My Annie Laurie McDowell is as slow as molasses. I'm not giving up on it but don't know whether I'd order it again. I believe other people have had better luck.

My personal choice would be Reve d'Or but I've heard good things about Nahema. Since you fell in love with it why not choose that one?

Ingrid

I'm off to look up your recommendation Ingrid ! I highly value your input .
I'll tell you why I don't dive right into nahema ... It's because I also fell in love with renae , and jasmina , and spirit of freedom ... And I'll fall in love with the next rose I stumble on . I agonize over everything !
I did have a thought that I could pick nahema and jasmina and blend them on the pergola . And cram a clematis on there .
See what cabin fever does to you ? I want them all . :)

I feel your pain of indecision lol! I do the same thing and it drives me crazy. I really can't tell you how to make a decision but sometimes I try to narrow it down to two and make a list of pros and cons and pick from there. Good luck choosing and let us know what you decide, hopefully with some help from the others on the forum you can make a decision. I like the idea of 2 climbers btw.

Well, I've certainly been in your sort of situation myself many a time.I myself have been on and off tempted by Nahema, but am a bit put off by the suspicion that it might have a rather awkward habit. Here is a quote from someone on HMF about this rose; the comment describes the photo:"Whole plant trained against a fan-shaped trellis. Very strong plant. Flowering not yet started for the season. Buds forming up high. Would respond to training horizontally if you got the branches early enough ,however; it likes to make long canes that end in large clusters of flowers that may look odd pegged down. Nov. 2012, Tasmania, Australia." In other words, this sounds to me like a rose that might have a rather stiff habit...for what that's worth...

The only rose on your list that I know is Renae. I've never seen her more than about 5ft high - she seems to sprawl outwards rather than reach upwards, so I don't think there's much chance of her covering a pergola, assuming that's what you're after.
Her big advantage is thornlessness; lovely for along a front fence, etc.
Hope that helps.
Comtesse :¬)

..Jasmina didn't last long with me... a thorny coarse plant that I simply wouldn't want to wrestle with, on a fence or an archway.... pretty flowers and a nice name....perhaps best grown into a tree here.... otherwise one of these would be quite enough...
..you might feel different on that...so best of luck with yours and I have seen it grown here on an arch where it did look splendid,...but it wasn't me that had to look after it...

..Spirit of Freedom was another that soon left my garden.... June is a big month for flowering, but it's also usually heavy with rain here.... not great for a rose with so many petals as this... I simply couldn't look at it...
...again, might be different in your area... I hope so, it seems to be popular with quite a few on this forum...

...one that caught my eye last summer, and I was so tempted to buy it... was 'Albrighton Rambler'... this would also supply those adorable button blooms.... when I saw it in a container it had a most attractive supply of tall wiry stems topped with masses of little buds all ready to open....

...I resisted that time.... unlikely to happen again....

I grow most of the roses you list, and the only one I might question in my zone at least is Spirit of Freedom. It's a lovely rose but not at all a climber - stops at 5-6' every year with stiff sturdy canes. I'm sure it could be convinced to grow horizontally, but I have my doubts as to whether it could cover an arbor even in a warmer zone. If you want a climbing Austin you could look at Crown Princess Margaretha, but the color is a little too close to white for a white arbor. I'd say the same for Renae, but some folks like the "cream on white" look and it can be gorgeous.

As for Nahema, Bart's input is good info but not necessarily a vote against it for your pergola. Nahema does have somewhat stiff canes but no more so than neighboring climbers on the same fence - Orfeo, Centennaire des Lourdes, and Gertrude Jekyll come to mind (the latter with "climb" only hypothetically). Nahema wouldn't have flexible canes to weave around a pergola like Mme. Alfred Carriere or Mme. Isaac Periere (both jaw-dropping old garden climbers), but as long as you gently encouraged the main canes horizontally you can tie the more flexible laterals around the pergola supports reasonably well.

My Annie Laure McDowell is a bit small to comment but it would be dynamite if you need to be able to walk through an arch or something in the pergola, as it's thornless. Jasmina is the least exciting of these, partly because it's not cane hardy in our winters so never really climbs well for me.

Just my two cents!

Cynthia

Ha! Just saw a photo of Renae trained vertically and looking very pretty indeed over a white wooden archway, so please ignore most of my previous comment!

I'm wondering though what sort of size this pergola is? I ask, because here in Oz, we tend to think of a pergola as a large structure, often covered with an enormous old grapevine, providing summer shade for an extended family-sized table and chairs beneath, Mediterranean style, for eating and entertaining under.

But I'm wondering if, in the US, it usually means something more like a deep archway over a gate or walkway, etc. I may have been wrongly assuming you're looking for something huge...

