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The Gardeners' Chronicle
p. 775 Nov. 4, 1843
Rosa Hardii. Mr. Hardy's Rose (Hardy Shrub) Rosaceae Icosandria. Polygynia. This plant is a hybrid, raised between Rosa berberifolia and R. involucrata by Mr. Hardy, gardener at the Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, and it has been named after its originator. It is much superior to R. berberifolia, and is decidedly a very ornamental Rose, on account of its large and deep yellow or pale orange-coloured flowers, which have a rich brownish or dark sanguine blotch at the base of each petal. Its pleasing foliage is likewise a recommendation, being in itself pretty, and so different from that of other Roses. It is one of those delicate-rooted things which require some care in their management; though the chief difficulties are overcome when the soil is rendered of a proper nature and texture, and the drainage is complete. It is said to thrive best in heath-mould; but there are serious mistakes current respecting the kind of heath-soil which is used for fine-rooted plants. That black, fibreless, close, and sandy bog-earth which is often employed, is the very worst of all soils for any plant that is tender. A very open, fibrous moor-soil, however, of a brown colour, and almost free from sand, is unquestionably suitable for such species as this; though a little light loam or leaf mould should be mingled with it. With such a compost, well drained, the plant will not fail either in a pot or the open border. It is extremely sensitive to wet, and especial caution should be exercised in preserving it from undue dampness. Treated in this way, if the shoots arc pegged down in winter, it will form a fine spreading bush, and may be increased either by layers or cuttings. The latter strike freely in spring, if managed like those of the China Roses. It is quite hardy on a well-drained border.—Paxton's Magazine of Botany.
p. 789 Nov. 11, 1843
Rosa Hardii.—I should be glad to know the real history of this plant. I have for some time been endeavouring to discover if any rule can be found for the estimation of the probable effect of the male parent on the appearance of hybrid plants. In certain tribes the male type is very strongly developed in the progeny, but there are others on which I have been able to form no decided opinions. As soon as I saw the notice of Rosa Hardii in Paxton, for October, I became very desirous to know more of the history of a hybrid in which the type of one of the parents was so remarkably predominant; the statement in Paxton that it was a hybrid between R. berberifolia and R. involucrata, was about as unsatisfactory and indefinite as could well be imagined. In the first place, it took no notice of the relative sexes of the reputed parents; and, in the second, it does not present the smallest resemblance to R. involucrata. I accordingly searched further, and in "Gore's Rose Fanciers Manual," 1838, I found "Rosa Hardii berberifolia obtained this year, by the accidental impregnation of that remarkable plant, the Rosa simplicifolia, or R. monophylla (Lowea berberifolia, Lindl.), by R. microphylla growing near it." Now this was a much more probable pedigree for the plant if the leaves only were to be considered, but when I observe that the flower is of quite as deep a colour as berberifolia itself, the question arises, how can this be—how can a mixture of a pink Rose with a yellow one produce another yellow without a trace of pink in it? Besides, there is another difficulty in the way; berberifolia is a single Rose, microphylla a very double one: is it, therefore, likely that the pollen produced by the hundreds of anthers of the flower producing the seed, should have failed to effect that which is reputed to have been done by the scanty pollen of the other? Persons who pay attention to the raising of hybrids well know the great care required to prevent any portion of the pollen of the female plant from touching the stigma, because they have found by experience that in general the contact of the smallest portion of the proper pollen renders all their attempts abortive. All that appears certain about the plant in question is, that it was raised from seed of R. berberifolia; I am, therefore, inclined to think that it is no hybrid at all, but merely a seminal variety; at the same time, I should like to know if there is any other account of it than those I have mentioned, because, hybrid or not, it is doubtless a very remarkable plant.—J. C. B. [We have always understood that one of its parents was R. clinophylla.]
p. 822 Nov. 24, 1843
Rosa Hardii.—The account of the origin of this plant which was given in "Paxton's Magazine of Botany," was supplied by a friend from Rivers's "Rose Amateurs' Guide," for 1840, p. 161. It is there said "Rosa Hardii, or Rosa berberifolia Hardii, is a most interesting Rose, lately raised from seed by Monsieur Hardy, of the Luxembourg Gardens, from Rosa involucrata, a variety of R. bracteata, fertilized with that unique Rose, R. berberifolia, or the single Yellow Persian Rose." I presume the work in question may be regarded as an authority.—E. K.
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