Chapter 4

Selection Of Varieties

Even if one should choose to have a whole area devoted only to roses, there is usually at least one side of it that is too shaded for roses to give of their best. The shade is most often thrown by an unsightly fence or a brick wall. Climbing roses will never do well in such a position, and one should not plant trees or shrubs that will send long roots out into nearby beds of roses. Rhododendrons, camellias, and azaleas are ideal for these places. By being evergreen they hide the fence or wall constantly; their small root-spread leaves the roses without interference; they add very little to the work in the garden, and camellias, in particular, provide blooms when roses are most scarce.

Most people commence flower-growing with a mixed garden and almost all include a few roses in the original scheme. The varieties are chosen in any one of many ways sometimes from knowledge of roses in other gardens, sometimes from catalogues, sometimes by a friend who knows roses better than they do themselves, and sometimes it is left to the nurseryman, who may or may not be a man who knows very much about roses. These methods are all rather haphazard, and nearly always lead to at least one or two definitely disappointing varieties. They may all be good roses from some point of view, but at this stage of our rose-growing we want roses that bloom freely, are colourful and, probably, are more or less conventional in form what may be called good garden roses.

As time goes on we shall get to know our likes and dislikes more precisely. We shall aim at roses suited for a chosen purpose and of the colours and types we like best. We may lean towards garden display and home decoration; quite a few growers will endeavour to produce blooms of outstanding quality and will eventually take to exhibiting at shows. Accordingly the choice of varieties may change as one develops a particular objective.

Very seldom will any two growers choose exactly the same roses to plant. Probably this is due to different conditions of soil and climate as much as to differences in the growers' valuations of the types and varieties. Even adjacent gardens will give different results with the same variety. Perhaps this is due to another type of drainage or of treatment by the grower. Crimson Glory and Rouge Mallerin seldom grew vigorously in my former garden, yet less than half a mile away they produced large blooms on stems two feet or more in length. This type of variation in behaviour is quite common, and so it is impossible to be dogmatic in recommending a list of roses for all gardens. One can only submit lists from which each grower must choose. Each should make his choice of a limited number of the type in which he is interested, try them, discard those that do not come up to expectations, and replace them with others.

In many instances, varieties are suitable for more than one purpose. In other cases they are advised for only one use, whether it be for the show bench, decoration of home and garden, covering fences, hedge-making, borders, specimen shrubs, or any of the multitude of ways in which roses can be used.

Their form is not confined to that of the conventional specimen bloom or even the slightly looser type that, for the want of a more apt term, we call a decorative rose. All roses are decorative, and good form adds to, rather than detracts from, their decorative value. There are the single types, the Hybrid Polyanthas or Floribundas in great variation of form and colour, the older polyantha form as typified by Rose Orleans (Plate 15), and others less well known. The words Polyantha, Multiflora, and Floribunda are identical in their literal meaning (many flowered), but each has come to be reserved for a particular type of rose. The Wichuraiana hybrids produce their panicles of florets in much the same manner as these three groups, but, of course, the name bears no reference to this characteristic.

Roses For Australian Conditions

This chapter is intended mainly for the guidance of the new rose enthusiast, and contains a list of roses suitable for various Australian conditions. Planting of varieties unsuited to his purpose may cause him to lose interest. In every aspect of rose-growing, observations of successes and failures, rather than catalogues and books, will teach him how to grow roses, but his first need is to choose varieties that will please him.

Many roses are omitted simply because it is far better to grow several plants of each variety that is known to be good than to increase the varieties at the expense of quality. Even so, the lists are much longer than one would recommend for any one area. For the sake of brevity, colour descriptions are not attempted, and abbreviations are used; explanations of these are given prior to the main list. A few of the best varieties in each colour group are given later in this chapter. For more detailed descriptions of colour refer to a reliable catalogue, or, better still, see the roses in bloom.

Following the main list are sections devoted to climbing roses, including those suitable for pillars or tripods, single roses, Flori-bundas or Hybrid Polyanthas, Polyanthas, Hybrid Wichurai-anas, roses as shrubs, roses for low edges, roses for hedge-making, weeping standards, roses for evergreen screens, winter-blooming roses, miniature roses, rose species for hips, roses for the cut-flower trade, and roses as garden curiosities.

A few varieties warrant special comments in that the general public have overlooked some aspect of their value or behaviour. These comments, which will be found at the end of this chapter, are not meant to be descriptions of the roses named, and should be read in conjunction with a good catalogue. It must not be thought that they refer to only the best varieties and that roses not mentioned are inferior. Throughout the lists the varieties forming the subject of these special comments are marked with an asterisk.

Abbreviations And Explanations

DP denotes "Double purpose" and implies that that rose is of good form but does not need coddling for exhibition purposes, and at the same time can be advised for home and garden display. This is the most popular type of rose.

E denotes "Exhibition". Roses marked thus produce large blooms of conventional form. In that respect they are perfect roses, but they cannot be recommended for decorative purposes, for they either need artificial covering, have weak stems, do not flower freely, grow poorly, mildew badly unless specially treated, do not open well, or have some such major fault. They are not beginners' roses, and should be grown only by exhibitors of specimen blooms.

D denotes "Decorative". These varieties are free-blooming have bright colours, good growth, strong stems and high disease-resistance. They have only fleeting form or are rather loosely knit, and so are seldom of use for exhibition as specimen blooms.

