516 
December  5,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Roses  in  Winter. 
There  was  a  time  when  this  was  a  more  anxious  subject  than 
it  is  at  present,  it  was  the  time  when  standards  formed  the  great 
bulk  of  Roses  grown  in  amateurs’  gardens,  and  we  can  all  re¬ 
member  how  difficult  it  was  to  protect  them.  The  place  where 
the  bud  was  inserted  was  from  3ft  to  4ft  above  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  and  consequently  much  exposed  to  the  action  of 
frost.  Protection  was  afforded  by  fronds  of  Bracken,  or  Spruce 
Fir,  or  something  of  that  kind  being  tied  round  where  the  young 
shoot  was  beginning  to  grow.  This  protection  was  liable  to  be 
blown  about,  and  I  have  known  many  instances  where  it  carried 
the  young  shoot  with  it.  Of  course,  when  this  was  the  case 
the  plant  was  useless,  and  many  a  groan  and  sigh  was  elicited 
by  the  grower  after  severe  frost  when  he  beheld  the  miserable 
condition  of  his  plants. 
I  remember  seeing,  for  instance,  in  the  garden  of  Mons. 
Margottin,  of  Bourg-la-Reine,  near  Paris,  a  most  beautiful  even 
quarter  of  30,000  plants  about  3ft  high,  and  as  even  as  if  they 
had  been  cast  in  a  mould.  I  congratulated  him  on  their  appear¬ 
ance,  but  I  had  a  most  pathetic  letter  from  him  the  following 
spring,  saying  that  the  winter  had  been  a  most  severe  one,  and 
that  he  had  lost  every  plant.  Such  experiences  as  these,  and  the 
introduction  of  the  Manetti  as  a  stock,  led  growers  to  consider 
whether 
Dwarf  Roses 
were  not  to  be  the  rule  for  the  future.  Following  on  this,  the  intro¬ 
duction  of  the  seedling  Briar  by  Mr.  George  Prince  of  Oxford, 
and  the  Briar  cutting  of  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant  and  Sons,  Colchester, 
a  revolution  was  completely  made,  and  all  over  the  country 
quantities  of  dwarf  Roses  were  cultivated.  In  the  directions 
given  for  budding  these,  it  was  always  insisted  that  they  should 
be  budded  as  low  as  possible;  in  fact,  it  was  considered  better 
to  clear  away  a  little  of  the  soil  before  budding,  and  afterwards 
to  replace  it  when  the  bud  began  to  grow.  There  was  one  dis¬ 
advantage  in  this,  it  was  rather  trying  to  those  whose  increas¬ 
ing  years  made  the  necessary  kneeling  position  very  trying  to 
them ;  but  I  recall  to  mind  one  very  enthusiastic  rosarian  who 
had  passed  his  fourscore  years  telling  me  with  great  glee  that 
he  had  just  finished  budding  400  plants.  It  therefore  became 
much  more  easy  to  protect  these  dwarf  bushes,  especially  when 
it  is  recollected  that  the  grower  is  perfectly  indifferent  as  to 
what  becomes  of  the  upper  growth,  which  will  nearly  all  come 
away  at  pruning  time,  and  his  only  care  is  to  protect  the  lower 
part  of  the  stems,  where  the  budding  has  taken  place. 
Protection. 
I  think  it  is  a  very  good  plan  at  this  time  of  the  year  (as 
Mr.  R.  E.  West  has  pointed  out)  to  prune  out  the  weak  and 
useless  shoots,  as  it  is  much  easier  to  get  at  the  plants  when 
this  has  been  done.  This  being  done,  the  question  comes,  What 
is  the  best  material  for  protecting?  I  do  not  think  that  manure 
is  the  best,  as  it  is  so  wet  it  is  apt  to  retain  a  good  deal  of 
frost.  First,  then,  let  the  soil  for  the  surface  of  the  bed  be 
drawn  up  round  the  base  of  the  shoot,  so  as  to  cover  them  to 
the  depth  of  3in  or  4in ;  over  this  may  be  placed  the  mulching 
that  most  Rose  growers  think  it  necessary  to  apply  at  this 
season  of  the  year.  This  may  be  put  on  to  the  depth  of  5in 
or  6in,  or  even  more,  and  the  fertilising  salts  which  it  contains 
will  be  washed  down  to  the  roots,  that  are  continually  active 
during  the  winter,  and  therefore  after  even  a  very  severe  winter, 
most  of  the  plants  will  come  out  without  their  roots  being 
injured. 
