  plant 
during  autumn  or  winter.  In  pressing  cases  the  planting  may  be 
done  in  summer  if  the  plants  are  obtained  in  pots,  and  copious  supplies 
of  water  can  be  given. 
It  is  now  necessary  to  consider  the  various  forms  of  hedges,  and 
the  varieties  of  Roses  suitable  for  each.  For  a  tall  hedge,  from  5  to 
8  feet  in  height,  some  kind  of  support  for  the  plants  will  he  necessary. 
A  simple  method  of  erecting  a  support  is  to  drive  deeply  into  the 
ground  stout  poles,  at  distances  of  about  9  feet  apart.  These  should 
be  connected  with  four  or  five  rows  of  strong  galvanised  wire,  strained 
very  tightly.  If  every  alternate  pole  is  allowed  to  rise  3  or  4  feet 
above  the  top  wire,  the  Roses,  when  trained  to  them,  will  break  up 
the  outline,  and  form  a  series  of  miniature  pillars  above  the  hedge. 
Galvanised  iron  uprights  may  bn  substituted  for  the  wooden  poles. 
The  Roses  should  be  planted  4  feet  apart,  be  pruned  hard  the  first 
spring  after  planting,  and  afterwards  be  allowed  to  ramble  freely.  As 
growth  advances,  tie  the  shoots  to  the  wires  and  pillars  until  they 
have  covered  their  allotted  space,  then  allow  them  to  hang  somewhat 
loosely.  The  only  after  pruning  necessary  will  be  to  cut  out  dead 
and  very  old  wood,  so  as  to  allow  room  for  young  shoots  to  develop, 
and  also  to  remove  the  points  of  those  shoots  which  overhang  walks 
too  much.  Do  not  forget  to  give  such  a  hedge  its  annual  dressing  of 
rich  manure,  for  the  “  Queen  of  Summer,”  even  when  growing  in  a 
hedge,  still  needs  liberal  fare. 
Good  varieties  for  planting  in  the  way  above  indicated  are — 
Aglaia,  yellow  rambler  ;  Crimson  Rambler,  Thalia,  white  rambler  ; 
Euphrosyne,  pink  rambler;  Paul’s  Carmine  Pillar,  Reine  Olga  de 
Wurtemburg,  bright  red  ;  LoDgworth  Rambler,  bright  crim-on  ; 
Ayrshire  Ruga,  pale  flesh  ;  Polyantha  Simplex,  white;  Gracilis,  bright 
pink;  Alpina,  bright  rose;  and  Dundee  Rambler.  Truly  a  hedge 
formed  of  a  few,  or  all  of  the  above  Roses,  would  in  its  season  give  a 
picturesque  display  such  as  one  might  look  for  in  vain  at  any  show. 
There  are  some,  however,  who  for  various  positions  prefer  hedges  of 
moderate  height,  from  3  to  5  feet,  which  need  no  supports.  There  are 
several  species  and  varieties  of  Roses  splendidly  adapted  for  such 
purposes.  Tne  yellow  and  copper  Austrian  Briers,  if  planted  together, 
lorm  a  thick  and  beautiful  boundary  for  a  Rose  or  terrace  garden. 
Plant  them  in  a  double  row  in  zigzag  fashion.  Rosa  rugosa  alba, 
R.  rugosa  Blanc  Double  de  Coubert,  semi-double  white;  and  R.  rugosa 
rubra,  are  also  suitable  for  the  same  purpose.  Any  of  the  Hybrid 
Sweet  Briers  will  form  good  hedges  too.  Some  of  the  best  varieties 
are  Amy  Robsart,  deep  rose  ;  Flora  Mclvor,  white;  Lady  Penzance, 
copper  yellow ;  and  Jeannie  Deans,  scarlet  crimson.  During  the 
autumn  months  their  bright  red  seed  pods  form  an  additional 
attraction,  aDd  they  are  most  valuable  tor  decorative  purposes  when 
cut.  Almost  everybody  knows  the  old  common  pink  and  crimson 
China  Roses;  they  also  are  useful  for  forming  stiff  upright  hedges. 