ML denotes "Melbourne and Launceston". This zone includes all of Victoria south and south-east of the Dividing Range and the warmer parts of Tasmania. Though the summers are hot and dry, there is frequent cloud and wind, and the growing season is fairly short. In midsummer, roses are highly coloured; in other seasons the cold nights often bleach the outer petals. The following districts of New Zealand may be regarded as similar in climate to this zone: Waikato, Wan-ganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, Hutt Valley, East Harbour, Nelson, and Blenheim.

ST denotes "Sub-tropical". This area consists of the entire coastal area of New South Wales, including, of course, Sydney, and most of the North Island of New Zealand, especially the districts around Auckland and Whangarei. Black spot is a common trouble, but the increased humidity gives less actinic value to the sun's rays and so, with warm nights, roses are usually highly coloured. Mildew is relatively light in incidence. T denotes "Tropical". The area from Brisbane northwards along the coast is included under this heading.

Left: The rose garden around the Nellie Stewart Memorial in Sydney Botanic Gardens. Climbing roses on horizontal supports. Above: A part of the same rose garden. Left: Tripods used freely in a large rose garden. Plate 8

Colour values are good, balling is uncommon, and the best roses are available about August, September, May and June.

P denotes "Perth", where the skies are clear and blue and the sunlight intense. Rain is a rarity from November to March, and the soil is very sandy. Large blooms are produced and shows are held in early October and mid-May.

HD denotes "Hot dry". It includes Adelaide and parts of all the States on the mainland, but not Central Australia. The summers are hot and dry; the winters are cold; the rainfall is fairly low. Black spot and mildew are not common.

H denotes "Hobart" and the area includes all the cooler parts of Tasmania, some of the mountainous districts on the mainland, Taihape, in the North Island of New Zealand, and most districts in the South Island. Mildew and balling are common. Semi-double roses do well.

LS. denotes "Light sandy soil". Many varieties will do well in such soils, but, of course, will do better if the toil texture is improved and they are helped as advised in other chapters. Perth and its suburbs provide an outstanding example.

New Zealand is approximately one thousand miles in length from its northern to its southern extremity, and varies in climate from tropical insular to alpine often within a relatively short distance.

SP denotes "Strongly perfumed". No attempt is made to differentiate between the many forms of rose perfume.

Summarized, the information is given in the following form:

DP	Double purpose.
E	Exhibition.
D	Melbourne and Launceston.
ML	Decorative.
ST	Sub-tropical.
T	Tropical.
P	Perth.
HD	Hot Dry.
H	Hobart.
LS	Light sandy soil.
SP	Strongly perfumed.

Heights are denoted as:

1. Low-growing.
   
2. Growth to average height.
   
3. Growth above average

The following abbreviations are also used:

HG                   Hybrid Gigantea.
HT                   Hybrid Tea.
HP                   Hybrid Perpetual.
Pern.                Pernetiana.
T                      Tea.

A The best of the roses, which may be regarded as suitable for all zones unless otherwise marked.

*Special comment at the end of this chapter, pp. 59-67.

This main list may seem bewildering in its length, but it is automatically shortened by several factors in that many roses will not be suited to the purpose desired by the grower or to his zone. The name of the introducer, and date, are given with each variety.

*ALASKA, HT (Meilland, 1948), DP, A, 3.

ANDRE LE TROQUER, HT (Mallerin, 1946), DP, A, 3.

ANNE LETTS, HT (Letts, 1954), DP, A, 3.

*APRICOT QUEEN (Plate 59), HT (Howard & Smith, 1940), D, A, 2.

BACCHUS, HT (Dixon, 1953), DP, A, 3.

*BADEN BADEN, HT (Kordes, 1952), DP, A, 3.

*BERYL FORMB\r, HT (Friar's Nurseries, 1948), D, SP, A, 2.

BETTER TIMES, HT (J. H. Hill, 1934), DP, SP, A in ST, T & P, 2.

BLANCHE MALLERIN, HT (Mallerin, I940), E, A, 3.

BLOODSTONE, HT (McGredy, 1949), DP, A, 3.

BONNE NOUVELLE, HT (Meilland, 1940), DP, A, 2. BOTANISTE ABRIAL, HT (Mallerin, 1943), DP, A, 2. BRAVO, HT (Swim, 1951), DP, A, 3.

BRAZIER, HT (Mallerin, 1936), D, All zones except ST & T, A, 2.

BRIARCLIFF (Plate 12), HT (Briarcliff Greenhouses, 1926), DP, SP, 3.

BRAZIL, HT (Mallerin, 1947), D, A, 3.

BRIDAL ROBE (Plate 51), HT (McGredy, 1954), DP, A, 2-3.

BUCCANEER, HT (Swim, 1952), DP, A, 3.

BURNABY, HT (Eddie, 1952), DP, A, 2.

*CANNES FESTIVAL, HT (Meilland, 1951), DP, A, 3. CATHRINE KORDES, HT (Kordes, 1930), E, Seldom reliable in ML & H, A, 2.

CHARLES GREGORY (Plate 62), HT (Verschuren, 1948), DP, A, 2.

*CHARLES MALLERIN, HT (Meilland, 1947), DP, SP, A, 3.

CHARLOTTE ARMSTRONG (Plate 18), HT (Lammerts, 1940), DP, 2-3.

*CHATEAU DE CLOS VOUGEOT, HT (Pernet-Ducher, 1908), D, ML & H zones, SP, A as climber, 1.

CHIEF SEATTLE, HT (Swim, 1951), DP, A, 3.

*CHRISTOPHER STONE, HT (Robinson, 1935), D, SP, A, 1-2.

CHRYSLER IMPERIAL, HT (Lammerts, 1952), DP, A, 3. CLAUDE, HT (Mallerin, 1950), DP, A, 3.

