The Banksian Rose, R. Banksia.
This persistent foliage is one of the great merits of the large white Banksian Fortunei, called in French catalogues Banks de Chine—a hybrid with the beautiful Rosa Sinica. Its handsome green leaves, as I write in mid-February, are as thick outside my window in spite of twenty degrees of frost a few weeks back, as they were in the autumn. It will throw shoots of immense length each year: clothing a wall summer and winter with its rich green foliage. It is much hardier than the Yellow and White Banksians. The flowers, large, full, white, and sweet-scented, grow singly, not in clusters, and are borne like those of the Yellow and White Banksians on the sub-laterals—i.e. the little flowering stems on the laterals of last year. This habit of growth is the reason of so many failures in getting the Banksian roses to flower. An old plant of the Yellow Banksian on the rectory at Strathfieldsaye had never been known to flower when the Rev. F. Page-Roberts came there. He, of course, discovered that it had been pruned hard in the usual way. And after proper attention for two years, it was last year a mass of bloom, to the surprise of all who saw it.[3]
The White Banksian was introduced by Mr. William Kerr in 1807, and named after Lady Banks. The yellow was discovered by Dr. Abel, in 1824, growing on the walls of Nankin. They are both natives of China: but require a warm position on a wall in most parts of England. The finest specimen I have ever seen was a very old plant of the yellow, growing some years ago inside the courtyard at Chillon. It was one of the most beautiful objects possible in summer, the grim walls being closely covered with a sheet of the delicate little blossoms.
Rosa Sinica, or Lævigata,
mentioned above, also known as the "Cherokee Rose," is a single white with yellow stamens, from China. It is a very beautiful species; but requires, like the Banksians, the shelter of a wall. Sinica anemone (Schmidt, 1895), silvery-pink shaded rose, is very vigorous, and more hardy, one of the best single climbing roses. This latter rose must not be confused with Anemonæflora—a cross between Banksia and Multiflora—with small double white anemone-like flowers.
The Boursault Roses, R. Alpina,
are hardy, vigorous climbers, flowering in large clusters. They were raised from the single red Alpine rose. This, by the way, might be more generally cultivated for its own sake; its smooth red stems and handsome reddish foliage, which turns a fine colour in autumn, and its single deep pink flowers with long green bracts, succeeded by small brilliant hips, make it a charming object both in summer and autumn. M. Boursault, a famous Parisian rose amateur, gave his name to the group, the first variety, a double red, being called after him. Amadis, or Crimson, is one of the oldest, a deep crimson purple; while Inermis Morletti, an improved Inermis, was introduced in 1883 by Morlet.
Rosa Setigera, the Bramble-Leaved or Prairie Rose,
was the parent of several useful climbers raised by Feast, of Baltimore, and introduced into England in 1803. Of these Belle of Baltimore and Queen of the Prairies are the best, flowering late in the summer.
The Hungarian Climbing Roses