Lady Banks Rose in Jacki Kellum Garden

This year, I am adding some vigorous climbing roses, to my garden,  including Lady Banks and Peggy Martin. Both of these roses require super strong support.

Lady Banksia Rose [Lady Banks]
Image Credit: Heirloom Roses
1807

Lady Banks or Banksia Rose was first cultivated in 1807. This old gal is the Queen of Southern Gardens.

“Lady Banks is the grandest of all Climbing Roses with the potential to grow up to 20′ tall! She can be trained to climb just about anything and does so with a grand display of flowers if you give her good soil drainage and sturdy support. Lady Banks is a rambling and nearly thornless rose that produces hundreds of miniature, yellow blooms and is a recipient of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Give her plenty of space and watch this drought-resistant Climber take off! Enjoy her all the way up to zone 9.” Heirloom Roses

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Zephirin Drouhin Rose

Image Credit: Heirloom Roses

Zéphirine Drouhin is my longest and most constant rose friend. I have grown this rose in several of my gardens–from North to South. Unlike Lady Banks and Peggy Marin, Zephirine Drouhin will be fine on less substantial arbors.

Zephirine Drouhin is a climber, and it originated in France in 1868. In my opinion, it is not super fragrant, but it has hardly any thorns. It is also highly resistant to diseases. I plant Zephirine Drouhin with my climbing vegetables like pole beans–and also with clematis. Zepherine Drouhin is stunning when it grows and blooms simultaneously with blue, lavender, and purple clematis plants.

Peggy Martin Rose
Image Credit: Southern Living

Peggy Martin and Lady Banksia require maximum support. Both of these roses grow tall and wide. For that reason, I am starting these two roses on a metal arbor I have constructed by joining 3 arbors.

I began with a large and fairly substantial metal hoop. It is 10 feet long and 7 feet wide, and I have double-reinforced it with steel rods. I’ll probably add more support later, but this should work for a while, and eventually roses will cover the ugly green metal, but I decided to camouflage the metal by attaching tree limbs to the frame,

Jacki Kellum Garden March 29, 2024

Later, I added 2 more metal supports.

Arbor Area April 8, 2024

This short video reflects a bit of the experience of a cottage garden filled with birds, roses, etc. You hear Carolina Chickadees, Mockingbirds, Cardinals, Wrens, and other regulars to my bird feeders. Chickadees and Wrens have built homes in my birdhouses. The rose arbor is 20′ long and 8′ wide. I have 4 birdhouses with Carolina Chickadees and a yard full of Mockingbirds. I also have 1 house wren family in residence. Cardinals, Jays, Mourning Doves, and other birds fly in and out. My secret is live mealworms and Kaytee Nut and Fruit Seed. Suet in Winter, and Bird Baths The rose arbor is 20’ long and 8’ wide. I built it myself. On this arbor, I am growing Peggy Martin, Lady Banks, and Claire Austin Roses. I added the arbor and these roses this month. I have other arbors and other climbing roses. I am 74, and I do all my own work. I tote most of the dirt, lay the bricks, and assemble the raised beds. I essentially had no help.

But for a moment, allow me to return to the first section to which I have attached tree limbs and twigs.

I am a true cottage gardener, and cottage gardens tend to be rustic. Better Homes and Gardens has a good article, showing rustic arbors that have tree limbs in them.

Image Credit: BHG online

“Use nature as inspiration. Twigs, branches, and even entire trees can be materials for a DIY rustic arbor. Here, two slender trees serve as supports, while curved branches and vines form an arch overhead. The organic structure adds a focal point that beautifully matches its surroundings.” BHG

Image Credit: BHG online

Jacki Kellum Garden

Jacki Kellum Garden