Training a Lady Banks' Rose (Banksia Rose): Fences, Arches and Obelisks in Pots for More Flowers

Training is the main job with this rose

The basics of training climbing roses are also on the Rose page, but Lady Banks' rose is far easier to handle: nearly thornless, with thin, flexible canes you can work bare-handed. What changes is the sheer amount of growth. Where you put 6 to 10 ft (2 to 3 m) of new cane each year decides next spring's flower count and the whole look of the plant.

Tie in after the post-bloom pruning in early summer and again in fall when the canes firm up. You can adjust ties in winter too, but by then the canes carry next spring's buds, so handle them gently and do not snap them.

1. Horizontal is the rule A cane left vertical flowers only at its tip. Laid flat or on a shallow angle, it breaks bud along every node and can carry several times the flowers. Same plant, very different show.
2. Tie loosely with soft ties Trunks thicken every year and tight ties cut in. Use a figure-eight with a finger's width of slack and redo the ties at each training session.
3. Tip the ends slightly down Angling the cane tip a little below horizontal wakes up buds along its length. A tip pointing up pulls all the vigor to the end.

On a fence

The easiest form to maintain and the one that shows the flowers best. Take the strong canes from the base as main canes, split them left and right and tie them horizontally along the rails about 12 in (30 cm) apart. Next year's side shoots flower from them; cut those side shoots back after bloom to renew them. Past ten years the trunk hardens and leans on the fence, so give it independent posts if you can.

1. Run two to four main canes sideways Pick the thickest, longest canes from the base, split them left and right and tie them along the rails. Remove crossing canes and anything growing inward.
2. Cut side shoots back by half after bloom Once the side shoots off the main canes have flowered, shorten them by about half right after bloom. The new growth that follows carries next year's buds.
3. Clear overhang by midsummer Canes that spill far past the fence can be cut up to midsummer without costing flowers. After that, tie them back instead of cutting.

On an arch

The classic setup is one plant at each foot of the arch meeting at the top; a yellow double on one side and a white double on the other gives a color shift as they open. The catch is height: once the plant reaches the top, every training and pruning session needs a ladder, and that gets harder each year. Pick an arch you can reach, or plan to let the top cascade on its own.

1. Spiral the canes up the posts A cane run straight up a post leaves the bottom bare. Wind the main canes around the post so they climb on an angle, and flowers start low.
2. Let the top spill over Canes that clear the top can be draped down the other side rather than cut; the whole draped length flowers like a curtain. Only remove the very longest, and do it by midsummer.
3. One plant per side is plenty With this much vigor, two plants on one side tangle into a thicket within a few years. One per foot, two in total, covers an arch completely.

In a pot: obelisk or hoop support

For a balcony or entry, the practical approach is a 5 ft (1.5 m) obelisk or a ring-style hoop support and winding the canes around it. Spiraling the canes upward puts them on an angle so they bloom at every node, and even a modest pot gives you heavy clusters. Use a pot of 12 in (30 cm) or larger and set the support at planting time.

1. Wind from the bottom up Guide each cane in a gentle spiral from the base to the top and tie at a few points. Spacing turns about 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) apart spreads the flowers over the whole support.
2. Turn back canes that top out Do not cut canes that pass the top of the support; bend them back down and tie them in. Trim only the excess after next spring's bloom.
3. Keep three to five canes Too many canes in a pot crowd each other and block airflow. Keep three to five strong ones and remove thin or inward-growing canes at the base after bloom.
4. Make the pot wind-proof A leafy plant acts like a sail. Load the base of the pot with heavy drainage rock or tie the pot to a railing or wall.

Which form fits where

The training principle is the same everywhere; what differs is final size and how easy it is to work on. If you want to stay off a ladder, choose a fence or a potted obelisk. If you want drama, choose an arch.

Common training problems

The usual complaints are canes too long to fit, canes too stiff to bend and canes that snapped while being tied. Young canes are flexible, but they harden by fall, so rough out the shape you want while they are still soft in early to midsummer.

1. Bend stiff canes in stages Forcing a cane flat in one go splits it at the base. Tie it at 45 degrees first, wait a few days, then take it the rest of the way.
2. Wind, do not cut, in fall From late summer on the canes carry next year's buds, so loop or spiral overlong canes instead of cutting. Save the cutting for after next bloom.
3. Cut a snapped cane at its base A broken cane rarely flowers well and invites disease. Remove it cleanly at the base and fill the gap with a neighbor.