LONG-LASTING ROSES

Evening Star, Issue 23497, 10 February 1940, Page 6

LONG-LASTING ROSES

Although it may not be true to say of a rose that it “ budded and bloomed and died in a day,” as ah old Highland woman once said that hers did, there are many varieties that are all too transient (says * Popular Gardening,’ London).

v A rose that reaches perfection at 3 a.m. (the hour when blooms are said to. develop most rapidly), only to be flat' by breakfast time, is just tantalising, and it may be as well to note the name of a few that have more staying power. Some of the very full roses, such as Dame Edith Helen, with her 95 petals, are obviously built to last, for they take a comparatively long time to unfold, but. that endurance does not depend ■ altogether on fullness is shown by Phyllis Gold. * This rose has only from 25 to 30 petals, yet it is listed as an exhibition variety, and that, in itself, testifies to its quality. The buds come slowly through the final stages, and it may be as much as three days between the quarter-blown and full-blown flower. A point of interest about this rose is that it is built on a triangular plan, the large petals seeming' to be arranged l in threes, and when viewed from above the individual outline 'is very noticeable. Hugh Dickson and Grenadier are examples of the very full rose which opens out quickly and then remains so, perfectly crisp, for several days. In both cases the centre of' the flower is formed of a great number of small and rather short petals which push back the guard petals. A GOOD TWO DOZEN. The following varieties are worth noting' for their lasting quality : White.—British Queen, Mrs. David M‘Kee, Caledonia. , Shades of Yellow.— Phyllis Gold, Julien Potin, Kidway, Mme Jos. Perraud, W. E. Wallace, and Georges: Chesnel. Shades of Pink.—Donna JSeave, Lady Barnby, Mrs Henry Bowles, jD&kstr. * * , Coppery Pink.—Rose ; Berkeley, Souvenir de Georges Per net. Copper.—Mrs Sam M'Gredy and Katherine Pcchtold. Cerise.—Lady Inchiqmn. Crimson.—George Dickson, Hugh Dickson, Grenadier, Earl Haig, J. G. Glassford, William Orr.