-:¬]

Hi ! I am so so sorry I didn't get back to anyone . I was subscribed to receive email notification if anyone replied , and hadn't , so I assumed the thread dropped ! So sorry !!
Boncrow , thank you for sympathizing ! Sometimes it's as if it's the last rose I'll ever plant ( we all know that is not true !)
Bart , I somehow didn't read that review on hmf . I wonder if it would just be good for my split rail fence ? I did email the owner of roses unlimited and he said his main plant was never very big and died after a cold snap . He didn't seem to impressed with the plant but we may have different tastes .
Thank you nip tress for your reviews !! I can put spirit of freedom also on my split rail fence and call it a day .
Alameda, I could consider Tess for sure ! It looks lovely . Do you have any pictures ?
Comtess , thank you also for your ideas ! And I guess I assumed everyone knew what my pergola looked like ! Silly ! :) It is honestly either a rather large arbor or minimally small pergola. I called if a pergola because I am using my swing under it and will make it the center of my garden .

It needs painted ! Just got it this Christmas

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I do have madame Alfred carriere for the back of the pergola . I plan on matching the trellis and putting a back on it . So the sides can really be any height from 6 ft , as I imagine madame Alfred will cover the top just fine .
Also , I do have a souvenir de la malmaison and cl clotilde soupert I can use but they won't match and I'm afraid they may have different bloom times . Anyone have an opinion on that idea ? Crazy ?
I might have to just step back and stop obsessing over it ! :) maybe that will clear my head of all the ideas . I so appriciate everyone's help and can't wait to share spring photos !

I am having rose dreams of clotilde soupert lol, I have fallen in love with it from pictures and hope to have it in my garden one day. Your arbor/pergola Is absolutely beautiful and the setting behind it with the fence and pond is gorgeous. I know what ever you decide to do is going to be stunning and I can't wait to see pictures. Sorry I'm not much help, I have SDLM and it's my favorite rose and I think CS is beautiful too so you almost can't go wrong. Don't worry about different bloom times, that's something you can't control lol.

Both 'Renae' and 'Annie Laurie McDowell' are HOT climate roses - they are easily damaged by hard freeze events and grow much smaller/slower in climates that are not consistently hot. (Think Central Valley California hot)

I'd choose something like 'Reve d'Or' instead. It has excellent vigor and performs well in many climates. I would also consider 'Sombreuil'.

Reve d'Or . clean foliage, fragrant and reliable. tends to look down at you so perfect for a pergola you intend to sit under. If I remember correctly it is also an Earthkind rose meaning it is trouble free. At least where I live. It should be warm enough for it in the Great State of TN.

It looks like your Pergola has a swing? While all the incredible selections would be breathtaking in your surroundings, if it were me I would place top priority on thornless. My old skin is so thin now, I just crossed around 50 of the best roses off my wish list. That narrows my decisions way down.
Sorry to be a dark cloud.

The only one on your list that I grow is Spirit of Freedom, and while it's great grown as a strong free-standing 6'-7' shrub, it is too stiff to recommend training as a climber on your pergola. Have you looked at Rhonda, Penny Lane, or Blossomtime? Those have been healthy, repeat bloomers mannerly climbers.

Newtie, rev d or has been reccomended to me before , I might have to give it another look! Thanks for reminding me of it.
Damask linen, you sure bring up a good point about the thorns! Sometimes when we plant little bitty bands it's hard to imagine the monster it could become! :)
Lori, I have never heard of Rhonda or penny lane! Do you have any pictures to share? Im off to look them up. I have blossom time and love it ! So so pretty.
Sounds like the general consensus is my area is still too cold for some of the beauties id like to grow. So,rather than zone push something I need to worry about getting big enough to make an impact I'll look for some better fits . Thank you all for your suggestions !

The Generous Gardener would probably work well. Here it is vigorous and markedly healthy, though not completely clean in a 95% no spray garden). It's easy to work with, fragrant, and reblooms with a little touch-up pruning. Extremely nice habit and foliage.

I grow it in challenging conditions: under the eaves, where there is very little air circulation, sporadic watering. And it still performs extremely well. I can't imagine how happy it would be in your setting, which is perfect.

Flowers are blowsier and whiter in the late summer. Orange hips.

See that pretty foliage? I feel like it would be a sure thing since we are in similar areas.

How about Malvern Hills, Mortimer Sackler, or Generous Gardener? GG won a gold award for a climber.

Sidos_House, your rose is absolutely stunning! I thought it must be an old rose since it has all the charm of one. For me this would be in the top five of a list of all-time best and most beautiful climbers.

Ingrid

Madame Alfred will indeed cover the top! You might want to reconsider her placement behind/up the back of the pergola and the swing in the photo. She does have thorns contrary to some descriptions and will throw long canes with hooked talons. I am growing Paul Barden's Marianne in Portland, Oregon, and she is healthy and mostly thornless as far as I can tell. (This could change as she matures, but I believe she has a rep for being relatively easy to be around.) I expect her to grow tall enough for the side of a pergola or large trellis. The buttery-apricot-pink-cream blossoms would play well with Madame. Marianne is a once-bloomer. Reve d'Or blends beautifully with Madame Alfred and is a lovely climber. I've trained my Blush Noisette into a climber. She blooms late spring through early winter here. The hips are cute. I like your idea of blending soft shades together. Lonicera periclymenum 'Serotina' would add fragrance and long bloom and a little sultry complement. Its dark, smoky foliage and wine and golden peach flowers would add depth to the white paint color and play well with all creamy, apricot, blush, and buttery roses. Mine blooms all summer. Hummingbirds adore it. Indecision is usually a precursor to creative epiphany! -Carol

This post was edited by PortlandMysteryRose on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 15:26

Edited to remove duplicate posting.