COLUMBIA, HT (E. G. Hill, 1916), DP, SP, 2.

COMTESSE VANDAL (Plate 13), HT (Leenders, 1932), DP, A, 2-3.

CONDESA DE SASTAGO, HT (Dot, 1933), D, A in ST, T, P & HD, 2-3

*CONFIDENCE (Plate 6), HT (Meilland, 1951), DP, A, 3.

COY COLLEEN, HT (McGredy, 1953), DP, A, 3.

*CRIMSON GLORY (Plates 5,56), HT (Kordes, i935),DP,SP,A,2 DAILY MAIL SCENTED, HT (Archer, 1929), D, SP, A as climber, 1.

*DAME EDITH HELEN (Plate 13), Pern. (A. Dickson, 1926), E, SP, LS, A, 2.

 DIAMOND JUBILEE (Plate 16), HT (Boerner, 1947), DP, 2. DR A. s. THOMAS, HT (Alister Clark, 1951), DP, SP, A, 3. *DR F. DEBAT, HT (Meilland, 1948), DP, A, 3.
 
EDEN ROSE, HT (Meilland, 1950), DP, A, 3.

*EDITOR MCFARLAND (Plate 15), HT (Mallerin, 1931),DP,LS, A, 2-3.

ELITE, HT (Tantau, 1936), DP, LS, A, 3.

ELIZABETH ARDEN (Plate 13), HT (Prince, 1929), E, All zones except H, A, 2.

ELIZABETH OF YORK, HT (Dobbie, 1927), D, LS, 2-3.

ELLI KNAB, HT (Kordes, 1934), E, ST, T, P, & HD, 3.

ELLINOR LE GRICE, HT (Le Grice, 1949), DP, 3.

EMILY, HT (Baines, 1949), DP, A, 3.

*ENA HARKNESS (Plate 34), HT (Norman, 1946), DP, A, 2.

ETERNA GIOVINEZZA, HT (Aicardi, 1937), DP, 2.

ETHEL SANDAY, HT (Mee, 1953), DP, A, 3.

ETOILE DE HOLLANDE, HT (Verschuren, 1919), D, SP, LS, 2.

EULALIA, HT (Verschuren-Pechtold, 1934), E, A, 3.

*FLAMING SUNSET, HT (Eddie, I947), D, SP, A, 2.

*FONTANELLE (Plate 36), HT (E. G. Hill, 1927), DP, All zones except ST & T, LS, A, 2.

FORTY-NINER, HT (Swim, 1949), DP, All zones except ST & T, A, 2.

FRAU KARL DRUSCHKI, HP (Lambert, 1900), DP, 3. FRED HOWARD, HT (Howard, 1951), DP, A, 3.

FRED w. ALESWORTH, HT (Robinson, 1953), DP, A, 3. GAY CRUSADER, HT (Robinson, 1948), DP, A, 3. GENEVE, HT (Meilland, 1944), D, A, 3

GLADYS TWEEDIE, HT (Toogood, 1951), DP, A, 3.

GLORIA DI ROMA, HT (Aicardi, 1937), E, 3.

GOLDEN DAWN, HT (Grant, 1929), DP, SP, A, 2.

*GOLDEN HARVEST, HT (Mallerin, 1943), DP, A, 2. GOLDEN MASTERPIECE, HT (Boerner, 1954), DP, A, 3. "GOLDEN MELODY". See Irene Churruca.

GOLDEN REVELRY, HT (McGredy, 1952), D, A, 2-3.

"GOOD NEWS". See Bonne Nouvelle,

GORDON EDDIE, HT (Eddie, 1949), DP, 3

GRANAT, HT (Krause, 1937), DP, All zones, especially T, 2.

GRAND GALA, HT (Meilland, 1954), DP, A, 3.

*GRANDE DUCHESSE CHARLOTTE, HT (Ketten, 1939), D, A, 2-3-

*GRAND'MERE JENNY (Plate 37), HT (Meilland, 1949), DP, LS, A, 3.

GWENDOLINE COLLINS (Alister Clark, 1937), D, 2

*HECTOR DEANE, HT (McGredy, 1938), D, SP, A, 2. HEINRICH WENDLAND, HT (Kordes, 1930), D, LS, A, 2.

HELEN TRAUBEL, HT (Swim, I951), DP, 3

HELENE DE ROUMANIE, HT (Meilland, 1949), DP, A, 3. *HELVETIA (Plate 61), HT (Mallerin, 1942), DP, A, 2.

*HILL TOP, HT (Hill, 1944), DP, A, 3

HUNTER'S MOON, HT (McGredy, 1951), DP, A, 3.

IRENE CHURRUCA, HT (La Florida, 1934), DP, A, 3.

JOHANNA HILL, HT (J. H. Hill, 1928), DP, LS, 2.

*JOSEPHINE BRUCE, HT (Bees, 1951), DP, A, 3. JOYOUS CAVALIER, HT (Archer, 1923), D, SP, LS, 2-3.

*JULIA FERRAN, HT (P. Dot, 1939), DP, LS, A, 2.

*JULIE STRAHL, HT (Leenders, 1929), E, All zones except P (needs wiring) and H, SP, A, 2.

JUNO, HT (Swim, 1950), E, A, 2.

KAISERIN AUGUSTE VIKTORIA, HT (Lambert, 1891), DP, A, 2.

*KARL HERBST (Plate 50), HT (Kordes, 1950), DP, A, 3.

KATHERINE T. MARSHALL, HT (Boemer, 1943), DP, 2-3.

