The Bourbon Rose is a new race of rose produced by the combination of the Damask Perpetual and the China roses. This new breed is a vigorous grower, much hardier then their parents, and has a peculiar habit and foliage.
The Bourbon roses are a perfectly hardy plant, and in the mid-western states they can endure the winters with only slight protection. In beds, they will flower all summer long unsurpassed by any other rose breed.
Here is a list of the best Bourbon Roses: Bouquet de Flore: Light, rosy carmine. Dr. Roque: Purplish crimson. Gloire de Dijon: Similar to tea roses. Madame Desprez: Similar to tea roses. Dupetit Thouars: Bright crimson; very showy. Leveson Gower: Deep rose; very large. Souvenir de la Malmaison: Pale flesh color; very large and aesthetically pleasing. Queen of Bourbons: Fawn-colored blush; a free bloomer. Sir Joseph Paxton: Deep rose; very beautiful. Paul Joseph: Purplish violet. Hermosa: Light blush or rose color; ideal form. George Paabody: Dark, velvety crimson. Mrs. Bosanquet: Pale flesh color; good form; very beautiful.
The best way to grow roses it to build a small pit for them. Be sure to plant them in rich soil, so they will bloom in the summer and winter. They do not need much heat to bring them through the winerer, and the sashes being entirely removed in the summer. It is best to keep the sashes on for frosty nights, and during the winter to keep them blooming.
The Pinks
The carnation and the picotee are another favorite plant, next to the rose, that will bloom equally well in the Spring and summer. These are also the best varieties for window culture.
A brief mention should be made regarding the double crimson Indian pink. This pretty little flower is always in bloom, and needs only light and a rich loam to create a beautiful window plant. The best way to get this beauty is to plant in, in the garden, from seed, and at the first hint of frost, transfer it to a pot for the winter blooming. At this point it can be easily increased as well.
The carnation pink was said to have introduced into cultivation from Italy or Germany as early as 1510, making it a very old garden inhabitant. There is actually no distinction between the carnation and picotee botanically, it a florists distinction. A carnation has marks on its petals, from the center to the edge, in flakes or stripes of colors, on a white ground. The picotee has a white or yellow ground, the edges of the petals being fringed with various shades of red and purple.
There are five classes of carnations: 1. Scarlet Bizarres; 2. Pink or Crimson Bizarres; 3. Scarlet Flakes; 4. Hose Flakes; 5. Purple Flakes.
The bizarre comes from the French, meaning irregular. The Bizarre’s have three colors, which are irregularly placed on each petal. Scarlet Bizarres have that color predominating over the purple or crimson; but the Pink or Crimson Bizarres have more of these colors than the Scarlet.
Scarlet Flakes have white grounds, with stripes or ribbons of scarlet. Rose and Purple Flakes have these two colors upon a white ground. Picotees are divided into seven classes: 1. Red, heavy-edged; 2. Red, light-edged; 3. Rose, heavy-edged; 4. Rose, light-edged; 5. Purple, heavy-edged; 6. Purple, light-edged; 7. Yellow ground, without any distinction as to the breadth of the edge color.
Pinks, for both picotees and carnations, are of little use as house plants until the late spring. If they are grown before this, they need to be kept cool and rather dry.
The best way t o grow either is in an open border, keeping them in a cold frame through the winter. If you try to grow them in pots, they will be harder to manage.
In an open border, they will bloom in June, July, and even later. These flowers are an indispensible ornament for your garden. We only include the pinks in our list as a favorite flower, and do not recommend them for window flowers.
The rules we give actually apply to the window, the cold frame, and the garden.