Fabvier,  crimson  scarlet;  and  Ducher,  white,  are  other  good  China 
Roses  useful  for  the  same  purpose.  The  pruning  necessary  for  hedges 
of  this  description  is  to  cut  out  dead  wood,  and  in  March  clip  lightly 
with  the  shears  to  keep  strong  shoots  from  spoiling  the  outline. 
Unsightly  fences  are  still  sometimes  met  with  in  gardens  both 
large  and  small  ;  no  one  should  tolerate  so  great  an  eyesore  in  such 
days  as  these,  when  Rose  trees  can  be  bought  so  cheaply.  If  the 
position  is  a  fairly  open  one,  and  not  greatly  overhung  by  trees,  by 
all  means  plant  Roses,  and  let  them  ramble  over  the  lence  ;  the  eye¬ 
sore  will  then  be  quickly  converted  into  a  beautiful  Rose  hedge.  All 
the  varieties  recommended  for  tall  hedges  will  answer  in  this  case. 
There  may  be,  among  the  many  who  scan  these  notes,  a  few 
whose  thoughts  go  back  to  the  days  of  old,  to  some  dear  old-fashioned 
garden  in  the  country,  around  which  cluster  memories  of  youth,  and 
those  memories  may  awaken  visions  of  the  lovely  old  striped  Damask 
Roses.  These,  too,  if  planted  a  couple  of  feet  apart,  will  fortn'a 
splendid  hedge,  which  may  be  kept  to  a  height  of  2  or  3  feet  by 
close  or  moderate  pruning.  To  those  who  belong  to  the  “days  of 
old,”  but  whom  we  still  delight  to  have  with  us,  I  say,  Plant  the 
old  striped  Rosa  Mundi,  or  Village  Maid,  and  the  York  and  Lancaster, 
red  and  white  striped,  side  by  side,  and  let  us  all  forget  the  strifes 
of  old  when  our  land  was  laid  desolate,  and  unite  in  doing  homage  to 
the  “Queen  of  Summer”  while  enjoying  the  beauties  with  which  6he 
surrounds  us. — H.  D. 
Superior  Climbing  Roses. 
The  most  effective  climbing  Roses  are  those  which  are  free  in 
growth,  clothing  pillars,  walls,  or  trellises,  or  whatever  they  are 
trained  upon,  with  strong  and  vigorous  stems,  luxuriant  foliage,  and 
carry  abundance  of  flowering  shoots.  In  the  ca6e  of  these  quantity  is 
before  quality,  a  climbing  Rose  not  being  expected  to  produce  flowers 
of  exhibition  merit.  In  a  sense,  however,  the  flowerB  have  a  special 
merit  of  their  own,  and  in  their  particular  way  they  are  better  adapted 
for  the  place  they  fill  than  the  most  correctly  built  and  formed  flowers 
could  be.  The  main  purpose  of  climbing  Roses  is  to  exhibit  a  loose, 
rambling,  informal  beauty  of  prolonged  duration  ;  to  create  an  effect 
not  only  with  the  flowers,  but  with  a  graceful  display  of  vigorous 
growths,  depending  sprays,  charming  buds,  as  well  as  half-opened  and 
fully  developed  flowers.  The  various  sections  of  Roses  differ  somewhat 
in  their  manner  of  growth  and  the  production  of  bldoms,  but  all  must 
have  the  capacity  of  producing  long  stems  from  which  lateral  shoots 
may  be  produced  bearing  the  blooms.  These  may  be  cut  out  occasion¬ 
ally  and  their  places  taken  by  others,  as  by  this  means  the  Roses  may 
be  kept  healthy  and  vigorous.  Frequently,  however,  the  exigencies  of 
the  position  on  which  the  Roses  are  trained  will  not  permit  of  this 
being  carried  out  to  the  base  of  the  plant.  This  can  then  be  altered 
to  the  base  of  the  position  on  which  the  tree  is  trained,  the  main  stem 
from  the  ground  where  the  tree  is  planted  being  thick,  woody,  and 
devoid  of  shcots  or  foliage. 