These  observations  refer  to  the  dwarf  Roses  in  beds,  but 
there  are  other  Roses  which  have  also  to  be  considered.  The 
Penzance  Briars  and  single  Roses  generally  do  not  suffer  in 
severe  winters ;  but  there  are  some  Tea-scented  Roses  and  others 
which  occupy  favourable  positions  on  walls  which  will  have  to 
be  looked  to.  Frigi  domo,  bass  mats,  or  any  other  suitable 
material  may  be  used  for  covering  these,  but  it  should  be  done 
carefully,  so  that  the  covering  may  be  easily  removed  when  the 
weather  is  milder.  In  the  more  northerly  parts  of  the  kingdom 
growers  will  not  attempt  to  grow  Tea  Roses  out  of  doors,  even 
on  walls.  [Thousands  of  Teas  and  Noisettes  are  grown  out  of 
doors  in  Scotland. — Ed.]  But  here  in  the  south  the  case  is 
different.  For  instance,  on  a  wall  of  my  house  I  have,  among 
other  plants,  one  of  Reve  d’Or,  which  covers  a  large  portion  of 
the  east  face  of  the  house,  and  some  years  ago  it  was  a  perfect 
sight  with  3,000  expanded  blooms.  I  did  not  protect  it,  as  it 
had  suffered  a  good  many  years,  but  one  very  hard  winter  in 
the  seventies  I  thought  it  was  completely  killed,  and  was  pre¬ 
paring  to  take  it  away  when  I  saw  some  signs  of  life,  so  left  it,, 
and  now  it  occupies  a  good  portion  of  its  former  position. 
Those  of  the  Dijon  race,  such  as  the  old  Gloire  de  Dijon, 
Madame  Berard,  and  Madame  Trifle,  seem  to  be  tolerably  hardy, 
and  do  well  without  any  protection.  The  same  may  be  said  of' 
the  Hybrid  Tea  Longworth  Rambler,  which  I  have  had  for 
many  years,  and  which  does  not  seem  to  suffer  in  the  least 
degree  from  frost,  and  gives  me  a  quantity  of  bright  red  flowers.. 
I  should  be  very  glad  if  I  could  get  Cloth  of  Gold  to  succeed 
with  me,  but  although  I  saw  a  splendid  tree  of  it  many  years- 
ago  in  my  parish,  it  did  not  succeed  with  myself.  I  have  said 
nothing  about  Marechal  Niel;  no,  but  not  on  account  of  its- 
tenderness,  rather  because  its  flowers  hang  so  much  that  nothing 
is  seen  of  it  on  the  tree  but  the  outside  discoloured  petals.  It 
is  an  indoor  Rose,  and  its  proper  place  is  the  top  of  a  green¬ 
house,  from  whence  it  can  hang  its  golden  goblets.  People- 
who  write  about  the  weather  seem  to  predict  a  severe  winter* 
for  us,  but  as  yet  we  have,  in  the  beginning  of  December,  had 
none  of  it. — D.,  Deal. 
Literature, 
Formal  Gardens  in  England  and  Scotland.  * 
This  is  a  work  of  which  the  prospectus  and  specimen  plates 
of  Part  I.  have  been  sent  to  us  by  the  publisher,  Mr.  B.  T. 
