New; need a couple rose ideas?

16 years ago

I've been reading on roses but I think I may literally have reached "information overload". I don't really feel any more sure than I began, so I am breaking down and pleading with a few experienced (rosiers??) to help me.

I am in Zone 6A in NE Oklahoma. I am restoring my landscape from a pitiful mess. I have a back fence which is chain link. Maybe... 20-25/30' is open for this. Although once every few years someone has to 'open it up' for something (the city people), it's very rare.

I am looking for a rose that is:

1 - relatively easy to grow, as I am a dunce about them. I'm an organic veggie gardener, and I excel at killing houseplants in my nearly lightless home, but aside from that I know zip about them.

2 - can handle Ozark heat. Like 105 and humid at the worst point. In theory I shade tomatoes and peppers and could probably shade these at least on one side on the worst days.

3 - can handle Zone 6A cold (technically -10f but realistically I've never seen it lower than about +8f in the last 7 years anyway).

4 - is, if not thornless (I understand this is not so common and I don't want to exclude great stuff), at least not too horrific with them comparative to roses in general. I really don't like the thorns frankly, so the fewer the better, but if there is something amazing and exceptional that has thorns I'm willing to consider it.

5 - is a trailing or climbing rose so I can train it on the fence. (Is it a silly question to ask if I can do any/all vines in the same direction -- so, growing the plant at one side, make all the vines go one way laterally -- so if I ever have to 'open' the fence it can be from the other side and hopefully wouldn't seriously hurt the plant?)

6 - I don't have a color preference, except to say that I like deep, rich or vivid colors (not 'pale' for example, I don't dislike pastels but whatever color it is, to be 'rich', not gentle).

7 - this is my biggest worry: I have a tract home, the bush would be in the middle of the back fence, and I have a big tree in each corner. Thanks to a recent ice storm they aren't going to have nearly the foliage they used to, and one is dying and won't be there for long. That fence gets sun from about 9-9:30am when it comes over the roof and hits it, and continues to get sun until about 2-3pm when the trees shade it to varying degrees, then gets sun again for another 2-4 afternoon hours (depending on the season) as the sun sets and shines underneath the trees on it. On the bright side, it is actually shaded during the hottest part of the day in summer and otherwise has generally full sun.

8 - as a last note, I get a little confused by all the rose varieties. I don't really like the ones that look sorta like big poppies; I like the ones in the stores (classic 'tea' I guess), and I like the ones that kinda remind me of the pics I've seen of rananculus(sp?) in the magazines (a sort of dense pompom), I am not picky except that I like the more "full-flowered" ones.

As a last note, I am not sure where to buy/obtain this kind of thing -- yes, there are roses in every imaginable catalog, but since I grow veggies I know that companies vary a bit as does pricing etc.

Given the approximately bazillion varieties I have been reading about until my eyes cross, does anybody have suggestions?

If I had names, I could at least go look up pics on google.

Huge thanks.

PJ

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Comments (5)

dublinbay z6 (KS)
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Viking Queen is a terrific climber and its canes are flexible enough that you should be able to train it the direction you want. It is also fairly disease resistant and can tolerate a bit of shade, if necessary. Mine is in full sun most of the day and does well, but Florence grows hers in a lot of shade, so it is evidently adaptable. It is not a vivid color, however. Check it out on the link below.

Don Juan is a deep red and highly praised by many posters. I haven't grown it, so can't comment on it.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Viking Queen at HMF
nimapur
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi,

First, I would stay away from Don Juan. I grew it and it was not a happy experience - great flowers but lot of disease and leaf loss. Gophers got the plant so I did not have to kill the plant myself :-)

I suggest you check out vintage and search for Tea-Noisette. And buy a plant of this class from them that appeals to you. You can email them to get more information about the plant habits and how to care for your plant before you make the purchase.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant selection link
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olga_6b
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
PJ is from 6A zone. Tea Noisettes will not survive his winters. I agree that Don Juan is very disease prone.
Viking Queen or Westeland would be good, but they are thorny.
Olga
jeanne_texas
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Is this PJ from Buggy?..Jeanne
sandy808
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Don Juan does great here and is pretty disease resistant for me, but I think he likes a lot of heat. Pjintheozarks, is their a local rose society in your area? That would be your best bet for getting rose information tailored for your region. The American Rose Society should be able to put you in touch with the locals. You'll learn a lot and probably be saved from a great deal of frustration.

Sandy

New; need a couple rose ideas?

Comments (5)

dublinbay z6 (KS)

nimapur

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