It sounds as if the white picket fence will go in back of the roses/between the roses and the house? If so, it will just get lost when the roses grow up, so it is sort of wasted space. Then which way will the arbors face (perpendicular to the house or parallel)? If perpendicular, the inside roses probably won't get enough sun. If parallel, figure 4' for each arbor + 2' for each climber, minimum, so with three arbors that takes up 18' and that's tight. (note: 36" arbors won't give 2 climbers enough room unless you stick to small climbers. Small (but not mini) roses bushes will take at least 3', which means you really have room for only three small bushes.

So, I would cut it down to two arbors/four climbers and do away with the picket fence. Roses are like beautiful women: they don't need a lot of make-up.

As to fragrance and petal count. Yes to fragrance. But some of the most beautiful and fragrant roses in the world have only 5 petals. I suggest you go www.vintagegardens.com and look at the classes of roses. They have the best online descriptions of the different kinds of roses. And of course, there are always books...

Life's grand if you choose mostly disease-resistant varieties, and in your zone you'll also want to pay attention to the cold-hardiness of roses. Griffith Buck shrubs (Quietness, Earth Song, Carefree Beauty), rugosa roses (Therese Bugnet, Roserie de l'Hay), Canada Explorer series (Champlain, John Cabot etc) and many Kordes roses (esp. Kordesii hybrids) would be easy to grow without a lot of winter dieback. It's been years since I've grown roses in a cold climate so many others can give you specific recommendations. Two spectacular once bloomers that meet your criteria are Alchymist and Constance Spry; shorter, reliable repeaters like Dortmund could be put in between. You're off to a great start!

...overly concerned I think, with petal count and fragrance.

Me too! The more of both, the better as far as I'm concerned. :)

Like barbarag_happy I would recommend disease resistance and cold hardiness as a good place to start. I think Mrs. fatbaldguy would be very pleased with Alchymist:

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Alchymist

Hear, hear, HoovB!

While disease resistance and zone compatibility and such are practical considerations; I agree that petal count and fragrance are major factors in the selection of roses, directly influencing the sum of pure pleasure that will ultimately be derived from the garden.

I suspect that MrsFatBaldGuy is a sensuous romantic.

-Gala

House of Kordes in Germany has released some spectacular climbing roses in the last few decades, such as rosarium utersen, (dk pink), Lichtkoningen Lucia (yellow/white), rosanna (bright pink) and others, which should be very well suited to your climate. You might also look at some of the older New Dawn hybrids, like Parade, Morning Dawn, Cadenza etc. Look in your local library for a book called Climbing Roses of the World by Charles Quest-Ritson for descriptions of most of the cultivars available today.

The missus will NOT permit the elimination of the picket fence. She has also indicated that the primary color will be pink with maybe a red or two. I've been perusing the Heirloom catalogue and have a few of their choices in mind. Desiree, Aloha, Cameo Perfume, Lady Jane Grey, and Mr. Lincoln.

Keep the suggestions flowing, heaven knows I'm rose knowledge deficient.

I would check carefully on some of those choices, to see how cold-hardy they are.

See the entry on 'Aloha' on HelpMeFind (LINK BELOW) says that it is suitable for Zones 6b through 9.
It could be iffy in your 5b zone?

The Tantau 'Desiree' (HT) is the same, as is the Harkness 'Lady Jane Grey.'
(The Clements 'Desiree' will go to 5b.)
'Mister Lincoln' is only rated as hardy to 7b, and that is also true of 'Cameo Perfume.'

You'll really have the best chance of success if you stick to roses which are bred to excel in your conditions.

Take a look at 'Morden Blush' -- a rose I REALLY lust for -- at:
http://www.helpmefind.com/plant/pl.php?n=2125
and then look at all of the other Morden roses.
Those babies are lovely, but also REAL hardy.

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: ALOHA at HELPMEFIND

Thank you jerijen, I was going by the catalogue descriptions of hardiness. I guess I'll have to contact the local Rose Society for some recommendations. A lot of stuffy birds, if you know what I mean. :>)

Two speciality mail-order nurseries which carry roses for cold climates are Northland Rosarium in Washington state and High Country Roses in Utah. I have had very good success with roses I ordered from High Country. Large plants at reasonable prices which took off and grew like Jack's beanstalk. Northland is showing a pink-lavender climber and a red climber from Kordes that look scrumptious, and claim to be fragrant.

I try to buy cultivars which were bred in climates approximating where I live. so, for me, I like roses from the south of France, or Italy, for example. If I were in a cold zone, I would look for roses from Kordes or Paulsen. I have longed for Rosarium Utersen for years, but I fear it would either burn or not bloom where I live.

Giving your location, basically which state you live in, would be very helpful for people trying to give advice. The closer people are to your conditions, the more accurate their advice tends to be.

Your idea of underplanting is a good one; roses seem to be healthier when not grown all by themselves and the whole garden will be more interesting! Good air circulation is important, as is being able to get to the back of the plants to prune and deadhead. Check out climbers in public gardens near you, & be sure to go back mid-summer as many climbers take a good, long rest at that time. Have you checked the sun exposure during blooming season? Roses want at least six hours of direct sun, and for foliage health morning sun's better. And to drool over-- check out Sebastian Kneipp and Parole/Buxom Beauty on helpmefind.roses. You made me giggle, your comment about the Rose Society-- but persist, there will be a few closet "garden rose" types in that group who will understand what your wife is looking for!

Aloha is very winter hardy here in Illinois zone 5; I provide absolutely no winter protection and it has very little winter dieback very year. Mine is so sturdy that I don't have to grow it on a trellis anymore; it is now a large free-standing shrub.
-terry

Do you have reliable snow cover? A layer of fluffy snow can provide excellent winter protection for roses.

You need to understand that hardiness concerns are different for bush roses such as hybrid teas as opposed to climbers. If bush roses are damaged all the way to the ground, they will still bloom in flushes through the season on new shoots from underground. If you plant with the graft or bud union (if any) below grade, they will do OK in midwestern zone 5b (not necessarily northeastern zone 5b). However, plants will stay small, maybe regrowing to 40" by fall. Do try Earth Song, it is more hardy, vigorous and disease resistant than any hybrid tea, and the flowers are similar, if slightly less glamorous.

On the other hand, if climbers are severely damaged, the regrowth is mostly canes with few flowers. Climbers need to be cane-hardy every year in your climate, and most are NOT cane-hardy in zone 5b. Local advice would be good, or tell us where you live. Aloha, for example, has been cane hardy in southern Michigan. Alchymist should be good. Quadra and Ramblin' Red are often recommended for zone 5.

fatbaldguy lives in SW Ohio. Late May to late August, the Rose bed gets 7 1/2 to 9 hours of direct sun per day. Late morning to early evening mostly. I don't think I've ever referenced myself in the third person before!

I second 'Earth Song'. It's a very hardy Buck shrub rose. Here's Earth Song in a vase; one of the last blooms before a killing frost this year. ES blooms continously and is very healthy. Roses Unlimited carries quite a few Buck Roses, so check them out. Another Buck rose your wife might like is a shell-pink bi-colored rose with spots called 'Mountain Music'. It's one of my favorites. Very eye-catching! I have a lot of pink Bucks in my garden, and I have been very pleased with them.
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