Cut out the dead canes and be patient. Climbers take at least 3 years to really start to climb. They need to build a big root ball in order to send up and feed those long canes. A year and a half isn't long enough.

This is strongly multiflora. Does it look chlorotic? Check the pH of your soil and take appropriate steps to acidify. If it's too alkaline, the plant won't have enough iron and nitrogen. Polys are multiflora based and those very close to the species can suffer greatly from insufficient iron and nitrogen. Mine complained bitterly until I hit it with Miracid and Ironite. Kim

Thanks Seil and Kim. Seil, I don't really expect much out of any rose for two or three years, but this one is miserable looking. I planted several noisettes, a climbing Pinkie and Crepuscule on the same day and they look wonderful and are very healthy.

Kim, I think you have hit the nail on the head. My soil is very alkaline sand, and although I use huge amounts of home grown horse manure in planting and as a mulch, my soil still remains for the most part around 7 which I think is considered neutral. I will check the soil around Happy and see if I can make him happier.

You're welcome. I had the issue with Cl Happy and one of my two Doc plants right now. They aren't but a foot or so apart but that's all it takes to make a difference. Right across the path is Bashful, which looks much more multiflora than Doc or Happy, but it doesn't seem to care about the soil and water as it remains deep green. Another case for budding roses on a common, suitable root stock. Had they all the same roots under them, individual plants wouldn't be as "miffy" as we're finding them to be about alkalinity. Kim

Well, at least your CL Happy wasn't dug up by one of your dogs this week like mine was :( I spent all this season finding and ordering the 7 dwarfs and Snow White (well I actually ended up woth White Koster...but close enough) I wasn't able to find Happy, so I settled on a one gallon CL Happy. No sooner did I get him in the ground and finish off my 7 dwarfs flowerbed, when my 9 month old cattle dog dug him up and apparently ate him...because there is no sign of him anywhere! So next year, I'm on the hunt again :)

I would offer you cuttings of Cl Happy, but in the latest round of downsizing, that is one which went to live in the mountains north of me. I know it roots EXTREMELY easily. Perhaps someone here growing it will offer you cuttings? I still have Doc and Bashful as they are the more disease resistant and longest flowering of the bunch here. The major down side of the 7 Dwarfs is they begin flowering late for our growing season and finish earlier than other polys, which is probably why they're so cold tolerant. Kim

Thanks Kim, He's an odd dog...never bothers with any of my roses except once in a blue moon he'll turn into a typical puppy and do something like that! However, for whatever reason he also likes the buds on Comtesse Vandal! I haven't been able to get a bloom on her all season. Maybe she'll be relocated to the front yard in the spring :)

I was told that Happy isn't really Happy that he is Dopey.

They may have been confused at one point, but once you've seen the two, it's quite easy to determine which you have. Dopey is a dull, deeper red. It holds the petals FOREVER until they turn quite green. This was in my Newhall garden with high heat. Happy is a much brighter reddish orange, drops its petals more cleanly and never, in my experience, turns green with age. Dopey is good enough at turning green as it holds forever, I've frequently thought it would be beneficial in breeding for green. Happy sported to a climbing form. Dopey hasn't. Of course they're all going to resemble each other in quite a few traits as five of them are Robin Hood seedlings, some probable selfs, others with known pollen parents. Kim

Oh, my. TNY, one of my horses pulled up Buff Beauty, and I found it laying in the pasture, so keep looking. I found BB too late to save it.

Mendicino Rose, I thought you were kidding until I saw Kim's response. I hope my Happy isn't Dopey.

Yours is a climber, right? If so, it IS Happy, not Dopey. There isn't a climbing Dopey, but there is a Cl Happy. Kim

I had heard this from that German rose grower who attended the Palm Springs ARS convention. I can't remember his name.

Well, Kim, I think it's trying to be a climber. It's such a miserable little bush I'm not sure. The canes are longish, but they are very stiff, and a few have died for no apparent reason.

Mendicino Rose, I forgot to mention I snorted Diet Coke up my nose when I first read your post. I had never read that before about Happy being confused with Dopey, and I thought you were being funny.

I was sort of meaning to be funny. It's true though this man telling us it was Dopey. I can't remember his name or why he was sure about the name of the rose. I'm growing Climbing Happy. I had two plants. One has done wonderfully and the other I got rid of because it never did well.

I can send cuttings in the spring, hopefully. My Happy Cl isn't doing so well, either. My dog pulled it up too!

I'm confident he'll pull through because it was quick and it's been a while now.

Happy was a vigorous grower after a while when I first got him. Then I moved him and he didn't like that at all. Then the dog, lol.

It really did take over two years before he looked happy at all, though. How ironic! Ha! But he did great after he got those roots down. I bet he'll do it again. I hope yours settles in, florida.

Feel free, anyone, to contact me about cuttings next year :) *crosses fingers*

Mendocino, do you find the blooms on the happy Happy attractive? How about the foliage?

Meredith, I hope yours makes it also.

Thanks Meredith, I just may take you up on that offer :)

Hiya, Kim's Cl. Happy came to live with me, and as far as I know is still Happy. I know for sure it's not Dopey because I got it from Kim ;-)

You can add me to the list to check back with in the spring for cuttings.

thanks lagomorphmom....I'll be happy to send anyone any of my unpatented cuttings in return :)

Wonderful! I'm excited so many are willing to engage in cutting exchanges! Thank you! We ARE in the "Dark Days" of rosedom. Too many nurseries are gone with more to follow. This is the way to keep these roses around until things improve and the next generation of rose lovers come around to find them.

I would have LOVED to have been able to maintain Cl. Happy and all the others which went to a better home with lagomorphmom, but she's seen this hill. There just ain't no way! It's a gorgeous rose. Use it like a smaller, repeat flowering rambler. It would be beautiful on a white picket fence or over a garden arch. Kim

It is really beautiful, and it bloomed very well until I made him mad at me :)

The color is just gorgeous. A picket fence would look superb with Happy on it!

I would describe it as Kim has like a small reblooming rambler. The flowers are small and profuse. Like many polyanthas you have to keep it cleaned up or it looks ratty after flowering.

If you want to check what I have available in regard to clippings my plants are on HMF under Tammy's Tennessee Garden...it should be up to date, but about 1/3 are too small to take cuttings off of until later next summer when they grow a bit :)

Thanks for the bloom info. Ooh, cutting exchange!!!!