Lady of the Dawn is a rose whose impact in the garden comes from its overall appearance rather than from the individual blooms. The ruffled, semi-double blossoms combine informality with elegance. A rose which seems to fit every gardener's vision of the perfect cottage garden. 'Lady of the Dawn' is an excellent specimen in the perennial border as it complements the other plants without overwhelming them.

Although classified by the ARS as a floribunda, I usually find it listed as a shrub or landscape rose in catalogs. Its vigorous bushy growth is more shrublike while its prolifically-clustered blooms are typical of a floribunda. Lovely ivory-pink flowers with petals that are ruffled like old-fashioned petticoats with the refreshing scent of fresh-cut apples. The bloom brings to mind dawn's first blushes of pink as it initially opens. The creamy pinkish-apricot tints fade to white when fully opened and the edges remain light pink. Growth is normally to about four feet on an upright bush, although my plant reaches well over five feet if left unchecked. The tall canes are clothed in leathery, disease resistant foliage. Blackspot may show up on occasion, so minimal spraying is required in order for the plant to maintain good health.

I wish I had more than one of these roses! My Lady of the Dawn is one of four rose bushes planted between our front porch and sidewalk (yes, we have a very long front porch). It put on quite the display this year and was completely covered in blooms. I highly recommend this plant for landscaping. It would probably make a very nice pillar rose in areas with longer growing seasons. The blooms, with multiple buds clustered on a stem, also make an interesting display as a cut flower. A full bouquet may be obtained with only a few cuts.