Amongst  the  earliest  to  flower,  and  continuing  some  time  in 
attractive  condition,  are  the  Polyantha  or  Multiflora  Roses.  Crimson 
Rambler,  with  its  fine  clusters  of  small,  red,  double  flowers,  which  are 
numerous  and  pleasing,  commands  considerable  popularity  among  the 
climbiDg  Roses  used  tor  the  decoration  of  many  modern  villas  ;  when 
well  established,  strong  growths  8  to  10  feet  long  are  sent  up  ;  the 
foliage  is  of  a  dark  green  glossy  character.  Carmine  Pillar  is  similar 
in  colour  to  the  last,  being  carmine  crimson,  but  the  flowers  are  single 
in  character  ;  it  is  of  robust  growth  ;  the  blooms  are  of  large  size, 
sweetly  scented,  and  abundantly  produced.  Climbing  White  Pet  is  a 
very  pretty  companion  and  contrast  to  Crimson  Rambler  ;  the 
clusters  are  numerous,  and  the  white  blooms,  which  are  very  pure  in 
colour,  have  short  and  numerous  petals,  the  whole  bloom  beiDg  very 
full  and  double.  Thalia  is  a  new  climbing  Rose  belonging  to  this 
section,  and  produces  bunches  of  creamy  white  flowers,  it  is  known 
as  the  White  Rambler.  Euphrosyne  has  carmine  buds  changing  to 
pure  rose,  this  is  termed  the  Pink  Rambler.  Aglaia  has  canary 
yellow  flowers  in  pyramidal  clusters,  and  is  known  as  the  Yellow 
Rambler.  Helene  and  Psyche  are  two  new  seedlings  from  Crimson 
Rambler.  The  former  grows  considerably  stronger  than  the  Crimson 
Rambler,  the  flowers  being  of  a  violet  colour  ;  Psyche  has  large,  pale, 
rosy  pick  blooms  in  clusters.  Electra  is  a  new  and  attractive 
Polyantha  variety,  with  pale,  yellow  flowers,  and  is  becoming  popular. 
The  Evergreen  Roses  are  valuable  climbers,  and  grow  rapidly.  The 
term  evergreen  is  applied  because  they  retain  their  foliage  throughout 
the  greater  part  of  the  winter ;  the  blooms  are  in  bunches.  Flora  is  a 
beautiful  variety,  blush  and  white,  the  blooms  being  very  freely 
produced.  Felicite  Perpetu6  has  blooms  of  creamy  white,  reverse  of 
petals  pink.  It  is  a  splendid  pillar  Rose,  the  immense  clusters  of 
blooms  being  exceedingly  attractive. 
The  Ayrshire  Roses  are  of  slender  trailing  habit  and  very  rapid 
growth.  Ruga,  pale  flesh,  and  Dundee  Rambler,  white  tinged  pink, 
are  two  of  the  best  varieties ;  both  are  large  and  double.  They  are 
specially  adapted  for  large  rough  poles,  stumps  of  trees,  and  old  walls. 
Among  the  hybrid  climbing  Roses  there  are  a  few  excellent  varieties. 
Madame  D’Arblay  is  one;  it  is  a  very  free  flowering,  small  cluster 
Rose,  having  white  blooms  ;  the  foliage  is  small,  growth  strong.  The 
Garland  has  small  white  and  lilac  blooms  in  very  large  clusters. 
Longworth  Rambler  is  a  superb  variety,  the  bright  crimson  blooms 
being  produced  in  clusters.  Noisette  Roses  comprise  some  of  the 
choicest,  and  these  invariably  command  a  good  position  on  a  south 
aspect  in  very  good  soil.  Alister  Stella  Gray  is  a  climbing  miniature 
flowered  variety.  The  blooms  are  similar  to  Crimson  Rambler,  but  in 
colour  yellow,  with  orange  centres  ;  they  are  produced  in  clusters  of 
medium  size.  Aim6e  Vibert  is  a  pure  white,  small  blooming  variety, 
also  in  clusters.  W.  A.  Richardson  is  beautiful  in  the  bud  ;  the  colour 
is  orange  yellow.  Reve  d’Or  is  a  deep  yellow  free  climber.  Mardchal 
Niel  ought  to  be  mentioned,  though  it  only  succeeds  well  outdoors  in 
favourable  situations. 
