THE FESTIVE SEASON OF THE ROSE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 23, 6 December 1911, Page 39

THE FESTIVE SEASON OF THE ROSE.

THE DECORATIVE MORE POPULAR. (By “\V. M. Cochet.” in “The Australasian Journal.’’) I he rose to-day in my garden is as of old the sweetest Hower of all. 1 feel like spelling “my garden’’ with capita,’ letters, as if there were no other, for there is no other to me; the personal equation is so great to those that love their gardens that they almost become as blind as love to the beauty of other gardens, even though they belong to

prize winning competitors at Horticultural Shows. After having spent some time at the Rose Show of the N.R.'S. of Victoria,

held on the 25th of October in Melbourne, I was interested to mentally compare that date with the present time (the 4th of November) and 1 do so perhaps to help some of my very best friends who have not had a show. Mrs John Laing, one of the undoubted chain pions of a first twelve is considered no* body nowadays, because she happens tb be unable to attend at so early a date. It is a pleasure to be present with her because of the exquisite perfume which is soft ami evanescent, not of the manufactured sort. Then La France, the handmaid almost of Time itself in rose fame, stands unbeaten for all-round qualities of a first twelve. Yet we sr.e some inferior sister taking advantage ot her enforced absence and usurping her place at the fair. It seems a pity that chroniclers have to leave the best unrecorded simply because the date arranged for the show was unsuitable, or ic 'had to be held earlier because of a threatened attack of the terrible thrip. Are these varieties not just as good, whether they are present or not, be there thrip or no thrip? There are also others displaced whose names are honoured and still worthy to adorn every home with their .beauty. Another tendency and a happier one is the evolution of the decorative variety: most of the best old show roses, as well as the greater portion of the newer varieties, are teas and hybrid teas, and are. therefore, varieties that are always blooming and beautifying with greater eHect our lawns and Hower beds. Then the loose-petalled, the single-flowered, as well as the well formed varieties, are all vicing with each other to adorn the arch and pergola of our modern homes. I remember some few years ago, when the scene was not so gay, when our rose beds were simply wood and leaf the greater part of the year, and though 1 mourn for sonic old veteran hybrid perpetual who was then a peer or peeress, yet I glory in the prodigality of beautiful roses our suburban homes can enjoy throughout the spring, summer, and autumn time. I always think the home is the greatest objective of the garden, after all. My neighbours’ pleasure, and the district’s benefit next, ami last, if not least, tiie show stand, where even friends become envious and the weak-

nesses and intolerances of the ‘‘poor human” are wont to be displayed. All this is of course, to some extent unavoidable, as to stimulate interest, you must arouse a modicum of envy. Jealousy is the handmaiden of ambition, and no grower is a rosarian until he has envied his neighbour’s many trophies, become jealous enough to wish to possess them; and has, at last, gone in ami won a trophy for himself; this is, of course, judging from the re-

cords only, for many believe that a rosarian may be one who grows the rose for its own sake, and who lives his spare time probing into its secrets, and may not be one who always desires cups and trophies as a sort of recompense for his expressions of endearment. However, ‘'may he’s” cover a lot of suppositions, and though we know that there are men and men just as there are roses and roses even at the Rose Show of the N.R.S. of Victoria, vet there is no other

rose festival to equal it in the whole of the Southern Hemisphere, and has not been for many years. The originators of the Society should feel proud of the unique position this event now occupies. The Town Hall presented the appearance of a large rose garden, the only thing wanting to complete the charm being a few pergolas, such as are now becoming popular, and also a few imitation beds with lawns and standard roses. A feature of the show was the exhibit of Mr

Chi, tV Director ot th* Botanic GarTV long bank of roaea and foliage tu most appreciated, varieties noted were L* I’iogreM, Niphetoa, lady Hatteraea, Itngoaa alba. Grass an Teplita. Letnsrqne. Pau! Nation rm nd. Madame tMrfdanc Guinoiaseau, and The Lion, an excellent single, large and conspicuous with its red colour and lighter eye. •The champion blooms -were: —Open section. — H.T.: Mrs Harold Brocklebank (light yellow, shown by Mr J. Mann, T.: Mrs Myles Kennedy, shown by Mr. B. V. Ross; H.P.: Gloire de t" Guinoiaseau. shown by Mr. W. Peers. Amateur section.—H.T. : 'Rhea Held, rhown by Mr. J. F. Shepherd, Blackburn; T.: W. M. Cochet, shown by Mr. j. Mann. Ceres; H.P.: Hugh Dickson, shown by Mr. J. J. Morris, Malvern.