Bee Diner

Shrub rose "Golden Wings" (hybridized by Shepherd in the USA in 1956.)  It's an old fashioned looking rose bush becoming 8 x 8 foot, dark green foliage, a vigorous grower and pretty much disease resistant.  It's hardy to zone 4B.

The golden yellow flowers are single petals with yellow stamen.

If all that wasn't grand enough, it has a very sweet strong fragrance that can perfume the entire yard.  It's a very early bloomer which has several advantages.  It offers bees one of the first flowers of spring. Because it is COVERED in flowers this early, the blooms are never bothered by Japanese Beetles.  And it offers the yard a burst of mega WOW factor after a long hard winter.  It doesn't need to be cut back or pruned except for an occasional dead branch.

It's shade tolerant but won't bloom as much.  Plant it where you can see it throughout it's bloom season; perhaps near window so the fragrance will come in with spring breezes.   I planted this bush in heavy compacted clay soil and it took off and never looked back.

If you insist on hearing something negative, it may send out sprouts but they can be mowed off or cut back if your particular about that sort of thing.  In the fifteen years I've had this shrub, it's sent out only a couple of new bushes.  Japanese Beetles will feast on the leaves but it doesn't kill this hardy bush.   The flowers tend to wilt quickly if they're brought in the house and put in a vase.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm headed out for one last visit this evening at the bee diner for a big helping of lovely rose fragrance.