Rosa Semperflorens

We are induced to consider the rose here represented, as one of the most desirable plants in point of ornament ever introduced to this country, its flowers, large in proportion to the plant, are semi double, and with great richness of colour unite a most delightful fragrance, they blossom during the whole of the year, more sparingly indeed in the winter months, the shrub itself is more hardy than most greenhouse plants, and will grow in so small a compass of earth, that it may be reared almost in a coffee cup, is kept with the least possible trouble, and propagated without difficulty by cuttings or suckers.

For this invaluable acquisition, our country is indebted to the late Gilbert Slater, Esq. of Knots Green, near Laytonstone, whose untimely death every person must deplore, who is a friend to improvements in ornamental gardening in procuring the rarer plants from abroad, more particularly from the East Indies, Mr. Slater was indefatigable, nor was he less anxious to have them in the greatest perfection this country will admit, to gain this point there was no contrivance that ingenuity could suggest, no labour, no expence withheld, such exertions must soon have insured him the first collection of the plants of India it is now about three years since he obtained this rose from China, as he readily imparted his most valuable acquisitions to those who were most likely to increase them, this plant soon became conspicuous in the collections of the principal Nurserymen near town, and in the course of a few years will, no doubt, decorate the window of every amateur.The largest plants we have seen have not exceeded three feet, it may no doubt be trained to a much greater height, a variety of it much more robust, having usually several flowers on a footstalk, of a pale red colour, and semi double also, has more lately been introduced, and as far as we can learn from the same source.