KOROVO, HT (Leenders, 1931), DP, A, 2.

LA JOLLA, HT (Swim, 1953), DP, A, 3.

LADY BELPER, HT (Verschuren, 1948), DP, A, 3.

*LADY GREENALL, HT (Dickson, 1911), DP, SP, LS, A, 3.

LADY HILLINGDON, T (Shawyer, 1910), D, LS, 2.

LADY HUNTINGFIELD, HT (Alister Clark, 1937), D, 2.

LADY MANDEVILLE (Plate 24), HT (McGredy, 1939), DP, A, 1-2.

LADY SYLVIA, HT (Stevens, 1927), DP, SP, LS, A, 2. "LADY TRENT". See Julia Ferran.

*LEADING LADY, HT (A. Dickson, 1935), E, 2.

LEONCE COLOMBIER, HT (Meilland, 1943), D, A, 3. LEONTINE CONTENOT, HT (Ketten, 1935), DP, 2.

LESLEY DUDLEY, HT (McGredy, 1932), DP, ML & H zones, LS, A, 2.

*LILAC TIME, HT (McGredy, 1956), D, A, 3.

*LORRAINE LEE, HG (Alister Clark, 1924), D, SP, LS, A, 2-3.

"LOWELL THOMAS". See Botaniste Abrial.

LUMIERE, HT (Mallerin, 1944), DP, SP, A, 3.

*LYDIA, HT (Robinson, 1949), D, A, 3.

MABEL FRANCIS, HT (Bees, 1943), DP, A, 2.

MCGREDY'S SUNSET (Plate 59), HT (McGredy, 1936), D, A, 1-2.

MCGREDY'S YELLOW, HT (McGredy, 1933), DP, All zones except T & ST, SP, LS, A, 2.

*MME A. MEILLAND (Plate 56), HT (Meilland, 1942), DP, A, 2.

MME ABEL CHATENAY, HT (Pernet-Ducher, 1894), D, SP, A, 2.

MME BUTTERFLY (Plate 39), HT (E. G. Hill, 1918), DP, SP, LS, A, 2.

MME HENRI GUILLOT, HT (Mallerin, 1937), D, ML & H zones, LS, A, 1-2.

*MME JEAN GAUJARD, HT (Gaujard, 1937), DP, All zones except T & H, 2-3.

MME JULES BOUCHE (Plate 18), HT (Crobier, 1911), DP, SP, 2-3.

*MME L. DIEUDONNE, HT (Meilland, 1948), D, A, 3.

MME PIERRE s. DU PONT, HT (Mallerin, 1929), D, LS, 2. MME YVES LATIEULE, HT (Meilland, 1947), DP, A, 3. MAHINA (Plate 54), HT (Meilland, 1952), DP, A, 3.

MALAR ROS, HT (Kordes, 1932), E, All zones except H, SP, A, 2-3.

"MANDALAY". See Helvetia.

MARGARET, HT (DiclcSOn, I954), DP, A, 3.

MARJOLINE, HT (Meilland, 1949), DP, A, 3.

MARJORIE LE GRICE, HT (Le Grice, 1951), DP, A, 3.

MARY HART, HT (Hart, 1931), D, ST, ML, H & HD zones, SP,LS,2-3.

MARY MULLIGAN, HT (Mallerin, 1944), DP, A, 2.

MASCOTTE, HT (Meilland, 1950), DP, 3.

*MATADOR, HT (van Rossem, 1935), D, A, 2.

*MICHELE MEILLAND, HT (Meilland, 1945), DP, A, 3.

*MINERVE, HT (Meilland, 1947), DP, A, 3.

MIRANDY (Plates 24, 41), HT (Lammerts, 1945), T, All zones except ML & H, A, 2.

*MISS AUSTRALIA, HT (Knight, 1933), E, 2.

MRS A. R. BARRACLOUGH, HT (McGredy, 1926), E, All zones except T, 2-3.

MRS BRYCE ALLAN, HT (A. Dickson, I916), DP, SP, A, 2. MRS DUNLOP BEST, HT (Hicks, 1916), D, LS, 2.

MRS GEORGE GEARY, HT (Burbage, 1929), DP, A, 2-3.

MRS HAROLD BROCKLEBANK, HT (A. Dickson, 1907), DP, SP, LS, A, 2-3.

*MRS HENRY MORSE, HT (McGredy, 1919), DP, LS, 1-2. MRS HERBERT STEVENS (Plate 5), T (McGredy, 1910), DP, LS, A, 2.

*MRS NORRIS M. AGNEW (Plate 10), HT (Bees, 1934), DP, A, 2.

*MRS RUSSELL GRIMWADE, HG (Grimwade, 1938), D, A, 2. MRS SAM MCGREDY, HT (McGredy, 1929), DP, LS, A, 2. MISTY MORN, HT (McGredy, 1947), E, A, 3.

MODERN TIMES, HT (Verbeck, 1951), D, A, 3, (striped).

MOLLY BLIGH, HT (A. Dickson, 1917), E, All zones except H, A, 2.

MONIQUE, HT (Paolini, 1949), D, A, 3.

*MONTE CARLO, HT (Meilland, 1949), DP, A, 3.

NARZISSE, HT (Krause, 1942), E, A, 2.

NEIGE PARFUM, HT (Mallerin, 1939), DP, 2.

NELLIE PARKER, HT (H. Dickson, 1916), E, A, 2.

*NEW YORKER (Plate 17), HT (Boerner, 1949), DP, LS, A, 3. OPERA, HT (Gaujard, 1949), D, A, 3.