Batsford,  94,  High  Holborn,  W.C.  The  author  of  the  work, 
now  in  course  of  being  published,  is  Mr.  H.  Inigo  Triggs, 
A.R.I.B.A.,  joint  author  of  “Some  Architectural  Works  of 
Inigo  Jones.”  We  know  that  the  greatest  care  has  been  ex¬ 
pended  by  the  author  and  his  assistants  in  securing  correct  and 
useful  plans  of  various  famous  gardens,  such  as  those  of  Longford 
Castle,  Penshurst,  Balskie  (Fifeshire),  Monacute,  St.  Catherine’s 
Court,  Canon’s  Abbey,  and  other  manors.  In  his  preface  he 
recognises  the  great  output  of  popular  books  on  gardens  and 
gardening ;  but  there  has  been  no  comprehensive  book  illus¬ 
trating  the  planning  and  arrangement,  together  with  the  archi¬ 
tectural  and  ornamental  features  of  old  gardens  in  both  a  prac¬ 
tical  and  interesting  manner.  The  author  further  adds  that 
“  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  revival  of  this  form  of  garden  (the 
formal  or  architectural),  which  has  made  much  progress,  will  be  the 
means  of  imparting  to  the  country  house  of  the  future  some  of 
the  quaint  charm  which  surrounds  the  Elizabethan  and  Jacobean 
houses,  or  of  that  quiet  dignity  which  characterises  the  more 
stately  buildings  of  the  Queen  Anne  and  Georgian  eras.”  To 
assist  in  the  revival  which  he  speaks  of  (which  “  revival  ”  is  news 
to  us),  the  forthcoming  work  has  been  undertaken.  He  has 
included  none  but  first-class  examples,  in  order  to  make  his  work 
a  lasting  record  of  such  subjects  as  are  most  worthy  of  illus¬ 
tration.  The  plates  have,  with  few  exceptions,  been  prepared 
by  him  from  his  own  sketches,  drawings,  and  measurements,  and 
scales  are  given  to  the  plans  and  details.  Part  I.  will  be  issued 
on  December  15,  the  price  (to  subscribers  only)  being  21s.  _  The 
first  part  contains  forty  plates,  each  17£in  by  13)in,  and  printed 
in  grey,  brown,  or  green  tint,  as  is  best  suited  to  the  subject. 
These  printed  plates,  to  judge  from  the.  specimen  sent,  are  very 
beautiful,  and  taken  by  themselves  will  form  interesting  and 
useful  pictures.  The  plan  drawings,  too,  are  very  useful  in- 
affording  guides  to  intending  designers,  and  in  every  respect 
they  are  carefully  and  clearly  executed.  The  publisher  will  be- 
obliged  if  subscribers  will  send  him  their  names  at  an  early  date, 
and  will  kindly  mention  the  work  to  friends,  to  whom  he  will 
gladly  send  a  prospectus.  Three  parts  will  be  issued,  namely  in 
December,  March,  and  June,  after  which  the  price  of  the  work 
will  be  raised.  Descriptive  matter  is  given  with  each  part. 
Lilies  for  English  Gardens.! 
It  may  strike  some  as  being  in  a  way  remarkable  that  one 
genus  of  plants  alone  should  provide  enough  of  characteristics, 
and  have  points  of  interest  sufficient  to  _  furnish  matter  upon 
which  a  moderate-sized  book  can  be  written.  Yet  when  we 
mention  Lilies,  and  see  in  front  of  us  a  book  of  seventy-two  pages, 
5^in  by  9in,  many  of  which  are  devoted  to  page  illustrations,  the- 
question  arises  whether  all  has  been  written  and  said _ about  these- 
beautiful  flowers  that  might  be.  But. then  the  work  is  merely  an 
amateur’s  handbook,  and  several  Lilies  known  to  exist  are  not 
named  in  it,  which  we  consider  is  unfortunate,  as  that  with  very* 
little  more  expense  in  any  direction  would  have  provided  an 
all-round  work  of  reference.  Still,  we  may  expect  new  editions. 
Much  of  the  information  is  compiled  from  writings  published 
lately  in  “  The  Garden,”  though  the  authoress  contributed  some 
original  chapters.  In  her  introduction,  Miss  Jekyll  acknow- 
*  Formal  Gardens  in  England  and  Scotland.  By  H.  Inigo 
Triggs.  A.R.I.B.  A.  Published  by  B.  T.  Batsford,  94,  High  Holborn, 
LOijdm}ies  ^  Engligh  Gardens.  By  Gertrude  Jekyll.  Published  by 
George  Newnes,  Ltd.  Price  8s.  6d.  net . *  ..  - 
