(15 Sep 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part I, p. 12.  
 
The Ayrshire Roses, amongst the most popular of our climbing Roses, originated from Rosa arvensis . Among them are Queen of the Belgians , Alice Gray , Dundee Rambler, and many others very generally grown for wreathing arches and pillars and covering walls. They are not only beautiful, but have the additional advantages of being absolutely hardy, and at the same time the strongest growing and most floriferous of all our garden Roses.

(15 Sep 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part I, pp. 15-17.  
 
4— THE AYRSHIRE ROSES
Although the Ayrshire Roses have occupied a prominent place in our gardens for more than a hundred years, they still enjoy so much favour that some account of their history may be of interest. This history has not been easy to trace, for unfortunately the present representatives of the two Scotch firms, Brown of Perth and Austin of Glasgow, which played an important part in Rose raising and growing in Scotland early in the last century, are not able to throw any light upon the subject, and there seem to be no documents relating to the work of these enthusiastic and enlightened florists. Loudon in his Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum gives “ Rosa arvensis Ayrshirea” as having been introduced from America in 1818, but he adds a mark of doubt, and in volume viii. of the Floricultural Cabinet  two double forms of Rosa arvensis Huds. are said to be cultivated in Germany. These are hybrids, according to the Annals of the Horticultural Society of 1845.
An interesting account of the Ayrshire Rose by Mr. Patrick Neill, Secretary of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, appeared in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal in 1820.¹ He says that, for a number of years past, a very rampant climbing Rose-bush has been cultivated in Scotland under the name of the Ayrshire Rose. From this it would appear that the Rose was already established in Scotland before 1818. In 1817 John Goldie, son-in-law of Mr. Smith who founded a nursery-garden at Monkwood Grove in Ayrshire about 1821, went to America and remained there for three years in search of plants wherewith to stock the new nursery. The Gardeners Magazine for 1831 contains a list of some of the plants cultivated in this nursery; among these occur Rosa arvensis v. foliis variegatis and v. fl. pleno. In 1828 Daniel Stewart exhibited at Dundee a seedling Rose named Craighall Climbing Rose. The description of this Rose says that “to the rambling habit of the Ayrshire it adds the beauty of some of the double white varieties.”
In view of all this evidence of the tolerably widespread existence of the Ayrshire Rose in Scotland at this period, it is strange to read in the Botanical Magazine in 1819² that Sir Joseph Banks had made the strictest inquiries and had been unable to discover that the Rose had ever been heard of either there or in any part of Scotland. The figure is stated to have been made from a plant growing in Sir Joseph’s garden at Spring Grove, but nothing is said as to the origin of this plant. Now the Rose figured is Rosa arvensis with leaflets dark green above, paler and slightly glaucous below, stipules narrow, flat, edged with glands and having a red band down the middle. It is difficult to realise how this oversight could have arisen, for the true Ayrshire Rose was certainly growing at Spring Grove at that time, the plants having come from Ronald’s Nursery at Brentford in 1811.
And now, having gathered together all the early references to the Ayrshire Rose which it has been possible to find, we will quote Mr. Neill’s own account of its introduction into Scotland, as given in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal referred to above: [see original text]
Shortly after the publication of this account, Mr. Sabine read before the Horticultural Society a paper in which he discussed at length the history of the Ayrshire Rose. In this paper he examines in detail the description of the Rose, pointing out how it differs from Rosa arvensis and Rosa sempervirens L., the two Roses to which it bears the greatest resemblance. He reviews all the information available and quotes a letter from Smith of Monkwood Grove in which the writer states that he perfectly well remembers the Rose growing in 1776 at Orangefield, where it had been planted by one John Penn, a Yorkshireman living in Ayr, and much interested in gardening. Penn had found it growing in a garden in Yorkshire and was told that it had come originally from Germany. The best authenticated version is, however, that given by Neill, and as it is corroborated by persons living at the time who would be likely to know, it may safely be assumed that the Ayrshire Rose originated at Loudoun Castle. Mr. Sabine was inclined to this opinion. Supposing the seed to have come from Canada or Nova Scotia, it might still be of garden origin, and so the fact that neither Rosa arvensis nor Rosa sempervirens is indigenous to North America would not influence the case.

¹ Vol. ii. art. xvii. p. 102.
² Vol. xlvi. t. 2054.

(14 Dec 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part IV, p. 72.  
 
Baltimore Belle is also one of the best known of its [Rosa setigera's] hybrids. The pollen parent of this Rose is probably a Noisette Rose, which would account for the delicacy and beauty of its flowers. It may be grown either as a standard or a trellis Rose.

(15 Sep 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part I, p. 15.  
 
In 828 Daniel Stewart exhibited at Dundee a seedling Rose named Craighall Climbing Rose. The description of this Rose says that “to the rambling habit of the Ayrshire it adds the beauty of some of the double white varieties.”

(14 Jan 1911)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part V, p. 80.  
 
There is no more beautiful Rose in this section than Cramoisie Superieure, which combines all the qualities of the China Roses with a rich and glowing shade of red. It was raised in 1832 by Coquereau, an amateur living near Angers, and came into the hands of Vibert, who distributed it in 1835. It has transmitted its beautiful colour to many hybrids, all of which possess the great advantage of keeping their colour unchanged even in fallen petals or withered flowers.

