DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20282, 15 December 1927, Page 2

DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB.

ADDRESS BY MR D. TANNOCK. The members of the Dunedin Garden ing Club listened to a very interesting and instructive address by Mr D. Tannock or. “ Roses ” on Tuesday evening at the Y.M.O.A. Mr Tannock dealt with his subject in all its branches—classification, perfume, suitability for house decoration, for gardening display, and show purposes. Roses had been cultivated for centuries, he said. At one time roses were grown chiefly for their perfume, and the “progenitors ” of the nresent lovely creation were very common flowers. The evolution of roses into their present numerous and attractive varieties was due to their cultivation by nurserymen. The China, or tea-scented rose, was of a delicate constitution, but had a delightful perfume. Practically all new roses sent out were now tea roses, and it was necessary for their growers to produce many of the species in order to obtain a select number of firstclass bushes. Ireland exported most of the tea roses, and in the South Island they did better than in their native country. The Persian rose crossed by hybrid perpetual produced pernetianas, of which the Lion Rose, yueen Alexandra, and Golden Emblem were the best known, and fortunately in the crossing all these roses retained the perfume of their forbears. Many of the decorative roses wore ‘‘ by-products,’’ in cultivating double roses. Some of Mr A. Clark’s (Melbourne) roses, produced in this way, which had been planted in Dunedin, had, grown better than in A ustralia. Single polyanthus, dwarf polyanthus, pillar and climbing roses, and sweet briars were all eminently suitable varieties for hedges, and wicliuraianas for pergolas. The distinctive rose perfumes could be classified into musk, damask, and tea-scented. Some perfumes were given off from roses, and others must bo sought after. Musk was the perfume of the true English’ rose. Damask was peculiar to the roses "Town .n Bulgaria, from which attar of roses was obtained, and the tea scent belonged to the China rose. There were other varieties of roses that exuded perfumes similar to those of fruits, as the pineapple and the apricot. Scotch roses, said Mr Tannock, made very good hedges, as they flowered during the greater part of the vear. Roses for garden decoration should not be pruned as much as those intended for show purposes. At the conclusion of his remarks Mr Tannock was accorded a vote of thanks for his comprehensive address. The following is a list of members who had exhibits on view:—Mr W. Holmes (roses and stocks), Mrs Orr Campbell (pansies), Mr P. Nelson (violas, nansies, pyrethiums, and poppies), Mrs Doodeward (pansies and cactus). Mis R. S. Anderson (Oriental poppies). Mr R. Nichoi (roses), Mr Seidlin (roses), Mr L. Fraser (pansies), Mrs J. Rhodes (roses), Mrs Hunter (roses), Mrs Crow (roses), Mr T. W. Dove (roses), Mrs Orr*Campbell (basket of roses). The Oamaru Botanic Gardens displayed a basket of roses, which were much admired, and Mr Tannock had a table of special roses, which he used for demonstration purposes during his lecture).