*OPHELIA (Plate 12), HT (Paul, 1912), DP, SP, LS, A, 2. PANORAMA, HT (McGredy, 1943), DP, SP, LS, A, 2. PATRICK ANDERSON (Plates 16, 20), HT (McGredy, 1938), DP, A, 2-3.

"PEACE". See Mme A. Meilland.

PHOEBE, HT (B. R. Cant, 1922), DP, 2.

*PICTURE (Plate 48), HT (McGredy, 1932), D, A, 2

*PILARIN VILELLA, HT (Dot, 1938), D, not for ST or T, A, 2.

PINK CHARMING, HT (Leenders, 1954), DP, A, 3.

PINK SPIRAL, HT (McCredy, 1952), DP, A, 3.

*POINSETTIA (Plate 12), HT (Howard & Smith, 1938), DP, A, 3.

*POLLY, HT (Beckwith, 1927), DP, A, 3.

PRELUDE, HT (Meilland, 1954), D, A, 3.

PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER (Plate 15), HT (Coddington, 1930),DP,SP,LS,3.

*PRINSES BEATRIX, HT (Buisman, 1940), DP, A, 3.

*PRINTEMPS, HT (Mallerin, 1948), DP, A, 2-3. *PROVENCE, HT (Paolini, 1945), DP, LS, A, 3.

QUEBEC, HT (Gaujard, 1942), DP, A, 3.

RADAR, HT (Meilland, 1953), DP, A, 3.

*RADIANCE, HT (Cook, 1908), D, A in ST & T, 2-3.

*RAPTURE (Plate 49), HT (Traendly & Schenck, 1926), DP, SP, LS, A, 2.

*RED ENSIGN, HT (Norman, 1947), DP, SP, A, 2. "RED RADIANCE, HT (Gude, 1916), D, A in ST & T, 2-3.

REGINA PACIS, HT (Dot, 1945), DP, A, 3.

REGINALD FERNYHOUGH, HT (Bees, 1954), DP, A, 3.

ROD STILLMAN (Plate 20), HT (Hamilton, 1949), DP, 2.

"ROME GLORY". See Gloria di Roma.

ROUGE MEILLAND (see frontispiece), HT (Meilland, 1949), DP, A, 3.

ROYALIST, HT (McGredy, 1953), DP, A, 3.

RUBAIYAT HT (McGredy, 1946), DP, SP, 3.

SCHLOSSER'S BRILLIANT, HT (Kordes, 1953), DP, A, 3.

SERENADE, HT (Boerner, 1950), D, LS, A, 3.

SHADES OF AUTUMN, HT (Brownell, 1943), D, A, 2.

SHOT SILK, HT (A. Dickson, 1924), D, SP, A, 2.

SHOW GIRL (Plate 38), HT (Lammerts, 1946), DP, A, 2-3. SIGNORA PIERO PURICELLI, HT (Aicardi, 1934), D, LS, 3. SILVER JUBILEE (Plate 35), HT (A. Dickson, 1937), E, 2-3. SIR HENRY SEGRAVE, HT (A. Dickson, 1932), E, LS, A, 2-3.

SOUVENIR DE JACQUES VERSCHUREN, HT (Verschuren, 1950), D, A, 3.

SOUVENIR DE MME BOULLET, HT (Pernet-Ducher, 1921), D, A, 2.

*SPEK'S YELLOW, HT (Spek, 1947), D, A, 3.

STYLISH, HT (Robinson, 1953), DP, A, 3.

*SUNNY SOUTH, HT (Alister Clark, 1918), D, LS, 3.

SUTTER'S GOLD, HT (Swim, 1950), D, SP, A, 3.

*SUZON LOTTHE (Plate 57), HT (Meilland, 1947), DP, A, 3.

*SYMPHONIE, HT (Meilland, 1948), DP, A, 3.

*TAHITI, HT (Meilland, 1947), DP, LS, A, 3.

TALISMAN, HT (Montgomery, 1929), D, LS, 3.

TALLY-HO, HT (Swim, 1949), DP, 3.

*TASSIN (Plate 53), HT (Meilland, 1942), DP, SP, A, 2.

TEXAS CENTENNIAL (Plate 24), HT (Watkins, 1935), DP, SP, A, 3.

THAIS, HT (Meilland, 1954), DP, A, 3.

*THE DOCTOR, HT (Howard & Smith, 1936), DP, SP, 1-2. *TZIGANE (Plate 22), HT (Meilland, 1951), DP, A, 3.

ULSTER MONARCH, HT (McGredy, 1951), E, A, 2.

UNA WALLACE, HT (McGredy, 1921), DP, LS, A, 3.

VALIANT, HT (Boerner, 1949), DP, A, 3. *VENISE, HT (Meilland, 1946), DP, A, 2.

VERSCHUREN'S PINK, HT (Verschuren, 1949), DP, A, 3.

VILLE DE GRAND, HT (Guajard, 1951), D, 3. *VIRGO, HT (Mallerin, 1947), DP, A, 3. *VIVE LA PRANCE, HT (Mallerin, 1947), D, A, 3.

WELLWORTH, HT (Le Grice, 1950), DP, SP, A, 3.

WHITE ENSIGN, HT (McGredy, 1925), D, LS, A, 1-2.

WILHELM KORDES, HT (Kordes, 1922), DP, 2.

*WILLIAM HARVEY (Plate 40), HT (Norman, 1948), DP, SP, A, 2.

WILLIAM MOORE, HT (McGredy, 1935), E, All zones except H, 1-2.

