Amateur Gardener.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 55, 11 April 1914, Page 5

Amateur Gardener.

(By AOTEA.) ABOUT ROSES. Some see nothing particular in the chrysanthemum—more than a useful autumn flower that is very liable to be destroyed by frost —and who consider it too large and coarse as grown for exhibition. The Dahlia has many admirers, though it has rather an unpleasant odour, and its stiffness of form as a cut flower, detracts from its usefulness in these days when cut flowers for house use is so much in vogue. The ipopular sweet pea, now at its zenith, Aas the disadvantage of being an annual that requires considerable attention to get the best results from. But with the rose, it is doubtful if a dissentient voice would be raised, when it is proclaimed the Queen of the Garden.

The immense number, of new roses that are being introduced yearly, makes it a very difficult matter to choose those that are of most use for the garden. A few years ago we were more easily pleased, if a rose gave us a fair amount of flowers in the summer, we were content if we got only a few more in the autumn, but with the advent of the Hybrid Tea this has been quite changed, and we now want roses that will bloom continuously from early summer to late autumn. Many Good Sorts. I was going to say all the year round, and it would not be far wrong, either. In a sheltered garden where there is loom for the various types of roses, there are not many days in the year in this favoured climate that a rose could not be picked. The old plan of setting the rose apart in ,a garden of its own, is not generally practised now. The older varieties of roses were usually flowerless for too long a period to be considered decorative enough for the ilower garden proper, but we have now so many sorts that make handsome freeHowering plants, that there is now no excuse for their banishment.

There are many ways to use the rose, but probably the" best effect is obtained from beds or clumps of one variety. But which ever -way they are to be planted, no time should be lost in preparing the ground for their reception. The literature about rose growing is

almost without end, and one statement runs through the whole, viz., that the rose is a gross feeder and must have an unlimited supply of the richest farmyard manure, procurable or not. There is an old saying that "what everybody says must be true." But "I have my doubts." Good rich soil, not too light, that is fairly retentive of moisture, is certainly a necessity, and where roses are to be planted in a permanent position, as for training over pergolas or for covering a wall or fence, good preparation and enrichment of the soil is essential. It is also essential that the rich root-run given should not be robbed by trees or hedges, as they appreciate good feeding ground too. For this purpose if the subsoil is free and suitable the ground should be worked deeply, giving a good dressing of manure that is not too much rotted, with the addition of bone-dust at the rate of eight ounces to the square yard. The Proper Way to Plant Roses. Where dwarf or bush roses are to be planted, the ground should be dug.two spades deep, incorporating the manure well with the bottom spit. It should then be left sufficiently long to settle before planting the roses. If the roses are to be planted in the borders, a site sufficiently large should be dug and manured as recommended. A very effective way to plant is in threes of one variety placed in triangular form. Moderate growers should not be more than one foot apart, while vigorous ones may have 15 to 18 inches of space between them. If from any cause it is not possible to plant when the roses are ready for removal, do not let that delay procuring the plants, as if they are carefully heeled in they will be at hand when wanted. In choosing rose plants see that the length of stock between the union and the roots does not exceed 3in. If it is longer than that the roots, when plant- j ing, will need to be buried too deeply, as it is necessary that the union of the stock and scion should be lin- below j the surface, thus placing the roots 4in deep, which is quite deep enough. A long stem makes them more readily twisted and shaken by the wind. The plants are usually shortened back sufficiently for the time before sending out from the nursery, so that no further cutting back will be necessary until the general pruning-time. Planting should be » done when the! weather is dry and the ground free and workable. Keep the plants covered with ! a damp sack or cloth while waiting for j their turn. Take outt a hole sufficiently large to allow for spreading the

