A recent message said the Australians may be interested in the pictures of ‘Ruby Ring’. I certainly was but now cannot find that particular message and so I have responded by putting in a new, but rather long, message. ‘Ruby Ring’ was bred in 1915 and not 1926. It got to England, France, New Zealand and America. Only the 1933 reference hints at, but then discounts, it being of gigantea blood.
Patricia

RUBY RING
Crimson, white centre. Wich Rambler.
1915 Alister Clark, Vic.


1915. G. Brunning & Sons, St. Kilda Nurseries plant catalogue. (from Pat Toolan, via Billy, Apr 2004)
p90 Ruby Ring (Wichuriana). (Description by the raiser, Alister Clark, Esq.). A vigorous climbing rose, suitable for a pillar or hedge. It flowers in elegant sprays, and is very decorative. The centre is white with a well-defined ruby edge. No rose lasts longer in a cut state, and for house decoration or florists work it is sure to please. We can confirm this description from flowers seen by us from Mr. Clark.

1918 The Gardening Bulletin SA (photocopy from Pat Toolan)
p26 ....already well and favorably known by the rose-growers of Australia.
p68 ....and Ruby Ring, one of the loveliest of the rambler class.
p81 Ruby Ring. A very lovely variety, bearing large sprays of bright, rich, crimson flowers with a distinct white centre. This variety was raised by Mr. Alister Clark, of Victoria, and is one of the most beautiful ramblers available.

1918. E.A. Lasscock’s Nursery, Adelaide S. Aust. (photocopy from BW Jan 24, 06)
p27. Ruby Ring – A vigorous climbing rose, suitable for a pillar or hedge; it flowers in elegant sprays, and is very decorative; the centre is white, with a well-defined ruby edge; one of the prettiest and best roses of recent introduction.

1919. December 1. The Gardening Bulletin, SA (photocopy from Pat Toolan)
p41 Ruby Ring. This dainty little rambler, another rose from Glenara, is particularly good, bearing excellent clusters of ruby flowers with a distinct white eye.

1918 May 20. The Gardening Bulletin SA (photocopy from Pat Toolan) [repeated in May 1, 1921 & May 1, 1922]
p102 Ruby Ring. Single flowers of a deep ruby shade, with pure white centers. Very striking and beautiful.
1920. R. G. Elliott “The Australasian Rose Book”
p158 Ruby Ring. Wichuraiana. White, ruby edged. Vigorous Pillar Rose, flowers in beautiful sprays. Alister Clark (Victoria)
p170. For pillar or fence. Vigorous Climber; flowers in fine sprays.

1922. Hazlewood Bros. P/L Catalogue 1922 (photocopy from BW)
p48 What Not to Grow (list recommended to be discarded by Interstate Conference of Seedsmen and Nurserymen. Held in Sydnery, November 1921) .....and Ruby Ring.

1922. E.A. Lasscock’s Nursery, Adelaide S. Aust. (photocopy from BW Jan 24, 06)
p28. Ruby Ring – A vigorous climbing rose, suitable for a pillar or hedge, it flowers in elegant sprays and is very decorative; the centre is white, with a well-defined ruby edge; one of the prettiest and best roses of recent introduction. Wichuraiana.

1926 The Rose Annual, UK
p174 Mrs. Barbara Douglas, Omaru, New Zealand. Notes on Roses Raised in Australia and New Zealand. ....and Ruby Ring are all attractive climbing or pillar roses.

1927 The Rose Annual, UK
p142 Edward A. Jefferies, Cirencester. Some Australian Raised Roses in England. Ruby Ring is another distinct and vigorous climbing variety. The blooms in this case are single and about the size of American Pillar, each bloom being of perfect circular form. The centre of the flower is white, with a well-defined ruby ring surrounding it. The blooms are produced on elegant sprays and I find this a most attractive variety. The foliage rather points to wichuraiana parentage.
p161 Roses in the Adelaide Botanic Garden. J. F. Bailey, Curator. The climbers are on tripods and are a feature during late October and throughout November. It is then that the ramblers .....and Ruby Ring are to be seen displaying a wealth of bloom.

1928 Australian Rose Annual
p110 T. A. Stewart. Of course I visited Bagatelle on the Bois de Bologne, Paris – that Mecca of all rosarians and spent the morning under the guidance of M. Georges Steinbach who spared no pains to explain the methods of conducting the tests and making the awards, and also took great interest in showing the Australian roses sent by Mr. Alister Clark, and which in comparison with other roses appeared to be doing remarkably well and to be quite at home. Among the varieties at Bagatelle I noticed .... and Ruby Ring.

1931 Australian Rose Annual
p52 The Editor. (T. A. Stewart) Roses of Australia. Ruby Ring (Wich), Alister Clark, Vic. – A vigorous climbing Rose, suitable for a pillar or hedge. It flowers in elegant sprays and is very decorative. The centre is white, with a well defined ruby edge.

1933 Australian Rose Annual
p41 J. Dupeyrat. Australian Roses in France. Only once at the International Competition of Bagatelle in 1926 have some of them been shown. That year five new varieties raised by Mr. Alister Clark were sent to Paris at his order by Messrs. Jefferies and Sons, nurserymen at Cirencester, England, to be studied and observed. They were Black Boy, Cracker, Gwen Nash, Queen of Hearts and Ruby Ring. The committee experienced a lively surprise and showed them a little out of place, seeing they were qualified hybrids of Gigantea. These varieties, although arriving in a season already advanced and planted late, not having had time then to develop flowers naturally, had, nevertheless, grown sufficiently that it was easy to see they did not show any of the characteristics of the Gigantea. I hastened to indicate to my colleages that an error of labelling must have been made, because, if I knew little then of Cracker, Queen of Hearts and Ruby Ring, I knew at least that Black Boy and Gwen Nash were hybrids of the tea Rose. I was later confirmed in this opinion by Mr. Clark himself, who, indeed, took the trouble of writing to me to show the exact crosses of the Roses concerned. Unfortunately, his letter, dated May, 1927, only reached me after the new reunion of the committee, held in June. It was not then possible for me to consider it at a useful time, and the next year the Roses of Mr. Clark did not exist, as they had perished during the winter.
.....my excellent friend, M. Turbat, a prominent nurseryman of Orleans .....in the same way, multiplied Ruby Ring .....but nearly all have disappeared from his nurseries, or at least from his catalogue, through lack of demand from buyers.

1933 G. A. Stevens Climbing Roses. 1933.
P212 Ruby Ring. A. Clark, 1915. Attractive wichuraiana with large clusters of single white flowers deeply edged with glowing red.

1994 The Rose Breeder Australian Rose Breeder’s Association newsletter Vol 3, No. 4.
p15 Ruby Ring. Wich. 1915. Alister Clark.

1999. Brent C. Dickerson “The Old Rose Adventurer” 1999
p322. Ruby Ring. A. Clark. 1926.
2007 Brent C. Dickerson Old Roses: The Master List 2nd edition
p582. Ruby Ring. (A. Clark, 1915). W. White center, red edges.

2003 Charles Quest-Ritson Climbing Roses of the World.
p185 The Wichurana Hybrids. Clark, 1915. The name is apt; ‘Ruby Ring’ has flowers which open out to reveal a big white centre and a narrow edging of deep, unfading crimson or ruby. The lightly scented flowers are small or medium sized (4.5 – 5.0 cm), single, and borne in long slender clusters of five to fifteen. The leaves are shiny like the Wichuranas, but the thick and upright growth is more reminiscent of the Multifloras. It grows to 2.0 – 2.5 m.