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Since you're in Santa Clara, you have a great opportunity to see LOTS of climbers and make your choice in person. The the rose fence at the University is wall-to-wall climbers for its entire length. I saw it in October when most of the roses weren't blooming. The roses aren't tagged ... I have included a link to the web page that explains how to determine what each rose's ID based on its location.

Here is a link that might be useful: Santa Clara University Rose Fence

Masha is in San Jose, you could also check to see what does well for her (gorgeous eye-candy rose photos, too)

Here is a link that might be useful: masha's rose blog

Yes. Between Masha's experience, and the University Fence, you should find what you want.

One rose that we've found to be dependably clean-foliaged AND a good bloomer is 'Fourth of July.' (Red/White Stripes)

Another that works well in that situation is the Climber, 'Sombreuil.' (Creamy white)

In the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, you will find the beautiful yellow Tea/Noisette, 'Crepuscule'

And one of my favorites for good health, generosity of bloom, and fragrance is another Tea/Noisette, 'Reve d'Or.'

Jeri

I really, really like Renae's pretty foliage. She's also not stiff-caned, so I like her on an arbor very much. She's completely thornless, too! And fragrant. I really love this rose, lol :) I like her best up-close so you can see her pretty buds just opening.

I don't know how tall she'd want to get in your zone. Here she isn't overly vigourous like New Dawn or something.

Purezza has really great foliage, too. She's a winner, but she doesn't bloom as often by far, and her flowers are better seen en masse, imho. Also not much fragrance to speak of, compared to Renae. She's really vigourous, though. I think she'd swallow an arbor unless you pruned her harshly. Mine doesn't grow back too quickly to keep up with, so that's what I do, but I know some folks don't want to have to severely prune climbers at all. I love her because I love the banksia look for nostalgia's sake :)

Thanks all for some good solid advice. I really appreciate hearing about local references. I live walking distance from the University so I will definitely take a walk. I picked up a Fourth of July, A Climbing Golden Mist, A Climbing Blaze and a Climbing America from Home Depot and a White Eden from Summer Winds. I planted the White Eden along a low four foot high fence that borders my garden.
I didn't plant the four from Home Depot yet but I'm planning on trying to grow them over the 9' high arches. I want find a little info about these before putting them in the ground. I may even return them after I take my walk to look at the University roses if I see a proven winner that I like.

The bestest foliage is that which is a descended from Dortmund. Dark green, mildew-proof and shinier than shiny, almost like holly. Dortmund blooms only last a day however, so I would get one of its offspring, like Shadow Dancer or Flamingo Dancer. I think Burlington Roses has both of those -- Shadow Dancer is big, and Flamingo Dancer is a bit less vigorous and therefore a bit shorter -- so take your pick. Or just get both -- they would be spectacular together.

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: HMF pic of Flamingo Dancer in Bloom

You should also take time to visit the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden itself, where other climbers are grown on huge tripods. But of course, you can't see much at this time of the year.

In spring, though, the climbing roses there would look like this:

Jeri

I live in Sunnyvale. The only true climber I have is Mel's Heritage, which is a rose SJHR has exclusive rights to. It has very small polyantha like peach pink fragrant flowers. The good news is if planted in full sun it blooms continuously. Mine only gets few hours of sun and its a once bloomer. Go to the rose garden in Spring and you see it in full glory.

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My other suggestion would be David Austin Roses. If the catalog says it can be a climber, it definitely will be a climber here. Look through catalog and post your possible choices, people from California can comment on health and flower production. I have only two that climbs. There are many more to fit your requirements.

Falstaff 8'
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Christopher Marlowe: Short climber 6-8'
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If you keep up with deadheading, 'Fourth Of July' keeps blooming.

