St John nonacentenary

The bush is hardy, vigorous and healthy, and flowers profusely, in dense clusters at the tip of each firm stem. White, pointed buds unfold slowly into shapely, open blooms, revealing a soft apricot-cream in the centre. At the point where other roses would shed their petals, the blooms of this novelty expand further to the next stage of a quartered centre, and finally the firm petals reflex down-wards, creating the effect of an old-fashioned, immaculate white bustle. This excellent, multipurpose garden rose of medium height will supply an abundance of long-lasting ’spray roses‘ (cluster-flowering roses)

Isidingo

In our search for new climbers that produce Hybrid Tea-shaped, pick- able blooms and that flower more or less continuously from springinto winter, we were most impressed by a novel rose in our trials, bred by Messrs Orard of Lyon in France. The name suggested itself. The tight, full bud is green-yellow with an attractive rosy pink on the edge of each petal. As the bud expands and unfolds into a large bloom of extraordinary exhibition shape, the pink^-intensifies into a luminous coral, contrasting and intermingling with deep gold rising from the centre. Read the rest of this entry »

During the last three centuries, rose breeding has resulted in tens of thousands of new varieties. Not all of these have proved to be extraordinary, but a few have set new standards. Here is a small selection of some of the latest releases.

Even after thorough testing during the ten-year trial period from cross-pollination to release, a breeder cannot be certain as to how good a new rose really is. We now know that ‘Crimson Glory’, bred in 1935, represented a breakthrough in fragrant, velvet-red Hybrid Teas and today, all the popular red Hybrid Tea roses are derived from that variety. ‘Peace’, created in 1937 and released in1945, was another breakthrough in terms of vigour, health and colour. ‘Super Star’ arrived in 1960 as the first vermilion-orange rose.

Although this variety was found to be susceptible to powdery mildew, it became the basis for the creation of a wide range of orange roses. Read the rest of this entry »

Temporary or Permanent

Some container plantings are relatively permanent; the plants can stay in the same pot for many years. Other arrangements can be more temporary, perhaps planted to look attractive for just one or two seasons. As temporary plantings pass their best, provided they are not too heavy, you can move them to less prominent situations. Alternatively, dismantle them and replace the plants with others for the future. A third alternative is to add seasonal colour to the more permanent plantings, if there is sufficient space in the container.

Permanent plantings can consist of shrubs, trees, or perennials, either grown as single specimens, or as a grouping of several of the same type of plant in one container. Temporary, seasonal plantings consist of annuals, biennials, and bulbs that look attractive in mixed selections, as well as planted on their own. Read the rest of this entry »

Correct Conditions

Growing plants is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It is so simple, either to start them off from seed or to buy them once they are over their teething problems and tantrums, and raise them, watching the response to a little loving care. I cannot pretend that all plants are easy to grow, but the great majority ask for little more than to be planted in the correct potting mixture, to be given enough water — as well as a little nourishment — from time to time, and to be placed in the right situation. They are rarely over fussy and soon adapt to conditions which, while they may not be absolutely ideal, are not diametrically opposed to their likes and dislikes.

Growing in containers is a very controlled method of raising plants. Each plant, or group of plants, can be given exactly the right type of soil and amounts of water and food. The situation chosen for the placing of the container must be taken into account when selecting the plants. Read the rest of this entry »