WILLIAM ORR (Plate 56), HT (McGredy, 1930), DP, SP, LS, A, 2-3.

ZARA HORE RUTHVEN, HT (Alister Clark, 1932), DP, A, 2-3.

Climbing Roses

(Including those suitable for pillars and tripods) Climbing roses vary considerably in vigour. Some will cover a length of twenty feet or more of the support; others will cover only four to six feet and are suitable for growing on pillars or tripods. Most climbers bloom freely in the spring, but very little in the autumn. Those that bloom in both seasons are said to repeat, or to be remontant. Many climbers bear single blooms. This list does not include the Hybrid Wichurai-anas, except Paul's Scarlet Climber, which bears larger flowers than others of its class.

Roses on pillars or tripods give a welcome relief to what is otherwise a flatness in a rose garden. Extensive use is made of them in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

Climbing sports of varieties that were originally of dwarf habit are listed first. Their numbers are increasing rapidly.

The same abbreviations are used as in the preceding list, together with the following:

V      Vigorous.
PT     Pillar or tripod; they can also be used else where but are not vigorous.
R       Remontant, or recurrent in blooming.
S       Single flowers.
EB    Very early blooming.

Climbing CATHRINE KORDES (Krohn, 1938), E, Seldom reliable in ML & H, A, V

Climbing CHARLOTTE ARMSTRONG (Morris, 1942), DP, A, V.

*Climbing CHATEAU DE CLOS VOUGEOT (Morse, 1920), D, ML & H zones, SP, A as climber, PT, R.

*Climbing CHRISTOPHER STONE (Marsh, 1942), D, SP, LS, A,V.

Climbing COMTESSE VANDAL (Jackson & Perkins, 1936), DP, A,V.

*Climbing CRIMSON GLORY (Richardson, 1944), DP, SP, A, PT, R.

Climbing DAILY MAIL SCENTED (Archer, 1930), D, SP, A, PT, R.

Climbing DAINTY BESS (Barneveld, 1935), D, S, PT.

*Climbing EDITOR MCFARLAND (Roseglen Nurseries), 1947, DP, LS, A, V.

Climbing ELSE POULSEN (Ley, 1932), D, A, PT, R, Floribunda.

*Climbing ENA HARKNESS (Gurteen and Ritson, 1953), DP, A, V.

Climbing ETOILE DE HOLLANDE (Leenders, 1931), D, SP, LS, A.

Climbing LADY HILLINGDON (Plate 11), (Hicks, 1917), D, LS, PT, R.

Climbing LADY SYLVIA (Stevens, 1933), DP, SP, LS, A, R.

*Climbing LORRAINE LEE (McKay, 1932), D, LS, SP, A, V, R.

 Climbing MCGREDY'S YELLOW (Western Rose Co., 1937), DP, A, V.

*Climbing MME A. MEILLAND (Brady, 1949), DP, A, V. Climbing MME ABEL CHATENAY (Easlea, 1917), D, LS, SP, PT.

Climbing MME HENRI GUILLOT (Barneveld, 1947), D, ML & H zones, LS, PT.

Climbing MME PIERRE S. DU PONT (Hillock, 1933), D, LS, PT,R.

Climbing MME SEGOND WEBER (Adragh, 1911), D, LS, SP, PT,R.

*Climbing MICHELE MEILLAND (Meilland, 1951), DP, A, V.

Climbing MRS DUNLOP BEST (Rosen, 1933), D, LS, A, V, R.

*Climbing MRS HENRY MORSE (Chaplin, 1929), DP, A, PT, R.

Climbing MRS HERBERT STEVENS (Pernet-Ducher, 1922), DP, LS, A, PT.

Climbing MRS SAM M^GREDY (Guillaud, 1938) DP, LS, A, PT.

*Climbing NEW YORKER (Boerner, 1951), DP, A, V.

"Climbing OPHELIA (A. Dickson, 1920), DP, LS, SP, A, V, R.

*Climbing ORANGE TRIUMPH (Proctor, 1948), D, A, PT, R.

"Climbing PICTURE (Swim, 1942), D, LS, V.

*Climbing RADIANCE (Catt, 1928), D, LS, ST & T zones, PT.

*Climbing RED RADIANCE (Pacific Rose Co., 1927), D, LS, ST & T zones, PT.

Climbing SHOT SILK (Knight, 1931), D, LS, SP, A, PT.

Climbing TALISMAN (Dixie Rose Co., 1933), D, LS, SP, V, All zones except ST & T, PT, A, R.

BLACKBOY (Alister Clark, 1919), D, LS, V.

BLACK MAGIC (Hamilton, 1955), DP, SP, A.

CICELY O'RORKE (Alister Clark, 1937), D, PT.

COUNTESS OF STRADBROKE (Alister Clark, 1928), D, SP, A, PT, R.

COURIER (Alister Clark, 1930), D, LS, V.

DORIS DOWNES (Alister Clark, 1932), D, LS, SP, PT. EDITOR STEWART (Alister Clark, 1939), D, LS, PT, R. FLYING COLOURS (Alister Clark, 1922), D, LS, A, V, EB, S. GUINEE (Mallerin, 1937), D, PT.

GWEN NASH (Alister Clark, 1920), D, A, V, R.

HARBINGER (Alister Clark, 1923), D, A, V, EB, S.

JESSIE CLARK (Alister Clark, 1915), D, A, V, EB, S.

JULIA, COUNTESS OF DARTREY (Hall, 1927), E, A, PT.

