There is not a sweeter or more beautiful plant, in its native fields,
than the common Wild Rose of our meadows. It flowers early in June,
clustering in all wild pastures and in all neglected fields, forming
beautiful spontaneous hedge-rows by the sides of fences, and groups and
beds of shrubbery in all wild lands. The Swamp Rose varies in height,
according to the quality of the soil it occupies. I have seen it from
four to five feet in height on the alluvial borders of streams, while in
uplands it seldom exceeds two feet. This shrub has a fine glossy pinnate
foliage, and flowers of a deep crimson, somewhat larger than those of
the sweetbrier. Occasionally a variety is seen with white flowers. The
Wild Rose is very common near footpaths through the fields, forming
natural clumps, often extending into the enclosures of some rustic
cottage. In winter it is easily recognized by the fine purple hue of its
smaller branches.
But this shrub finds no favor except from the lovers of nature. I have
seen men employed in “grubbing up” the Wild Rose-bushes that skirted the
lanes extending from their enclosures to an adjoining wood. A similar
vandalism causes them to whitewash their stone-walls and the trunks of
shade-trees, as if beauty consisted in a gloss of art spread over all
the works of nature. If we were to carry out the idea of these
improvers, we should destroy every wilding in the borders of our fields,
and plant florists’ flowers in spots of spaded earth cut out of the
turf. It is fashion alone that causes the florists’ roses to be admired
more than the wild roses of the fields and brooksides. They are, it is
true, more splendid and full. But who would be pleased to find these
petted favorites of gardeners in the rustic lane or the solitary
wood-path? Let them continue to be admired in the parterre; but let not
our admiration of their artificial beauty cause us to neglect or despise
the simple denizens of the field and forest.