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Expert Opinions: Cleveland

If any of our readers have the opportunity to visit Portland, Oregon, certainly one of the sights of that city of wonderful promise is the municipal rose-garden. It is larger, perhaps, than that of Hartford, -a sunken garden with rose- Municipal Rose-garden, Cleveland, Ohio. One year old covered terraces; a fountain-centered system of walks and a large amount of growth; and, as nearly every rose-lover knows, a gratifyingly long season of bloom. It is, we believe, true of Portland, as of no other city, that the commercial men have long realized the value of the rose and its exploitation as an indirect, though very definite means of spreading, world-wide, the fame of that rose-favored corner of the earth. This is a reason why there is enthusiasm in Portland back of the conception to establish in another part of the city another municipal rose-garden that shall outclass any other in America. And why should Portland not do so? The author would enjoy telling his readers much more about the magnificent hedges of roses in Portland; of the great annual rosefestivals, with electrical displays; of many different parades; of automobiles; of the Royal Rosarians and their Queen of the Roses with her attendants, -all doing homage to the rose. In 1915, at Cleveland, Ohio, for the first time there appeared on display a most creditable municipal rose-garden, its success being due in large measure, doubtless, to the able hand of their superintendent of parks. No climbing roses surrounded it when the author enjoyed its rich June bloom, but the varieties had been well chosen for that locality, and arranged in good taste. All were bush roses and were grouped in beds, with an arrangement of walks making the annually recurring display easily accessible to large numbers of people. Time and growth, with the good care it is sure to get, will furnish the softening and enriching effect that only age can supply. It is a splendid beginning, and such as one would expect of Cleveland.

And so, in sequence, might be mentioned a few other cities whose activities along this line have come to the attention of the author.

Syracuse, N. Y., has now the beginning of a most creditable municipal rose-garden, the result of a demand made by the citizens, promoted by an energetic rose society and its indefatigable president, Rev. E. M. Mills, D.D. Long life to him!

Now, too, we are happy to report the establishment of a real rose-garden in the Bronx Park system of New York City. The New York Horticultural Society and affiliated organizations have carried out creditably a rose-planting that promises to rejoice the hearts of countless thousands of people. Let us all hope that it may prove easily accessible to those who most need the inspiration and pleasure which such a garden is so well calculated to furnish.