KITTY KININMONTH (Alister Clark, 1922), D, LS, A, PT, R. MME DRIOUT (Thiriat, 1902), DP, A, V, (striped). MARGARET TURNBULL (Alister Clark, 1931), D, LS, PT, R.

MISS MARION MANIFOLD (AdamSOn, 1913), DP, A, SP, V, R.

MERMAID (Paul, 1918), D, LS, A, PT, S, R.

*NANCY HAYWARD (Alister Clark, 1937), D, A, V, R, S.

NORA CUNINGHAM (Alister Clark, 1920), D, A, V, often R. PAUL'S SCARLET CLIMBER (Paul, 1916), D, LS, A, PT. PRINCEPS (Alister Clark, 1942), D, LS, A, PT.

SIRIUS (Fitzhardinge, 1939), DP, LS, A, SP, V, R.

SOUVENIR DE CLAUDIUS DENOYEL (Chambard, 1920), DP, LS, SP, PT.

YELLOW AND WHITE BANKSIAS, D, LS, V, EB. SINGLE ROSES

All the earliest roses were singles they had five petals. Until recently all seedlings producing single flowers were discarded by hybridists. There is a simple beauty in a single rose, a grace and a daintiness. They will open quickly and so can often be seen in good condition when the fuller types are damaged by bad weather while opening more slowly. They need little pruning, for we want big plants and a profusion of blooms. Harbinger, Flying Colours, and Jessie Clark all bloom while winter is changing to spring, and are not remontant. Mermaid has beautiful foliage, forms a dense evergreen mass, and blooms continuously. Nancy Hayward, as a cut flower, will outlast most roses of any type; it, Dainty Bess, and Isobel are probably the best of all single roses. Six of the list given are species. Austrian Yellow and Austrian Copper are delightfully vivid but fleeting. R. moyesii bears twofold lovely deep-red single blooms in spring and handsome pearshaped scarlet hips about three inches long in autumn. There are climbing sports of several of the varieties, which originated as dwarf types.

Austrian copper	Mrs Richard Turnbull
Austrian yellow	(climber)
Dainty bess	*Nancy Hayward (Climber)
Flying colours (climber)	R. Highdownensis
Harbinger (climber)	R. Hugonis
Irish elegance	R. Moschata (single forms)
Irish fireflame	R. Moyesii
Isobel	Thea Harrison
Jessie clark (climber)	Many Single Floribundas
Mermaid

Floribunda Or Hybrid Polyantha Roses

Floribundas, or Hybrid Polyanthas, comprise the newest type of rose. Although the latter title indicates their derivation from crossing Polyanthas with Hybrid Teas, the former is not only descriptive of their blooming habits but is to be preferred in that it is not subject to abbreviation to "HP", with consequent confusion with Hybrid Perpetuals, already denoted by the same initials. In addition, Floribundas are by no means all hybrids of Polyantha roses.

Floribundas vary greatly in form from singles to doubles and are members of the one group only by virtue of free and constant production of panicles of blooms. Their ancestry is very varied. Sturdy, vigorous, disease-resistant and never out of bloom, they are unrivalled among all plants for garden display. They mark the greatest advance in the rose world, but a notoriously conservative public will want to see more of them before fully appreciating their value. They make wonderful hedges or groups. A garden of Hybrid Teas is apt to lack colour except during seasonal flushes of bloom. Not so with Floribundas. It is only recently that this type of rose has been used freely on standard stocks, although one of the main reasons for planting standard roses is to enable one to produce an attractive garden display with annuals underneath. The constant blooming habit of Floribundas makes them ideal for this purpose. Long-lasting as cut flowers, easy to arrange, gay and informal, they suggest countless decorative uses.

Each year we are receiving new Floribunda roses of outstanding quality. It is not many years since Orange Triumph (Plate 4) broke down the long-standing prejudice against roses of any kind that produced their blooms in clusters. It gained this recognition of merit more as a new perennial than as a new rose. People soon commenced planting it as a shrub, for hedges, and in perennial borders or bedding effects. Orange Triumph is still the most vivid Floribunda. It is arrestingly brilliant out of doors, but difficult to place for indoor decoration because the colour conflicts with many furnishings. The popularity of Orange Triumph aroused an interest in some of the older and almost overlooked varieties of this group. The latest introductions have been especially notable for their form. The flat type of bloom, as exemplified by Orange Triumph, is being replaced by florets with form similar to the Hybrid Teas, but smaller in size and still borne in panicles. With their great range of colours and attractive form, as well as their long and recurrent periods of blooming, this new family of roses is providing keen competition for all herbaceous plants that bloom for only a few weeks but occupy the ground for the whole year.

Their beauty is often greatly enhanced by planting low-growing blue flowers such as lobelia, violas, and aubrietia amongst or in front of them.

