active 1799-1828 Henry Cranke Andrews

“ In the Hortus Kewensis we find this Rose described as having smooth seed-buds and an unarmed stem; and the very reverse character being the leading features by which our plant may at all times be discriminated, induced us at first to imagine it might be a different species: but finding upon inquiry amongst cultivators, that this Rose and no other is perfectly known by the appellations of Rosa blanda, Hudson’s Bay or Labradore Rose, we have therefore retained the name, but altered the description. ”

“ Leaves spreading. Leaflets of an ovate form, sharp-pointed, sawed, and smooth. The thorns of the branches opposite, straight, and red. Stem low.
This delicate little Rose is a most desirable variety, as it continues in bloom all the summer, and is amongst those few that do not retire till late in autumn. It is of a dwarf growth, inclinable to spread, and sometimes almost creep upon the ground. In dry weather, the sun frequently extracts so much of the colour from the outer petals as to leave them almost bleached; which gives a comparatively richer appearance to the centre. ”

“ There can be little if any doubt, that this beautiful variety is the spontaneous effusion of Nature in this country, of which we shall ever regard it as indigenous, since we have never heard of any importations of this species, but of frequent exportations. ”

“ It is equally as hardy as any other Rose we are acquainted with. The flowers are very fragrant; and its growth is so rapid, that a small cutting rooted in the spring will in the course of the summer become a fine large plant. The luxuriance of its crowded flowers immediately pointed out the specific title of multiflora, by which appellation we find it already described by Thunberg, and enumerated by Willdenow. Our figure was made, from the only plant that has as yet flowered in this country, at the nursery of Messrs. Colville in the month of July ”

“ This slight variation of clime and culture, it is not at all improbable, might be the cause of the above confusion: we have so frequently seen it growing wild on the waste lands within ten miles of London, that, although it may be a native of Sweden, it nevertheless seems quite at home in Britain. The single flower beneath represents what is called a Striped Variety; but it is often so nearly white, that, until its character is more determined, we shall decline a separate figure. ”

“ Rose with egg-shaped seed-buds: peduncles and footstalks hispid: flowers with many petals and equal: leaves smooth: leaflets oblong, pointed, and sawed: stem smooth, nearly without thorns.
This Rose was introduced to this country from Holland about the year 1802. The only title we have heard given to it by cultivators is Double Thornless White Rose,—an appellation certainly not very descriptive of the plant; for, although it is thornless on the upper part, yet at the base of the stem it is thorny. The flowers are sometimes white, but we have oftener seen them tinged with a pale pinky colour. ”

“ It makes a most graceful appearance, from the drooping of its branches and nodding of its flowers, whose close and numerous petals are too heavy for its weak and slender stem to support. It appears to be a Rose calculated to train against a trellis to great advantage. It is as hardy as most Roses, and is increased (but not easily) by layers. ”

“ W. Irby, collected from a gentleman’s garden in the neighbourhood of Farnham, a distance of between twenty and thirty miles, and we believe the nearest approximation to the metropolis in which it can be found in perfect bloom. Even in the most congenial situations it is subject to an irregularity of inflorescence, from the extreme complexity of its petals, occasionally bursting at the sides, and destroying the symmetry of its appearance. We have never seen it lighter in colour than we have represented, certainly much too deep a yellow to exemplify the pallid hue of sulphur. ”

“ To the industry of Mr. Shailler, Nurseryman, of Little Chelsea, we are indebted for this delicate new Moss Rose; an acknowledged production between the Moss and White Province, or Rose Unique, and which is certainly a valuable addition to this lovely tribe. It evidently bears the compound characters of both plants, with a foliage very distinct from either of them ”

“ In habit, its native origin (the wild species) is very discernible. It is at present rather a scarce plant, from not possessing attraction sufficient to recommend it as an object of general culture.{78}
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ROSA spinosissima, rubra; Var. flore pleno.
Red Thorny Rose; Double-flowered Variety. CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Rosa germinibus sub-globosis, glabris: pedunculis hispidis: floribus semi-duplicibus, incarnatis: foliis patentibus: foliolis ovatis, costatis, crenatis: caule et petiolis aculeatissimis.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Rose with nearly round seed-buds, smooth. ”

“ Colville procuring a plant, cultivated it, and it has been ever since increasing in estimation. In the cold season of the year its blossoms are very pale; too great an exposure to the sun likewise produces the same effect. We have frequently seen it of a rich flesh-colour, but never deep. ”

“ Nor should we have adopted it, had we not seen at the nursery of Messrs. Colville a number of plants of exactly the same uniform description; which induced us to regard it as a permanent character. If it should prove so (which time alone can ascertain) , the name will be sufficiently discriminative: but in case the flowers should enlarge, that circumstance might probably disorganize the symmetry of the petals, and it would then have no distinguishing mark to separate it from the de Meaux; between which and the Pompone Rose it is certainly a variety. ”

“ It is not, we believe, at present in any other collection in this kingdom. It has so perfect an air of novelty, that amongst the numerous Roses daily ycleped new, this is one of the very very few to which a separate and distinct character may justly be applied. ”

“ The duration of the bloom is much longer than might be expected from their extremely thin delicate texture; there is a pretty good succession of flowers: and during the months of July and August they make a lively appearance. ”

“ From fine plants in the nursery of Messrs. Whitley, this species has been delineated.{64}
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ROSA inermis.
Rose without Thorns. CHARACTER SPECIFICUS.
Rosa inermis, germinibus oblongis: pedunculis petiolisque hispidis: corollis saturate rubropurpureis: foliis glabris: foliolis ovatis, acutis, serratis: caule ramisque glabris: fructibus pendulis.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Rose unarmed, with oblong seed-buds, and hispid petioles and peduncles. ”