3 JUNE 1949, Page 15

In the Garden Great flower-shows, such as Chelsea, may make

humble gardeners despair, so resplendent are some of the novelties ; but, after all, species are often better than hybrids—as in tulips and blue poppies or even irises—and new plants have yet to prove themselves as "good doers." How many widely bruited roses—such as Juliet—have proved almost worthless ; and some of the oldest sorts remain unchallenged. For instance, the very first of the Teas, the old Sat, sweet Gloire de Dijon, has few, if any rivals in some positions. One regrets the disappearance of some of the old cabbage types, while acknowledging that Dame Edith Helen has all the best cabbage qualities, a hundred petals and the sweetest scent. Perhaps the greatest advance has been in yellows, for example, two