My Lady

In this post in January, I promised you that I would show you why the Lady Banks Rose is worth all of the cleaning up after. Here she is, in early bloom. Just wait till she is in her full glory!


Here we have it just three days later! March 28, 2009



The view from above. I took our window screenn off to take this one and can't get it back in. I feel sorry for poor Mark. I just go around making jobs for him.

The blossoms occur in clusters.

The largest, fully bloomed flowers are probably 1 to 1 1/4 inches. When the entire plant is in bloom it has the softest, most delicate fragrance, lightly sweet, and a little earthy.


This particular tree is trimmed twice a year, as it has two growth spurts a year, and is ten years old. I adore my Lady Banks Roses.

The first one that I ever noticed in bloom was in the yard of my childhood playmate and best friend, also a Debbie. I had taken my daughter over for a play-date with her daughter. They used to be the bestest of friends, just like their Mothers. Debbie's family had moved back to the old family home in the midst of their almond orchard, where many years before, her Mother had planted it over the well to protect and keep it cool in our blistering Summer sun.


I'll bet I bought my first rose tree before the week was out! We have even moved since then, but Mark dug it up for me and moved it with us to our current home over 16 years ago. That tree sees a little less sun, so has barely begun to bloom. When it does, I'll show you just how really, truly, beautiful my Lady is.