Westerland reached 10' in 2 years here in zone 6. Everything does grow tall here.

It's very stiff. It also seems to be one of those roses that really doesn't want to bloom until it reaches a certain size. The biggest ones I ever saw were at Mike Lowe's, and they were about 10 ft straight up, with most of the bloom on the top. Mine is about 6 ft, and most of the bloom will be at the top. Which is why I'm going back and forth on pruning it way down. It won't bloom as well, but the flowers will be somewhere I can see it.

Really don't expect it to be cane hardy. Also, don't be shocked if Awakening also has problems. That one will depend on how cold you actually get. Somewhere around -20°F, it will wimp out.

Winter protection for climbers isn't something to think in terms of. The 'magic mound' doesn't accomplish anything because the whole point is to preserve cane. Wrapping in burlap might do something in a wind tunnel, but nothing besides that.

Hi Patreesh,

I've had Westerland for several years. Got it at Mike Lowe's. He's in Nashua, NH, and I'm on the coast, and his Westerland is huge and flowers all over. My Westerland is very large, too. Mine isn't on any structure, but in a corner next to the house and deck. It is one of my most beautiful roses, blooming and never without flowers.

Mine is will lose a cane or two, and I realize that my climate is different being near the ocean. Mostly it's cane hardy except at the tips.

I have hopes for your Westerland, but Mad Gallica is the expert, and knows first hand about your climbers in central NY.

Best wishes
Brenda

I love Westerland and Autumn Sunset, but have had no luck with them here (near Albany).

I've tried Westerland twice -- once grafted and once on its own root. Neither one liked winter, not even the milder winters of 2005 and 2006. Both Westerlands had dieback almost to the ground each year. Neither grew to more than 3 feet tall, and both were stingy bloomers.

When we first get roses they've usually been growing in a friendlier, warmer climate and are a good size when they reach us, so they look promising. The proof, however, is how they stand up to our short growing seasons and our winters.

Mad_gallica is correct. The canes get very, very stiff.

Still, the blooms are stunning. Real eyecatchers. By the end of the 3rd year I ditched both the grafted and own root Westerland, with a heavy heart because I so hoped they would be better than they were.

Perhaps, if they were given more time and more maturity, they would become better specimens. But they were occupying prime real estate that needed a more dependable and vigorous rose.

Autumn Sunset also has gorgeous blooms but, unfortunately, it didn't survive its first winter and was dead as a doornail the following spring. I only tried one and have not attempted another.

Too bad, because their blooms are so lovely and they have a nice fruity fragrance. I wish they had worked out better.

Most roses improve with maturity. If you're willing to give them 3 or more years maybe their performances will be better for you.

I hope you have success where I failed.

All the best!

I grow Westerland and Autumn Sunset. They are crown hardy but not cane hardy for me here in Northern Michigan - the cane dies back to the snowline, but they put on nice new growth each spring & summer.

I put Awakening in spring 2006. The first year I wrapped in straw and burlap. This winter I did nithing and it was hardy to the tips. I am a zone 5 in Chicago. I hope this helps. I have two more this spring taking the place of William Baffin and Fourth of July. Do you live in the city with lots of buildings or houses or the country where it is more exposed and not as many microclimates, maybe.
I noticed a big difference with my Fourth Of July rose from when I wrapped with burlap and straw and didn't. I still moved it this spring to a location that it can be a shrub instead of a climber. (I think it will make a better looking shrub.) Amy

Westerland is in its third year for me. It stumbled after transplanting and just now seems to be getting its feet under it. I'll be able to tell better in a year or two, but this spring it kept one cane about 2 feet tall and is leafing out well.

Awakening, now, there's a beast. I got it four years ago as a six-inch twiglet. Today it's got five 10-foot canes trained along a fence with a Jackmanii clematis woven through and it's a stunner. This winter was pretty mild (for zone 5) and it was hardy to the tips. I don't do anything to winter protect it except a good dose of Wilt-pruf.

Thank you all for the great input.

