Moe, wooden barrels are fine for temporary plantings. The wood rots out after a few seasons, leaving you with a real witch of a repotting chore. What kinds of trees are you talking about and how far away from where your first choice for the roses are they? How close to the house will you have to plant the roses if you choose ground option 2?

It's possible the roots may not be an issue. It's also possible the sun along the house may be quite sufficient. That spot I would want to determine three things about...how intense would the reflected/radiated heat from the house walls or any paving be? How decent would the drainage be? Depending upon where you are, the age of the construction and local building codes, it might be you have engineered soil which is compacted to remove all air space, eliminating drainage, but making it more secure footing. And, how extreme would alkalinity leaching from the house foundation be for the planting holes?

If you're going to pot the roses, you will need tall trellises upon which to grow them and those become sails with any wind. Plan on picking them up regularly if it's windy where you are. Large, more permanent pots, such as concrete, would last worlds longer and be heavier making them more stable in the wind, but you would still have the issue of the drainage water leaking out on the paving upon which the pots will rest. If you go that route, put smaller, bush type roses in them so they can't as easily blow over and once the pots fail, you won't have a horribly prickly, Jack and the Beanstalk plant to repot. That job CAN be done, but it's often worth paying someone else to accomplish. It ain't NO danged fun! Been there. (I was the one paid to accomplish it and I looked as if I'd been making love to a bale of barbed wire!)

If the tree root issue is potentially too extreme for your comfort, do some more exploration concerning planting them by the house. I think that may be your safest, easiest choice. Kim

roseseek: Thank you so much for the response! As a first time rose grower I am literally clueless and have tried to do a ton of research so I don't screw this up.

The tree near spot #1 is a very large crepe myrtle (maybe 25-30 ft hight). The spot is only about 20 ft away from the tree, so roots might easily be a problem. There are 5 blueberry bushes that grow right next to it on the other side with no problems, but I know roses are much more temperamental than blueberries.

I'll have to check the soil right next to the house. That may end up being my best option.

I didn't even think about the wood barrels rotting...yikes!!! SO glad you mentioned that!

You're welcome! Well, this IS part of your research, so you haven't fouled up. Crepe Myrtles aren't generally known for root issues. I have a 37+ year old mult trunk which was a standard (but only about eight to ten feet tall) on the edge of my "rose bed", I use for afternoon shade for several of the roses against the worst of the setting sun. I've not had any problems digging around it, nor have I found the roots to be problems. Now, if they were Birch or Mulberry trees...ARGH!

You might, as you're out investigating the soil in the areas, try digging holes where you are considering planting where the trees are concerns. It might surprise you. Once the climbers gain momentum, they just may be successful at battling the tree competition. If they're planted where the tree roots may be, how will they be supported? Are you going to have to build trellage for them to grow on or can they be trained into the trees or? That might help you decide which spot is easiest and most secure. Kim

Kim's right about the barrels. 20+ years ago, we planted probably 8-10 roses in barrels, in various locations. It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

For the first few years, everything was fine. The first things to go were the metal bands. We replaced those. But the barrels began to disintegrated by maybe Year Four, and by Year 6, they were history.

As far as I can see, the only practical way to use those wooden barrels is to put a plastic "liner" pot inside the barrel, and use it for something like petunias. NEVER again for a rose!

Jeri

I have a Red Eden in a cedar half-barrel...which is a little more resilient to the moisture (though I don't know how many years that will last)...and it's doing wonderfully. Granted, I keep it as a large shrub and may train it on an obelisk eventually, but the canes are too stiff to really peg or bend. Otherwise, I love Red Eden. It's not what I would call a "prolific" bloomer, but the blooms are so romantic and gorgeous and last FOREVER. It does repeat, it's just not a workhorse like some of my other HTs or Austins.

In that other thread, the one by jujujojo with the rooftop garden, there are a couple climbers in containers.

I think you could do it.