The wichuriana [wichuraiana] roses (Rosa wichuriana hybrids)

Chapter 1 (extract 5) of "Roses for English gardens by Jekyll and Mawley, in which Miss Jekyll extols the ground-covering propensities of the wichuriana hybrids.

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The Himalayan free Roses have been mentioned first because it is from them, and from multiflora especially, that the most important of our newer garden Roses of the rambling, cluster-blooming kinds have been derived. But before coming to some of the older garden Roses, mention must be made of the Japanese R. wichuriana [see note below on spelling] and its hybrids.

This species has introduced to our gardens Roses of quite an unusual way of growth. They grow fast and are of rambling habit, and though they may be trained to pillar shape, their favourite way is to trail upon the ground, downward as often as not, and to ramble downhill over banks and uneven ground ; so that in our gardens we may now have quite a new aspect of Rose beauty. They hybridise freely, and already we have many beautiful flowers twice the size of the type, more freeblooming, of various tender colourings and charming fragrance. A well - devised cross with Perle des Jardins (T.) has given us two lovely Roses, Jersey Beauty and Gardenia, of dainty yellow colouring; while Evergreen Gem, whose pollen parent was the pale yellow Tea Madame Hoste, is quite a large flower and deliciously scented. Many a garden has uninteresting turf banks between two levels. Here is one of the most obvious places to use these charming Roses, which are beautiful not only for their blossom, but for the close growth of their neat glossy foliage.

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LIST:

• R. wichuriana — single, white.

Hybrids—

• Gardenia; yellow-white.
• Jersey Beauty; single, pale yellow.
• Alberic Barbier; cream-white.
• Manda's Triumph; double, white.

NOTE: In Miss Jekyll's book the name of this rose is misspelled. As it is named after the German botanist Max Ernst Wichura (1817-66) who was in Japan 1859-1861 it should be "R. wichuraiana".

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See also:

New Roses of the late Victorian era

Turner's Crimson rambler

Multiflora roses

Dwarf polyantha roses (Pompom roses)

The rugosa roses (Rosa rugosa)

Some new tea roses and species roses for gardens

Sweet Briars (Rosa rubiginosa) and the Penzance hybrids