Plan to do some shopping at the Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS National Convention and Rose Show. There will be plenty of items in the Silent Auction (Friday evening and Saturday morning) to peak your interest. One of our favorite is a rose picture hand painted by Nashville Rose Society member, Laudi McDonald.
After emigrating to the United States from Lebanon in 1990 to escape the civil war, Laudi put herself through physical therapy school and enjoyed a successful career as a physical therapist.
In 2000, while newly married and living in a townhouse, she began growing roses in containers. Although she stepped away from rose gardening for a time due to rose disease problems, joining the Nashville Rose Society gave her the knowledge and confidence to successfully grow roses again.
Upon retiring from physical therapy in 2018, Laudi discovered a passion for painting. After experimenting with a variety of subjects, she found her greatest inspiration in animals and flowers—especially roses. Her love of roses has deep family roots, as both her grandmother and mother grew them in Lebanon’s mild climate. Growing roses in Tennessee presented new challenges, but with the support and education of fellow rosarians, she has continued that family tradition.
Laudi has generously donated this beautiful original rose painting to support the 2026 American Rose Society National Convention. We are grateful for her talent, generosity, and enduring love of roses.