(19 Oct 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part II, p. 31-32.  
 
8— ROSA POLYANTHA var. Hort.
(ROSA MULTIFLORA x CHINENSIS)
CRIMSON RAMBLER
Rosa polyantha var. : caulibus elongatis, viridibus, lucidis, sarmentosis; aculeis magnitudine mediocribus, sparsis, aequalibus, falcatis ; foliolis 7, oblongis, acutis, magnitudine mediocribus, simpliciter dentatis, facie viridibus, glabris, dorso pubescentibus ; rhachi pubescente, aciculis paucis, falcatis ; stipulis non usque ad basim fimbriatis, apicibus liberis, parvis, ovatis; floribus multis, in paniculam corymbosam dispositis ; pedicellis elongatis, glandulosis; bracteis minutis ; calycis tubo parvo, turbinato, glabro ; lobis ovatis, simplicibus, dorso glandulosis ; petalis permultis, parvis, kermesinis.
Stems long, green, shining, sarmentose ; prickles moderately large, scattered, equal, falcate. Leaflets usually 7, oblong, acute, middle-sized, simply toothed, green and glabrous above, paler and pubescent beneath ; petioles pubescent, with a few hooked aciculi ; stipules broader than in R. multiflora, not fimbriated to the base ; free tips small, ovate. Flowers many, in a corymbose panicle ; pedicels long, glandular; bracts minute. Calyx-tube small, turbinate, glabrous; lobes ovate, simple, not leaf-pointed, glandular on the back. Petals very numerous, small, bright crimson.
Of the origin of this Rose nothing is known. The first record is to be found in the Journal des Roses of 1886, when M. Takasima published a series of notes upon the Japanese Roses, accompanied by coloured drawings. Plate 5, which he refers to Rosa platyphylla figured by Redoute,¹ has every appearance of being the Crimson Rambler. The inflorescence and the flower are faithfully drawn and leave no doubt as to their identity, but the leaves seem to have been added as an afterthought, as there is no trace of the ciliated stipules which are such a constant character in all multiftora Roses and their hybrids. The next notice of it appeared in the Gardeners Chronicle ,² where the story of its introduction into this country is given at length. The original plant was sent from Japan to Mr. Jenner in 1878 by Professor R. Smith, Professor of Engineering at Tokio, and Mr. Jenner very appropriately named it “The Engineer.” Mr. Jenner subsequently gave the Rose to J. Gilbert, a nurseryman of Lincoln, who exhibited some cut blooms in London on July 8, 1890, and received an Award of Merit from the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society. Soon after Gilbert sold the stock of the Engineer Rose for a small sum to Messrs. Turner of Slough, who changed its name to ‘‘Crimson Rambler ” and put it upon the market. It soon found favour, and is now widely grown not only in England but all over the continent and the northern United States. Among its many claims to popularity are its extreme hardiness, the facility with which it may be propagated and the readiness with which it accommodates itself to all conditions. It is well, however, to avoid planting it against a wall which is much exposed to the sun, for in such positions it is apt, like most other Roses, to be attacked by thrips and mildew, and moreover its colour is less brilliant than when grown in the open or against a north wall. Care should also be taken to choose a suitable position away from other Roses, for its glowing brilliant colouring will clash with any but white flowers. When it can be planted in a green glade, or against a background of shrubs, or in an open place on grass, nothing can be more beautiful than a group of Crimson Rambler seen under these conditions. Although not a perpetual bloomer, its flowering season is often prolonged to four or five weeks, and the individual flowers last well owing to the substance of their petals. There is no Rose which produces flowers in such profusion ; a single plant, when well established, will easily give 6,000 flowers. It has been the parent of many hybrids, and each season the number is largely increased.
¹ Roses , vol. ii. p. 69 (1821).
² Ser. 3, vol. xvi. p. 249 (1894).
 

(15 Sep 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part I, p. 12.  
 
The Ayrshire Roses, amongst the most popular of our climbing Roses, originated from Rosa arvensis . Among them are Queen of the Belgians , Alice Gray , Dundee Rambler, and many others very generally grown for wreathing arches and pillars and covering walls. They are not only beautiful, but have the additional advantages of being absolutely hardy, and at the same time the strongest growing and most floriferous of all our garden Roses.

(14 Jan 1911)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part V, p. 80.  
 
The curious Green Rose belongs to this section. It is in no way beautiful, but is remarkable from having all its floral organs transformed into leaves.

(14 Dec 1910)  Page(s) Vol. 1, Part IV, p. 60.  
 
Among the most notable of them [Wichuraiana hybrids] is Jersey Beauty , raised in New Jersey by Manda in 1899, with almost persistent foliage and large, single flowers, which in the bud state are pale chrome in colour and change to cream white in the expanded flower. 

(14 Jan 1911)  Page(s) Part V, p. 81.  Includes photo(s).
 
Rosa chinensis. ...
The variety known as Miss Willmott's indica (see accompanying plate) is a garden form