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This post was edited by Sidos-House on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 19:39

I would think that Renae would do well where you are. It is listed as going down to zone 6b and you are zone 7. Ralph bred his roses for health and vigor first, beauty second. Renae has been used as a parent for other climbing roses. It is a beauty and according to Burling (who worked with Ralph) it grows fast and tall. I was considering it for my own yard but went with Flamingo Dancer instead. It was time to put a few stripey's in my yard this year.

Oh, just one more thing, if you would consider a stripe climber, Shadow Dancer is another one that goes down to 5b and is a great rose. Does well as a cut rose too. I was considering one for one side of my arbor along with a Flamingo Dancer for the other side. Burling stated they would go very well together. Since I just got Flamingo Dancer, I don't have any pictures to show you but both have pictures on HMF if you wanted to take a peek. I know someone on one of the forums stated Shadow Dancer was one of her best roses.

Also, I know all about indecision. Had that and still do for my roses for this year. If only Boscobel was on its own root somewhere, sigh.....still debating about Darcey Bussell as according to DA folks in Texas, it does great as a standard or bush and does well in my heat.....sigh again.....The sale is only for four more days....I feel your pain!

I like the suggestion of Sombreuil but I have issues with it handling hard winters.

The rose I think of is Lavender Lassie. She is classified as a Hybrid Musk, she throws up long easily trained canes and is very disease resistant. Here are two plants at the end of their second year already working their way over this arbor.

wellrounded, what a gorgeous picture! Is this your garden? Wonderful design, with matching roses flanking the beautiful ones over the arch, the tree trunks visible through the middle of the garden bench, and rose petals underneath.

Ingrid

Thanks Ingrid,

For four years it was my second garden. It is the Prague Rose Garden Club in Prague, Oklahoma where I lived until a year and a half ago. The garden was totally neglected with two knockouts, two very rough hybrid teas and two floribundas and weeds over two feet tall. I decided to put the garden back together, took cuttings from my own roses and added over forty new plants to the garden. It is much more mature today and has a couple of people who keep the weeds out and water the roses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Prague Rose Garden Club

I don't have any suggestions just wanted you to know your setting is breathtaking. I can't wait to see what you end up purchasing. Just remember if it doesn't do what you want just move it and try another one. Lol. Just don't stress bc it's going to be gorgeous. Take care, Judy.

Jasmina needs training. The plant needs maturity time before sending out robust vertical canes. The new canes in the early years are thin and whippy and need tying up. It's worth it. The pretty clusters hanging down are poetry. You want it up high because the clusters fall downward like wisteria. I almost gave up on mine. No flowers for the first three years. This plants thorns will tear clothes so maybe not a climber you want to sit next to. I heard that this rose likes to spread out wide. It does send out canes at angles and you ha e to work at tying them if you want them to go straight up.

Oh how nice to come home to more replys ( tho I still don't get any email alerts! )
Sidos house , what a gorgeous picture !! Oh my ! I remember reading about the generous gardener , but it had some mixed reviews for rebloom. But your photo is very convincing !! I will do more research on it .
Portlandrose , another vote for rev d or ! I wonder if it grows well here , I kinda became scared that the few below freezing days we get each winter (3/4) might cause some dieback or ruin vigor . It gets windy here and I think that will hurt it too . I love your suggestion of the honeysuckle ! I have the "Florida " variety in a pot ready to go somewhere . Can't wait to smell it again !!
Well rounded , may I ask where you are located ? That is a beautiful picture !! I tried growing lavender lassie back in pgh on an arbor . I loved the scent and the flowers were super charming !! It did suffer from black spot up there . I have one plant of it coming but I didn't have a great spot for it since I was concerned about black spot .
Judy , thank you for the words of encouragement !! I'm getting so itchy for spring I think it fuels the indecision !! Lol I am really just so happy to get going this season!
Kitty moonbeam , thank you !! I decided I will place jasmina on the fence . I'm looking forward to seeing it's lavender blooms . They look Divine !!

Well I do have to make a decision very soon before everything sells out ! :)
Back to google and helpmefind.... :) thanks everyone of my rosey friends !!

What a lovely picture. Not sure if my post comes a bit late, but if you are looking for thornless, I would recommend Peggy Martin. It is also known as the Katrina rose, having survived under several feet of flood waters. Beautiful light green foliage, very healthy, near thornless ( I can train it without gloves). Flowers are pink, somewhat like climbing pinkie, which would do well too, but has thorns.