Kevarose, I've spend a frustrating and tiring day trying to keep the climbing roses in line. I like a wild look but they are positively ferral! Madam A C has gone wild - her thick canes are very difficult to train. How big in metres is your cabana? You may need a machete to get in! I also grow Devoniensis and I prefer her - though her canes and thorns are pretty wicked too - perhaps the position is more suitable.
What about something more delicate? Can you get some recommendations on Golden Showers (loosely double yellow blooms fading to cream) about 3m climber. Climbing Iceberg does not have exciting blooms but she flowers as well as the bush.
Some of the bigger Austins may do the trick. Graham Thomas (yellow blooms to die for) is a 3m climber, Leander is a 3.5 m climber though it only spot flowers between two main flushes - deep apricot with a pink tinge.
In the old roses there is climbing Lady Hillingdon to about 4.5m (apricot - flowers as much as Crepuscule), Archiduc Joseph, which can be grown as a small climber to about 3m - very unusual flowers of a warm pink with shades of mauve, orange and terracotta (much nicer than it sounds), or Souvenir de MMe Leonie Viennot - probably too big - to 4m with loose coopper pink flowers and usually only puts on one really fab show and then a bit of spot flowering.
Just had a good thought - what about Sombreuil - gorgeous white flat blooms and not too vigerous in my gareden - though I have looked her up and she is suposed to grow to 5m!!!
Lots to consider.
Deryn

Thanks Deryn

Great ideas. Sombreil is SO thorny - had to remove her from around the pool. I have Graham Thomas on the other side and love him/her but that is not going to be large enough. The roof is 4 m x 4 m and I could plant the rose at roof level so it only has to spread out or I could plant it lower and let it climb up.

What I really want is something like Noizumi which is dense and clinging wihtout big loose canes but large enough to cover a roof. The image in my mind is a smaller version of the dense roof cover by (red) Bloomfield Abundance in a photo said to be in David Rushton's garden. I guess I am more interested in the growth habit of the rose, which is critical that it is not with large floppy canes but spreads out well and is pretty evergreen, well almost, and has small fragrant white, cream, or yellow flowers.

Not asking much really!

Hi Kevarose
Bloomfield abundance is a once-flowerer and if you are prepared to settle for that, yellow and/or white bansia roses are exactly what you are describing. Thornless, evergreen, stunning in flower (just a solid mass of bloom) and they will turn themselves into a solid second roof on your roof. A friend of mine has an old one over a carport roof and the spring display is such it knocks her out all year. They grow quickly too but are quite easily controlled because of the lack of thorns.

Kevarose,

Would probably depend on the colour of the roof/cabana and if you need a remontant rose or not. I like the thought of Deryn's suggestion Cl Lady Hillingdon aften having seen one over a stairway at the Flemington Racecourse. Would look great with G/Thomas nearby. A dusty mauve/violet coloured Veilchenblau would look good in there as well. Buff Beauty or even Phyllis Bide which has exceptional coverage right to the ground (I personally love this rose). I've mixed all of these before with great success. One I have never tried but like the look of is Cl Adelaide D'Orleans and it apparently can retain it's foliage over winter more than others - similar to Crepescule. You may find someone on this forum who's grown it and can tell you about it's local characteristics.
Anyway good luck in your choices.

Garry

Thanks all. I sat up reading Botannica last night and also thought about Phyllis Bide or Lady Hillingdon. As meryl says, I really want a second roof of roses (the first roof will be beige coloured colorbond) that are pruned only if they protrude too far away from the roof. I can grow this rose (or 2 of them) in the high ground behind the retaining wall and at the level of the roof so it will essentially be a "ground cover" that covers 4 x 4 m of roof and will get very very hot on that roof.

I will have an archway of Cl Lady Hillingdon nearby also.

Hi Kevarose

some of the suggestions are great - I especially liked Garry's idea of Buff Beauty or Phyllis Bide.
I am looking out my window at the ferral rose garden and had another idea. What about climbing Softie? She is normally shown as small - to about 1.5m, but mine has grown to the top of a pine pole (about 3m)and I once saw one that was about three times the size!! She is constantly in flower with sweet lemon blooms which are fully double and fade to white. Not that I can actually see her - Lamarque has smothered her! I'll atempt a rescue mission on the weekend. Softee is a climbing minature and so could be planted on the side of the structure so she could almost 'sit' on the roof. Softee s thornless!! and does not have 'canes'. Her growth habit is like an everyflowering rambler - which is what that think you are asking for. Another climbing miniature I have read about is Golden Garden.
Though she has canes 'Penelope' the hybrid musk is a perfect colour and has the advantage of lovely hips in autumn/winter - her growth is similar to Buff Beauty.
Cheers Deryn

Thanks Deryn. I will look into climbing softie perhaps trailing up one of the posts from below. Helpme find does not have a photo and just says "Repeats its bloom again later in the season". But if you find that she flowers continuously, that is good.

I have a Penelope to move somewhere. Maybe what I should do is plant a few such as Penelop and Phyllis Bide as a "ground/ roof cover" planted at the top of the retaining wall so it can carpet out over the roof. And then see what I like the best next summer and move the ones that are not number one in that position?

Lamarque was also considered but mine stopped flowering a few weeks ago unlike a lot of other roses here. And he is a bit leggy. I really want a compact growth habit so I can shear with the hedge clippers to the roof shape every few weeks.

The Banksia roses are great suggestions.
Another suggestion is Paul Transon-a lovely rambler type that repeats.Colours are variable between apricot/buff/yellow and pink in a mixture.Lovely multipetalled blooms.
For a white you could try Sea Foam.
regards
sandie

kevarose, I asure you that Softee flowers constantly! One of the best performers in my garden and the flowers come in lovely trusses.
Cheers Deryn

New Dawn would fit the bill pretty well.

Keva, I imagine you know from experience growing roses near a pool just how many leaves they shed during the year - especially in autumn?

I like the idea of a couple rather than Madame Alfred - phew - a big lady.

I'd opt for a mix - say Kathleen Harrop which is vigorous and thornless and a Devoniensis which smells great. The combination of pinks and whites would look great too.

Yes, you'll get leaves in the pool - but then again, as we've said before, you'll get leaves and grass and everything else in that position anyway. Why not add rose petals and leaves?

Cheers
Barb

Dear Friends

I have decided with all of your help - I ordered 2 "Softie" (only could find it at Thomas) as per Deryn's advice and will plant these on the 2 uprights. I also ordered a Phyllis Bide and will try this and a Seafoam that I will move growing as a "ground/ roof cover' from the level of the roof. After a year of looking at all of them, I will keep the one(s) that work the best in that position and move the others somewhere else. Seems the best way to go.

Thanks everyone. Loved the thought of the banksia but so vigorous it scared me a bit.

Re leaves in the pool, as Barb says, here in the country one gets so many things in the pool from frogs to wild ducks, that a few leaves are no great problem and I cover it at night anyway so can just sweep them off if there are too many for the creepy crawly to chew up. I have planted a Manchurian Pear and a Linden (~oak) to get shade around this pool, and a lot of yellow and white roses near it, so leaves will just be there at times. I just clean out the filter fairly often.