Best no spray climbers

10 years ago

I live on eastern Long Island in perfect rose growing land.I used to have 364 rose bushes; I showed them and won many prizes; I even had Hallmark Cards come and take pictures for their rose calendar( I had 4 months from my garden!). So I know how to grow roses.

But I started a new company and had no time for the roses. I also grew tired of weekly spraying. And deer. So I ripped them all out.

Now I have a new 4' fence around our pool. I am planting shrubs for winter color as well as perennials that the deer don't like on one side. But on the inside I want to plant a few roses( yes I know the deer can jump 4 ". But my pool is inside another fence around the property. Should be fairly
safe)

I used to know all the best roses but it has been about 15 years now. I want 2 shrub and 2 climbers. I do not want to spray at all. Not one bit. I have read the Knockout roses will be good for the shrub category. But what about a few good climbers that do not require any spraying? I used to have Dortmund and New Dawn. These really are too big. Are there Knock Out climbers?

My wish would be to have at least one climbing rose that has a heavenly scent( but really the non spraying is the main issue)

As the fence is in a main area around pool and I can see right from my kitchen window, I also really want repeat bloom. I am not talking about a bloom in just June and the fall.

Suggestions that are up to date?

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Comments (8)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
10 years ago
The Explorer climbers Quadra and Captain Samuel Holland both repeat well and are almost disease free here. They will get about 10 ft tall. Quadra has a light, raspberry scent. Captain Holland has almost none.

If you are looking for a small climber, there may be roses that grow somewhat long canes that will work. I'm too cold for good recommendations because most of my roses are hardy once bloomers.
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dublinbay z6 (KS)
10 years ago
Austin has several excellent climbers. Check out The Wedgewood--pink/white and very disease-resistant.

And while you are at the Austin site, you might look up Mortimer Sackler and The Generous Gardener--both pink climbers and good disease-resistance.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Austin's The Wedgewood climber
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diane_nj 6b/7a
10 years ago
For the shrubs, consider the "Fairy Tale" series of roses from Kordes. Roses Unlimited has them own root, and Palatine will have them for orderint in September (you can see photos on Palatine's site now). Caramel Fairy Tale stays very clean for me. I am 5 miles inland from the Atlantic, and 1/4 mile south of a river.
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nastarana
10 years ago
Bill Radler, hybridizer of Knockout, has recently introduced some climbers which might work for you. He does breed for disease resistance. Some are 'Milwaukee Calatrava', Cloud Nine', 'Ramblin Red'.
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sailgranny
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks to all who have made suggestions. I will look into these this weekend when i have more time. I already told my husband to expand the bed as I have fallen in love with roses again.

I did read somewhere that David Austin roses really aren't disease free, but I will check the ones mentioned above. I will check out the Fairy tale roses too as I always loved my Kordes roses. Looks like members of this site like the Easy Elegance roses and I drooled over some yesterday. So happy to learn there are so many no spray varieties available now.
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dublinbay z6 (KS)
10 years ago
I would venture to guess that there are no roses, of any kind, that are "disease-free." "Excellent disease-resistance" is the best you are going to get. Even Knock Outs can get blackspot under the right conditions even though they are more disease-resistant than most roses.

I assure you that the Austins I recommended above have very good to excellent "disease-resistance"--which puts them way ahead of many other climbers you might have in a no-spray garden.

I would not falsely claim disease-resistance for a rose that was not disease-resistant.

Kate
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sailgranny
Original Author
10 years ago
Kate
Thanks about the David Austins; i have always loved them. Wedgwood looks divine and has a small as well. How does it do in terms of repeat?

And I used to buy bare rooted, but it is too late now . So I will have to buy plants. This might limit my choices somewhat. I have decided I will have room for 4 climbers!
Diane_NJ- how does Caramel Fairy Tale do in terms of repeat? any fragrance? Again I might have trouble finding this year, but for a spectacular rose I suppose I could wait until fall.
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mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
10 years ago
Kate, where have you seen these in the New York area? There aren't a lot of places around here where the public has access to roses grown no spray, and I'm always on the lookout for visiting possibilities.

Along the same lines, Sailgranny, if you do decide to plant some Easy Elegance roses, do post an update on how they do for you. I've also been interested in them for a while, but put off by the total lack of local, no spray input. I'm not currently planting at home, but at a public garden. So instead of planting onesies and twosies, I'm dealing with twentyies and thirtyies. It makes it hard to stray from the beaten path.
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