roots out; any that are unduly long may be shortened, and all bruised portions of roots should be cut off with a sharp knife. Keep the middle of the hole a little the highest, so that the roots tend slightly downwards. Do not put any manure in contact with either roots or stem, but fill in with the best and most fibrous loam. A little bonedust helps largely toward the formation of the finer rootlets. As the soil is filled in work it well amongst the roots, lifting the upper ones so that they occupy the soil in very much the same position as they did before taking up. Tread firm, commencing at the outside, and finishing at the stem; this will prevent the plant being forced down lower than it was placed at first. When the planting is finished leave the ground level and loose on the surface. <gfhere dwarf roses have been planted three or four years, it is a good plan to lift and replant; it is not necessary to change the site if the ground is worked up deeply, burying some of the exhausted top soil and working in some manure and bonedust, or, best of all, some good turfy loam that has been stacked just sufficiently long so as to kill the grass roots. If the ground is made firm as the work proceeds, the rose plants may be replanted at once, after cutting out all crossed branches, weak or immature growth, and partially shortening back the remaining shoots, which will be finally pruned later.; THE BEST ROSES. It is no easy matter to name a selection of roses that would give universal satisfaction, so I do not intend to try, but there are a number of roses that have some characteristic that makes them essential to a collection if roses are grown at all, such as the Lyon rose. So far as bloom is concerned, it is much the best of the Pernettianas, though it unfortunately has a bad habit of dying back, and is much addicted to black spot. Then Rayon d'Or is unequalled for colour amongst yellow roses, and belongs to the same class, but with better and healthier foliage. Betty, which, caught just right, is unique in form and colouring. Frau Karl Druschki is yet oixr best white rose. This variety does well on its own roots, gives fine flowers, and is not quite so rampant as when worked on either the briar or manetti. It grows from cuttings freely. Incidentally now is a good time to put in rose cuttings. Victor Hugo for its colour and fragrance can hardly be left out. Of the Irish singles, elegance is indispensible—it , will make a handsome bush 6ft high and as

much through, giving an abundance of flowers over a long season. There is nothing more beautiful as a cut flower, and the blooms last well if cut in the bud state. Fortunes Yellow, called also Beauty of Glazenwood, in a warm corner will vie with Bardon Job as to which will have the honour of leading the rose season. Marie van Houtte's pale yellow, rose-tinted blooms has "auld acquaintance" memories, too, to make its election sure. Then how can wo do without Hugh Dickson, as yet our best crimson rose? If George Dickson proves a better garden plant, it w T ill be good indeed. Madame Ravary and Joseph Hill have shades of apricot, orange, and salmon that are always pleasing. Caroline Testout is our most constant rosepink. Mme. Abel Chatenay, of exquisite form and tints of cream and salmon-pink. La France, though old, is still the best silvery : pink, and has a charm of fragrance quite its own. Prince of Bulgaria, with its chameleonlike changing tints, from pale blush to orange-salmon in the autumn. Vanity is the perfection of roses for personal wear —buff yellow, tinged white. Then for pergola, wall or climbing a tree, what can excel Alister Stella Gray with its? pale yellow flowers, arid its continuous blooming habit? Of the newer roses, climbing Liberty is well worth having, the blooms are larger than the type, but with the same elegant form and colour. Mme. Segoud Webber, salmon-pink, is good for garden or show. Carine promises well. The colour is hard to describe, as there are so many tints of salmon, fawn, and orange. The blooms are well displayed, and the growth good. Florence H. Veiteh is of vigorous habit, the blooms are not full, but the shape is good, and the colour a brilliant scarlet. Melody is as pleasing as its name suggests, and will become very popular. The flowers are carried wgll, of exquisite shape, and of a clear saffron yellow tinted white. Mrs E. Powell is a gtfod doer with velvety-crimson flowers. Mme. Chas. Lutaud has also promised well, the flowers being of good form—-chrom'e-yellow and bright rose-scarlet. Louise Catherine Breslau belongs to the pernettiana class. The foliage is good, while the flowers are large and full, of a shrimp-pink colour, shaded with orange and yellow. Mme. Edmond Rostand is of vigorous growth, the flowers being of good form and the colour a flesh-salmon with a reddishorange centre. Perhaps my experience of George Dickson has been unfortunate, but the plant has not done well, and has been rather badly affected