I again want to thank all of you who have replied to my post. You have given me wonderful ideas and suggestions for climbing roses. I would like to respond to each post individually but I can't figure out how this forum allows for that. It seems like I can only respond to all or I can email the post.
Anyways, I thought I would post a few photos of the area that I'm working with. I have a very large yard for Santa Clara and this is the only remaining area that has no purpose except for being an oversized doggy bathroom. It's about 45' long x 18' wide. I have planted some pink jasmine along the back fence and I have four arches that I want to grow roses over. The arches are about 8-9' high. I was gonna plant some type of climbing rose along the back fence but I decided to go with that pink jasmine. If i could intermix some climbing roses with the ping jasmine, that would be very cool but I need some suggestions. Something pink with nice foliage that doesn't need to be pruned to the ground every year would be ideal. I also want to plant a low climber for the black fence. It is about 3.5' high. The back fence is south facing. Down on the far end is an apple tree and its on the west side of the yard. This whole area receives a lot of sunlight during spring, summer and fall. In the winter, about half of the yard has direct sunlight all day long. Lastly, I'm looking for a shade tolerant climbing rose if it exists to grow over the metal fencing that surrounds my garbage cans. This area is in the shade is up against a north facing wall. Thanks in advance, VC
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This post was edited by videocheez on Tue, Feb 5, 13 at 23:41

'Renae' is very good for a beginner as it is thornless (without prickles), or nearly so, and has very flexible canes. Fragrant and repeats well (once established). 'Crepuscule' is another with almost no prickles and fairly flexible canes. A climber with outstanding repeat is 'Secret Garden Musk Climber'.

Keep in mind repeat on climbing roses, even excellent ones, can be very poor the first three or so years.

I would double each of those arches and hope they are anchored in concrete. Climbers will generally get wider than that, and they can get quite heavy.

Thanks for the advice hoovb. After I put in the arches, I started to think it would have been a little better if I had made them wider. Since I hate rework, I have decided to tie 3-4' pieces of rebar horizontal like a ladder up the sides spaced abut 2' apart to give the arch a little more width. I'll post a couple of pics once completed to see what you think.
The arches are not concreted yet but based on your suggestion, that is exactly what I'm gonna do. What was I thinking by just shoving these into the ground? I never really thought about the climber roses being heavy. Besides, a couple times of year we get some really fast winds outside and I would hate for my beautiful arches to blow down. It should be easy. I'll dig up one half, pour the concrete and then when that side is secure, I'll dig up the other side and pour that side. This will minimize the rework and wont have to move them out of position. It's better to find this out now rather than later.
Does Renae come in more than one color? Where should I order from and when should I plant them?
When you say the roses will be poor for the first few years what do you mean? Do you mean slow growth? My neighbor planted three Cecile Bruner's and they covered a huge pergola in just a year or so. Thank in advance, VC

Videocheez -- Climbers can really exemplify the old saying:

"First they sleep, then they creep, then they leap."

I have a 'Mel's Heritage out front that is currently creeping -- on their own roots, it can take them EASILY three years -- or even more -- to actually climb up and cover an arbor. And sometimes they don't bloom much until they really have their feet under them.

You have more heat, and a more advantageous climate in general than I do -- but it still requires some patience.

Anything good is worth waiting for, and the journey really IS part of the pleasure.

Jeri

Video--thanks for sharing your photos. I like your design.
Susan

Fourth of July, Sombreuil, Reve d'Or, and PARTICULARLY Secret Garden Musk Climber are all putting out a few blooms here, now -- and I have not bothered to deadhead.

Jeri

This post was edited by jerijen on Thu, Feb 7, 13 at 12:28

Thanks Annelie--That Rosa Blush Noisette is beautiful. What part of LA are you from. That looks like some of the beautiful gardens that I've seen in Sherman Oaks. I live in Santa Clara which has nice weather most of the year but is probably 10 degrees cooler on any given day of the year. How do you think this rose would do up here?
Thanks, VC

This post was edited by videocheez on Mon, Feb 11, 13 at 1:16

That is beautiful, Annlie! How old is the plant? I've heard that Blush Noisette can be a slow grower,but comments of this sort have to be taken with a grain of salt, since everyone has a different idea of things...regards, bart

This is the next area that I would like to grow a climber over. It's my side yard with a porte cochere that I recently restored. The old one had been removed because of termites. I think a lovely pink or yellow climber would like nice over this. I'm still thinking about a Cecile Bruner or Lady Banks. This is on the east side of the house so it doesn't get that late afternoon sun. the entire structure is about 16' x 16' wide and about 10; high. I was think about planting a climber on either side of the front columns. Here are a few photos of summer and winter. Any Climbing rose suggestions in this area will be greatly appreciated.
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