The roses do not climb nor possess any special climbing organs; therefore they must be provided with a trellis or woven-wire fence. Some of the roses classed as climbing are such as only need good support, Fig. 267. For culture of roses, see Chapter VIII.
The most popular climbing or pillar rose at present is Crimson Rambler, but while it makes a great display of flowers, it is not the best climbing rose. Probably the best of the real climbing roses for this country, bloom, foliage, and habit all considered, are the derivatives of the native prairie rose, Rosa setigera (native as far north as Ontario and Wisconsin). Baltimore Belle and Queen of the Prairie belong to this class.
The climbing polyantha roses (hybrids of Rosa multiflora and other species) include the class of “rambler” roses that has now come to be large, including not only the Crimson Rambler, but forms of other colors, single and semi-double, and various climbing habits; a very valuable and hardy class of roses, particularly for trellises.
The Memorial rose (R. Wichuraiana) is a trailing, half-evergreen, white-flowered species, very useful for covering banks and rocks. Derivatives of this species of many kinds are now available, and are valuable.
The Ayrshire roses (R. arvensis var. capreolata) are profuse but rather slender growers, hardy North, bearing double white or pink flowers.
The Cherokee rose (R. Icevigata or R. Sinica) is extensively naturalized in the South, and much prized for its large white bloom and shining foliage; not hardy in the North.
The Banksia rose (R. Banksice) is a strong climbing rose for the South and California with yellow or white flowers in clusters. A larger-flowered form (R. Fortuneana) is a hybrid of this and the Cherokee rose.
The climbing tea and noisette roses, forms of R. Chinensis and R. Noisettiana, are useful in the open in the South.
7. TREES FOR LAWNS AND STREETS
A single tree may give character to an entire home property; and a place of any size that does not have at least one good tree usually lacks any dominating landscape note.