I'm going to pick your brains once again. All of these roses had beautiful buds on them when I planted them on 05/03. The buds have not opened at all since then. As I said in another thread - just like they are in suspended animation. Could it be from cool nights (some in the 30s)? Will they ever open? How long should I give them?

Mad Gallica - appreciate the information. I'd be very interested in hearing how your Westerland does if you cut it back. I noticed the same thing with the stiff canes with a "Blaze of Glory" climber I planted last year. Hoping that "Awakening" canes are much more flexible.

You're so right lionheart - Over and over we get sucked in by the beautiful pictures and healthy-looking plants in the nurseries - ah, the joys and sorrows of colder climates. I'm always hoping my plants will be the exception to the rule - the old "Stupid is as stupid does" theory - Here's hoping!

Barefootgirl: I too planted my awakening (about 10") to grow up a small fence, between two Polish Spirt clematis - pray I'll have your good fortune!

Thank you "Both","Vikingqueen", and "Karenforroses" for the good wishes.

Harryshoe, would love to see a picture of your Westerland in bloom!

Patreesh,
Westerland is completely cane hardy here and is now forming a few hundred buds which should open in about 10 days. There seems to be buds everywhere (not just the top). I have put a lot of effort into knitting W into my arbor.

This is how it looked early this spring 2 years after planting. The peak of the arbor is 7' tall.

{{gwi:242833}}

Oh man, what a difference a zone makes. That is going to be gorgeous. Please take a picture when it's in full bloom. I really want to see it. What a wonderful weaving job. You should go into the business. People like me would be more than happy to hand over a little cash to get results like that. It's weird, seems as though the people on this site have a heck of a lot more knowledge than some of the "experts" in the nurseries.

Not just weaving. Lots of pruning because Westerland wants to be a giant bushy shrub.

I was warned that if I wanted W to "conform" to my arbor, weaving and pruning were an ongoing project from March to November. Once it got away from me, there would be no going back.

Harryshoe - how are those Westerlands doing? Do you have any new pictures?

I have Westerland now for 8 years. It has gone downhill for the last several. Not so much due to cane hardiness but a general lack of vigor. No doubt it would prefer a warmer climate but also my soil is not the greatest. However, Illusion planted next to it has finally reached some size after 6 years. Climbers take some time. W is growing nicely this year and in the fall I plan to try replanting and amending my clay soil with sand. That seems to help my newly plantled Salita on the other side of W.

Westerland was approaching the moment of truth last night. But, it was pouring and no pictures were possible. The Betty Corning clematis which is growing with W has opened a few blooms also. I'll get some pictures over the next few days.

Harry, I love your arbor. Looks like something I could make, now I just need a compound miter saw. How do you have it anchored? Did you come up with the design yourself?

Eric

Although we are both in zone 5a our winters probably are quite a bit different in snowfall amounts and some other factors that could make a difference in the surviveability of various climbers.
Westerland has been struggling for me since I planted it 5 years ago. Part of the problem is it was not getting enough water due to a sprinkler not reaching it. That's been fixed and now sprouts a few long canes each year that are stingy with blooms. It's not planted deep but comes back each year after losing all it's canes. This year, it has one cane struggling to grow. I'll keep babying it as long as it survives the winters.
Autumn Sunset is not protected but comes back strong each year. It dies back but never to the ground. This year it had 2-3 foot of green on the canes. It blooms heavily begining in early June and continues all summer. I have two, one planted on either side of a small arbor.
Awakening was just planted last year but survived winter well with little dieback.
My two Fourth of July have a similar habit as Autumn Sunset.
New Dawn survived green almost to the tips. Berlin was a real winner regarding winter dieback. City of York, growing through a chain link fence also has lots of cane survival as did Dublin Bay, Coral Dawn, Darlow's Enigma, Clair Matin, and Leverkusen.
I've planted a few more climbers climbers this year, Dortman, Pele', and Royal Sunset. Dortman and Royal Sunset should do well in zone 5a but Pele' will probably require severe pruning each spring.