Recently, I ran into an old friend in the town where we lived for 35 years. As we stood talking in the produce section, she said, "Your yellow Lady Banks roses are blooming like crazy." Twenty years ago, I had planted three yellow Lady Banks rose bushes along our driveway, as a screen between us and our new neighbor, the municipal golf course. Antique Rose Emporium said in the their catalog: "Hardy, grows to 12-20 feet tall, space 15 feet apart. Hardy climber. Blooms once." I was just beginning my journey of becoming a perennial gardener and this old friend was one of my expert teachers along with my neighborhood small nursery. I smiled and replied, "Yes, I'm so glad the people who bought our property kept the roses. Again, I have planted 3 bushes along our farm driveway as a screen between our neighbor's property and us. I need more bushes, tho, but I'll get them."
I came home and took a picture of my Lady Yellow Banks I had planted two years ago. They aren't any where near the 20 feet height of the bushes I planted twenty years ago, but they are blooming like crazy this year. I was encouraged, so I ordered two more from Antique Rose Emporium. I estimate I'll need at least seven bushes along our farm driveway.
At the farm, I haven't planted as many perennials as I did at my previous home because God has done such a beautiful job planting wildflowers, trees and native prairie grasses. After my eldest son's death thirty years ago, gardening became an obsession with me. I felt like I had to give life to my garden and in return it gave life to me. Now, after my father's death, I'm feeling the need to give more life on the farm than God has already given us. I ordered an herb book I did not have, found my old perennial books, and my obsession has begun again. I will plot, plan, create in my creative journal. Then, ask my garden wishes be granted.
This year for Mother's Day, I have requested my gift: help me plant my rose bushes and build a small fence and gate in my small herb garden. In my former home garden, many of my planted rose bushes, flower bed creations, stones laid, and dirt hauled to my gardens were gift wishes granted to me by my husband and three sons. So, my garden's wishes begin being granted again...
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| Yellow Lady Banks |
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| Prairie Larkspur |
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| Prairie Grass |
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| Texas Daisy |
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| Purple Coneflower |
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| Pink Evening Primrose |
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| Indian Blanket |
