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WHMIY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8,1990, PAGE 17 Queen of the flowers was once king Rose gardens are a favorite of gardeners in many countries around the globe. The World Federation of Rose Societies meets regularly evesy three years, the next (and ninth) conference scheduled- for a full week begirming JuIy next year in Belfast, Northern reland. At the- last conference, in Sydney, Australia, in 1988, some 15 Canadians attended, including Ethyl Freeman of Toronto, who is a vice president. Roses are known in bistory as far back as the year 3000 B.C. when the Egyptians planted them in gardens around their palaces. The- Greeks, too, adored the rose and called it « king of flowers?. It is they who tell the story about j Eros, God of' Love, Who, once while adniiring the fragrance of a rose, was stung by abee which he did not know was at work at the interior of the flower. Apparently Eros becanie so, angry that he punished the rose bush by shooting a number-of arrows from bis bow, through its stems, and these arrows forever became the rose bush's thorns. The rose is connected with Man of the famous. For exaznple, it is said that Cleopatra used rose her plc.AdCnuisi supposed te have had at least 600 books on the culture of rose bushes. k t is- said that emperor Nero spent the current equivalent of over $5000 on roses for one banquet. It was apparently bis desire te have rose petals fal from the ceiing like rain. It was later reported that a few of the gueste were unlucky - they were smothered as a resuit of the weight of the fafing petals. A modemn-day, almost-fatal event is said te have. been prophesied by Nostradamnus. In the l6th century he wrote, 'When the rose blooms in France, there will be blood in the Vatican." Just three- days before Pope -John Paul was shot, France elected a new president, Francois Mitterand, whose Socialist party symbol is a red rose. It is believed that the world's oldest living rose is 1,000 years old, and grows on the wall of the cathedral iniHildesheim (just south of Hlanover), Germany. According te reports received by the Canadian Garden Couneil, it stili blooms every year. The Americans lay dlaim te the largest rose bush in the world, but ies not in Texas. It was brought te the U.S. fromn Scotland as a young plant in 1885. It still grows in Mirs. Burlin Devore' garden located in Tombstone, Arizona. The diameter of its stem now exceeds 15 cm (6 in.). Its branching head covers an area large enough te shelter some 150 people from a sudden rein shower. Now that's a big rose bush by anyone's standards. One of the items which rose hybridizers are working bard at including in their new cultivars being introduced is a stron ger perfume. A new classification of roses now becoming popular in England is the English garden rose -- aIl of which have large flowers produced tbroughout the season, and with an excellent fragrance. TÉwo examples for wbich you may wish te, look at are 'St. Cecilia; a delightful Iight pink, and 'Graham Stuart Thomas,' a bright yellow. Sumnier-flowering bulbs deserve 10 be better known in this country because they are as interesting as any of the anmais, perennials and flowering shrubs favoured by Canadian gardeners. Eucomis is called the pineapple plant due Io the luit of Up Io 20 green, leafy bracts ai the top of ils stem. fi flowers in laie summer or ear!y flu and can be a conversation piece in most an>' garden. Photo courtes>'. lJnernationaal Bloembollen Centrum. Hillegom, Holland. Landscapin -siLmpier is usually better i lu arteicle *roided by loeal realtors A r Ont...4 Real Est ate Association (OREA) for tihe benefit of coeisume,? un tise ,eal estate lnoe*et. Stately trees, well-pruned shrubs and flowering bushes are effective landscaping tools that can greatly enbance the appearance and value of any home. In addition te providing a decorative teuch, they also fulfil functional purposes by providing shade and privacy. Landscaping can be as complex or as simple as you wish, but .impler is generally better. A wZi-lansaped property doesn't always require a great deal of maintenance., The aniount of upkeep depends on the types of materials you use. For instance, gravel and wood chips are very popular mulch materials because tbey help keep the weeds at bay adprovide an attractive "floor" for shrub beds. Talk te your local gardening centre or a landscaping professional te, see what types of plants and trees would be best for your soil type and needs. You may also want te consult a landacape arcbitect and landscaping contractors, depending on the size of your job. There are also many resource books available 'n booksteres and libraries that you may want to consult. The photographs in these books prsent many innovative ideas tht ma'; be just right for your particular situation. You should also take photographs of landscaping that you like and clip any helpful articles and pictures from newspapers for future reference. Realize, too, that you don~t bave te landscape the entire property at once; it can be done in stages over tbe course of a few years. But no matter how big or smnall your particular project might be, take the time te, plan it effectively before going off on a buying spree at your local garden centre. Before putting your plans te paper, take a walk around your property several times and observe it fr-om different angles. Decide what areas you want tn bigblight and what types of thinge you want te, camouflage. For instance, you may want te enhance your--patio or sun-deck, butyou may want te conceal your house foundations with some extra greenery. You may alse want te compensate for a sloping yard by installing some terracing. You should also check your property for drainage. Ideally, your yard should slope away from your house; there should be two or tbree feet of fali for every 100 SEE PAGE 21 DISCO VER SATISFACTION DO UT YOURSELF3 LANDSCAPE PLANS Bring un: " Colour photo of home " Measurements of area, Gr plus windows, doors & housec " Plants you enjoy 1H Leave this inforiation with us and welIl draw your landscape then we'l li oiOU up and make arrangements to go through your plan step by step Plus 20%/ Off Reg. 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