GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 29 July 1915, Page 51

GARDENING NOTES

(By Mb. J. Joyce, Landscape Gardener, Christchurch.) ROSES AND THEIR CULTURE. I The rose as the queen of flowers must be well treated if we want to grow it successfully. Generous treatment will undoubtely give satisfaction to the grower. In selecting a site for a rose bed it is desirable to choose a nice sheltered situation. If the ground is wet or likely to hold water, it should, first of all, be drained to a depth of about three feet by means of pipes, stones, or some other suitable material. Roses do not like to have stagnant water around their roots for any length of time. Having the drainage attended to, provided it is needed, commence by trenching the ground to a depth of three feet, well mixing the bottom spit with the top one, as roses like a stiff, loamy soil, which should be enriched at the same time by the application of a generous quantity of well-rotted farmyard manure. A liberal dressing of bonedust at the same time will'.. be most beneficial. This work should be done, if possible, some time before planting, so that the soil will be in a sweet state to receive the roots. In putting in a bed of roses the color and habit of the varities should be studied, so as to provide for uniformity. This can be done by planting the taller and more robust ones in the middle, with the less vigorous varieties towards the edges. If there is to be only one bed, and the choice is a mixed lot, consisting of hybrid perpetuals and teas, the latter should occupy the outside. Those known as hybrid perpetuals are the stiff, strong-growing ones in all shades of red, pink, white. The tea roses have usually a scent like tea, whilst the noisettes have clumps of buds on each shoot. Hybrid teas are crosses between tea roses and hybrid perpetuals. The selection of roses should, if possible, be made in summer, when they are in full bloom. There can be no mistake then, as there will be such a variety to choose from. Another advantage of giving the order then, is that it will be attended to in good time, and not left until the end of the season, when every, one is served, and all the best plants are gone. When the roses are delivered* they ought to have their roots pruned with a sharp knife, as they are very often broken when being lifted in the nursery. They should be planted at once, and on no account should they be left out of the ground and the roots allowed to get dry. If they cannot be planted in their permanent place immediately on receipt, they should be placed in a trench and the earth firmly pressed about the roots, until required. If it is dry weather a sprinkling of water will be necessary. When planting, the roots should be spread out evenly and the soil well trodden around them. In the spring they ought to be well pruned back to a strong eye on the outside of each shoot. This method tends to make the plant spread outwards. Standard roses are now extensively grown, and they look very effective when planted in linos along the garden walks. They should not be placed too close to each other, as they have a better effect, especially in a big garden, when planted five or six feet apart. When planting standard roses, dig a hole from two to three feet in width and the same in depth, and fill it with a mixture of new loamy soil and well-rotted cow manure. When putting in the plants care should be taken that they are not planted too deep, and that the roots have plenty of room. Firm the soil around the plant by treading on it, and then tie the rose to a neat stake, which ought to be painted greed so as to correspond with the foliage. A list of the names of the different roses should be kept in a book as a means of reference. A label ought to be attached to each specimen, as it is very convenient to be able to tell its name at once without being; under the necessity of having recourse to the book of reference.