Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-28

Several requests have been received
by this column recently for an express
sion of our views as to the best roses"
One letter asked for an opinion as to
the best roses for the amateur" and
it is this question we would prefer to
answer.
The American Rose Society has been
holding one referendum after another
for many years in order to get at its
members ideas as to the best roses"
The results, while interesting have
given only individual preferences, after
all, and have in no way settled the
moot question.
In fact, to determine "the best" OF
anything is an almost impossible ideal
Such contests always are interesting
and no doubt mostly beneficial, since
they tend to narrow the choice.
The best" books, the best" music
no two will agree, although perhaps
nine out of ten will admit that there is
some Justice in every ones beliefs.
Taste is above art for without the
power of appreciation there would be
no art. Flowers are the art of the AL
mighty made first for the sake of the
plant, and then for humanity.
They touch the eSthetic faculties of
man, waken them to harmony and
bring forth beauty where it never grew
before
One feature of such growth is the
garnering of varieties, each with its
good points and bad points, its beauties
in coloring texture and manner OF
growth.
These differences are shown in all
flowers, but particularly in those fam
lilies with which the hand of man has
experimental. From such experimental
ton have come flowers never brought
forth by Nature, but merely indicated
by her as possibilities. HybridizerS have
been quick to see these possibilities,
have spent ceaseless effort to bring
them forth. have succeeded often be-
yond their own expectations, certainly
beyond the knowledge of those to whom
a flower Is just flower.
There are thousands of rose varie-
ties upon the market, many of them
splendid, many indifferently good-or
bad-some not so much so, others even
less.
There are roses which will throw a
few fine specimen blooms, but are no
good for month-in- land. month-out en-
joyment.
There are some which do well in
certain sections of the country, but
are not so gOOQ IN OCneTS. iHeTe are
climbers which are subject to mildew,
and others quite resistant to this null
Sance.
There are bush roses eve use this
term to indicate the hybrid perpetuals,
the hybrid teas, etc. which are sturdy
and there are bush roses, which will not
do well in the average garden with the
average care which the average home
gardener will give them.
Some roses do fine in the dollhouse,
and will grow fairly well outdoors, but
the amateur must never expect to get
as splendid flowers as he sees in the
forests window.
An example of this latter rose Is the
much-praised Souvenir de Claudius
Pernet. Even the growers are admitting
now that this fine rose, as wonderful as
it is for the professional, is not the best
in the world for the ordinary home
garden.
Seldom will the amateur grow this
sunfiower- yellow rose with the proper
deep color, and not often will the
blooms grown in the open air have that
"water-lily look" which makes those
professionally grown things of exquisite
beauty.
X X
There is little doubt that the two best
bush roses for the amateur are Radiance