Oversea organizations have rewarded several Floribundas with high honours in open competition with roses of all types. In 1950 Fashion made a sensational debut by heading the poll in the All-America Rose Selection judging, gaining the gold medal award of the National Rose Society of England and being the first Floribunda ever to win the gold medal at Bagatelle, France. Its beautiful salmon colouring is quite unique. Vogue, from the same parentage as Fashion, and raised by the same hybridist, has won; in its first season, as many top international awards. These include first place in the All-America Rose Selections for 1952, Gold Medal at Geneva, and Certificate of Merit at Bagatelle. The dainty, perfectly shaped, three- to four-inch blooms of'cherry-coral colouring are darker than those of Fashion and, in consequence, may not have the same spontaneous appeal. Fashion is the hardier of the two. Floradora grows taller than most Floribundas, reaching to five feet in height. Its two-and-a-half-inch reddish-salmon flowers are borne in clusters of eight to twelve. In 1945 it won the All-America Rose Selection award, for which, of course, all roses are eligible irrespective of their type or country of origin. It is hard to understand why Goldilocks (Plate 63), perhaps the best yellow Floribunda yet produced, was not similarly honoured, but it gained the John Cook Medal for the best American rose of any type in a period of three years. Pinkie, with its abundance of two-inch, soft-pink, semi-double blooms on low, compact, and almost thornless plants, which are ideal for borders, was an All-America Rose Selection for 1948. China Doll is somewhat similar to Pinkie. Alain, Chatter, Margraten, and Our Princess are all great new roses of this group, and in almost the same shade of vivid scarlet-crimson brighter than Anne Mette Poulsen and not as dark as Nigger Boy. Alain is probably the best of the group. Red Pinocchio (Plate 21) is a very beautiful dark-red Floribunda. It is a seedling of Rosen-marchen, which was renamed Pinocchio in America. This raises an interesting point in the interpretation of the rules of nomenclature. Had this been a sport of Rosenmarchen, the name Red Pinocchio would have been unacceptable, because by inference, it would condone the renaming of Rosenmarchen. The raiser of a seedling may call it by any name he chooses, provided he observes a few quite simple rules (see Chapter 7). Schweizer Gruss is the best red Floribunda.

Kordes' Sondermeldung brings us quite a new shade of red  orange-scarlet or light tomato-red on the inside of the petals and almost crimson on the reverse side. Sondermeldung, roughly translated, means Sensational Release, and is very apt. Masquerade is quite unique. When massed, as Floribundas always should be, it gives an amazing effect in an array of colours. The shapely buds are bright buttercup-yellow; as they reach the half-open stage the semi-double blooms change to pink and, as they become full-bloom, they darken to red. All three stages of development and, of course, all three very different colours, are present in the one truss of florets at the one time a bunch of mixed colours on one stem! Lavender Pinocchio is gaining in popularity rapidly.

Sports of Orange Triumph are becoming fairly numerous. We have Pink Triumph from England, pink Pacific Triumph from Queensland, pink Waverley Triumph and Scarlet Triumph from Melbourne, and Mary from Holland. The last of these is a very pleasing salmon pink, and it does not lose its colour in intense summer heat. It is not as distinctive and striking as a colour-mass in a garden but it is very much easier to use indoors, for its softer shades blend well with most furnishings.

A rose's only requirement for inclusion in the Floribunda group is the production on each stem of more blooms than is usual in the case of the recognized Hybrid Tea. With the increasing trend towards better form and large florets, Floribundas are becoming less distinct from Hybrid Teas. Some quite old Hybrid Teas produce many flowers on most of their shoots and need to be heavily disbudded if one desires blooms of good size and substance, but they would never be classed as Floribundas. Others of more recent introduction, such as Kordes' Sondermeldung, Shades of Autumn, and Fantasia, could be regarded as members of either group. Grandifloras lie between Hybrid Teas and Floribundas.

It is highly probable that within a very few years we shall see Floribundas grown in large numbers on standard stocks, especially in mixed gardens and to raise the level of the centre or back portion of large beds of the one variety of these roses.

Unfortunately several Floribundas have been renamed by commercial distributors. The subject of alteration of names of roses is dealt with in Chapter VII. However, by this reprehensible practice, the incorrect names have received widespread publicity, and it is considered advisable, in order to save the reader from confusion, to mention the outstanding Floribunda victims of renaming, giving the alias of each in parentheses. They are Mevrouw van Straaten van Nes ("Permanent Wave"), Minna Kordes ("World's Fair"), Rosenmarchen ("Pinocchio"), Rosenelfe ("The Elphin Rose"), Schweizer Gruss ("Red Favourite") and Kordes' Sondermeldung ("Independence").

The list of varieties given here contains only the better Floribundas; many have been omitted. Very few people will desire to plant many varieties of this type of rose, especially as they show to best advantage in groups or hedges of one variety. For that reason and for further guidance, ten have been selected as most worthy of trial and are marked "f"

That beautiful and popular little rose, Cecile Brunner, is not quite eligible for this class, for its flowers are not borne in clusters. Its yellow counterpart, Perle d'Or, fades disappointingly.

A few varieties have produced climbing sports. Those producing five-petalled florets are marked (S).

ALAIN
ANNE METTE POULSEN

BABY ALBERIC
BETTY PRIOR (S)
BORDER QUEEN

CHATTER
†COCOHICO
CONCERTO

DUSKY MAIDEN

ELLEN POULSEN

†FASHION FLORADORA
†FRENSHAM (Plate 9)

GERANIUM RED (Plate 14)

GOLDILOCKS (Plate 63)

IRENE OF DENMARK

KAREN POULSEN (S) (Plate 2)
†KORONA fKORDES' SONDERMELDUNG

LAVENDER PINOCCHIO

MADGE PRIOR
MARJORIE PALMER
*MARY
†MASQUERADE
MOULIN ROUGE

NYMPH
 
†ORANGE SWEETHEART 
†ORANGE TRIUMPH (Plate 4)

*PACIFIC TRIUMPH
PINKIE
POULSEN’S COPPER

RED PINOCCHIO (Plate 21)
ROSENELFE
ROSENMARCHEN 
†RUDOLPH TIMM (S)

†SCHWEIZER GRUSS
SIREN (Plate 25)

TANTAU'S TRIUMPH

VOGUE

WAVERLEY TRIUMPH
WENDY

YELLOW HAMMER
YELLOW PINOCCHIO

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