I do not think there are two distinctive GTs. In my climate, GT grows like a climber, while in England it grows more like a shrub. In any case, I have GT, which I originally bought as a bare root (therefore grafted, I think). It grew to 8 feet in the first year. I have since SP'd it (in order to move it without breaking my back) and taken cuttings. Now I am growing an own root GT in the ground; it is almost two years old and about 6 feet tall wrapped around a pillar. It is a fairly vigorous rose, so I do not think growing it in a pot would work well. Perhaps there is someone out there who is successfully growing it that way and they might chime in. Good luck.

Peter Beales lists it as good for a pot in his Classic Roses book. I'd think his climate zone would be close to yours. I agree that here in So. California, there would be no way to keep it in a pot. My next door neighbor has one planted below her deck that is as tall as the eaves of her house. It's a monster. I keep telling her that she probably ought to give it a summer pruning, but I think she is afraid of it now. :)From the looks of it (I can see it from my back door) it did not get a winter pruning. It is blooming at the tips, but You have to crane your neck up to see them.

I am hoping our zone will keep him under control somewhat. That and a judicial pruning.

My GT is a big yellow monster. I should have kept him under control but right now he is 12' plus tall with over 200 blooms. I tried to tie him to the fence but he would need chains to hold him up. Mowing around him is a battle and he usually wins ;-)

They are yanking your chain.

The largest, by far, GT I've seen around here was about 5 ft tall, and lanky. It was grown as a short climber, which worked well. It has a reputation for being very finicky, and I haven't seen a lot of them, so I don't know what pruning it back might accomplish. The problem wouldn't be the height, per se, but the relatively floppiness/stability issues of being in a pot. It might run into a fairly large pot, but since I have Mutabilis in an 18" pot, I can't imagine it would be larger than that.

I had a thought--you might try it in a large pot with a small rebar tee pee or tudor or some other structure, maybe about 3 or 4 feet tall? This way, you can wind those octopus-like canes around it and keep it in line. If as mad gallica says, it stays smaller in your climate, this might work. GT definitely has wandering limbs.

It likes to reach out and touch somebody does it?

It certainly does! Before I moved it, I was always having to tie it up or cut it back as it would tend to poke and catch one while walking by.

hmm at least the neighborhood children won't mess with it.

Hmmm. They are right that GT may not grow 12' in zone 5. Buuut, it may be difficult to get it through the winter in a pot above ground unless it is in a really big pot - say a half whisky barrel. I have read somewhere that rose roots of some plants will actually survive down to near 20 degrees F or slightly lower. This is fine in the ground where because the ice that forms acts like an insulator to a certain extent. However, I am not sure how far down or effective the concept applies with temps below zero for some time. However, you may already have done the experiment. Or do you use the heat mantle of mother earth and bury your pots? An engineer friend of mine ran an experiment here in Maryland when we had a very cold winter, I believe in the early 80's, and found when the air temperature was around zero, the temperature in frozen soil 3' below the surface was only 27 degrees F. That's why he planted his bud unions 3" below the surface. Best, Nick

my roses overwinter in an unheated dark garage. If GT doesn't like the pot I will have to put him up for adoption. With full visitation rights of course. It is a pretty good sized pot so hopefully I can enjoy it for a year or two anyway.

Sounds like you have a working plan. How cold does it get in the unheated (attached or detached?) garage, and what size are the pots, 12 or 15"? Data are important for those who might want to follow your success. Thanks.

Also note that my earlier message suggested that my friend took the soil temp at 3 feet below the surface. It was in fact 3 inches below the surface. Sorry for the typo! Best, Nick

the pot is 17" on the inside diameter, 18 1/2 if you include the brim width. It is urn-shaped so the bottom is narrower. The garage gets to around freezing but being attached to the house itself I don't believe it goes below.

I also figured you actually meant 3 inches.
Regards, Trish

Now I am waiting for the rain to start. Then I can drag GT and coherts out from under the overhang for a lovely drink. Yes I water but nothing is as good as a good rain watering. Especially if it goes all night. pitpat pitpat.

Trish - With that over-winter situation, I would consider growing Marechal Neil. It appears that you have very little concern with winter kill. The only concern is how big a pot and supporting material are you willing, or able to drag in and out of the garage. This is great news! Best, Nick

that sure is a pretty one Nick. I use plastic pots to reduce incidence of hernias and slipped discs. moving a big sucker like that could be a challenge as we don't want to take my daughters' eyes out when we move it to its winter quarters. and our van doesn't have a sunroof either. it is more than a matter of draggging it into the garage you see. we have to drag it into the VAN, with family, drive 14 miles and then find room in my dad's garage. but it will be on my wish list for when i own my own place. WITH a garage.