Book  (1832)  Page(s) tab 152.  Includes photo(s).
 
Lee's Light Blush Rose. Rosa alba var. Leeana.
Stem stout, spreading, much branched: branches spreading or erect, of a pale glaucous green, sometimes slightly tinged with red, thinly clothed with weak, straight, red prickles, or on the larger branches with stronger recurved ones. Leaves producing from two to three pair of leaflets, terminated by an odd one, of a pale green, or slightly glaucescent on the upper side, slightly hairy: underneath hoary, and densely pubescent: leaflets oval, bluntish, but terminated by a short sharp point, sharply serrate, and fringed, terminal one on a long footstalk, the side ones on very short ones. Petioles thickly clothed with pedicelled brown glands, slightly furrowed on the upper side, and rounded below. Stipules attached to the base of the footstalks a long way up, the points free, lanceolate, taper-pointed, fringed with pedicellated glands. Flowers in bunches of three or four, of a pale blush, the outer petals white, darker towards the centre, very double, and handsomely formed. Peduncles glaucescent, clothed with pedicellated glands. Tube of the calyx nearly smooth, or thinly glandular at the base, slightly pubescent, narrow at the base and thickening upwards, so as to form a reversed cone: segments 5, ovate, tapering to a long slender point, entire or producing a few segments on each side, thickly covered with glands on the back and margins, densely woolly on the inside, keeled and pubescent at the back, spreading when in bloom, afterwards reflexed. Petals numerous, in several series; obovate, outer ones very broad, obcordate, white, or tinged with blush, darker towards the centre.

We are informed that the present handsome Rose was first raised by Mr. Lee, of the Hammersmith Nursery; it appears to be a true double variety of R. alba; and being so distinct from most of the other varieties, it deserves to be in general cultivation, particularly as it is so very double, and of an elegant form, producing an abundance of flowers in succession for a considerable time.
Our drawing was taken in June last, from a plant that had been budded standard height, at the Nursery of Messrs. Whitley, Brames, and Milne, at Fulham, where it made a grand appearance, when covered with its large and delicate flowers.
By working the various species and varieties of Roses standard height, is an advantage in one respect, as the stems are clean and free from branches if well managed, so that they can be seen to advantage, as well as being able to pass amongst them, without being in so much danger of being torn by their prickles; but at the same time we lose much of the natural character of the plant, which, in our opinion, may be considered of some importance.
The present, as well as most of the other species of this genus, may be readily increased by layers, or by budding on the stocks of the common hedge Roses, and will thrive well in any rich light soil: some people recommend the R. indica, or common China Rose, as the best stock for budding on, as it is of free growth, and an abundant bloomer, which is considered to have some effect on the sort that may be worked on it.