Explain the pergola. Is this a 4 corner tent thingy, or what. How big is it? Height and width. My first assumption is that you would be better off with a once bloomer that grows fast, is lightly thorned and flexible. Hmm, Alexandre Girault?

I wish I had a rose recommendation for you . It's tough in your zone! And when you love certain colors . So my thoughts are what about the beautiful gold flame honeysuckle ? There is also a soft yellow one named john Clayton as well .

All the climbers I know are also very thorny or slower to grow. But a honeysuckle will do the job by next spring and attracts hummers and smells good!

John Davis is a wonderful pink climber. Laguna is beautiful as well. I have 3 of each of them scattered throughout the garden. Would highly recommend both. Another one which is a fav for me is Ramblin Red. It's red, of course, and the flowers last a long time. Hardy and disease resistant. It is a thorny though.

Everblooming Cl Cécile Brünner, I planted mine last year and it's about half way up the arbor I put him (her?) on. Not thorny, usually has roses on it though I understand the flushes are more spectacular.

Or, for a place you're only going to be at for 5 years, plant a vine.

MAC shes growing like crazy on my trellis hogging all the space. Hardly any thorns either.

If you can handle vidid colors, Purple Splash is a quick growing house eater. Given your requirements I'd suggest a grafted plant, though even own-root it's quite vigorous.

I have 2 ND planted about 5 feet apart. I planted them fairly late last season, and they weren't huge I think 2 gallon pots. They are throwing off 6' canes at least and new canes and buds everywhere. It would be much higher if I tied up up, I want mine sideways and down a little to fill in between the bushes.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Laguna, Ramblin' Red, John Davis, John Cabot and Henry Kelsey will all grow very fast for you, all of them own root and all will be hardy to the tips for you.

My pics are all not available now otherwise I'd share them, but here is a picture of my Laguna, this was a $2 rose at Home Depot which was literally about to be thrown away because it was full of blackspot and was in an unsellable condition. I got it and planted it in September 2014, look at it now.

Over 13 feet tall by 8 feet wide. It is even blooming inside the pergola as well

My Ramblin' Red was a own root one gallon plant, put in the ground in October 2014, now it is a beast over 12 feet wide and 9 feet tall.

ALL of these vigorous climbers are thorny!

How about Climbing Pinky? It is so easy to work with and train, nearly thornless, extremely fast growing (you may only need one to cover your whole pergola), and constantly in bloom.

I have had in in other yards before, but bought my most recent one from ARE in late winter/early spring. It's already grown a couple canes that are about 6 feet. I don't have any close up photos, but you can see it in the back there in the umbrella trellis.

My experience in climbers is limited to pretty in pink eden and raspberry cream twirl, both climbed 6 feet in their first season for me, both are bright pink and the rct has nice fragrance

Just got home so here's a close up of Climbing Pinky. Between bloom periods at the moment... but you can see the growth and almost thorn free canes.

It was just a "band" from ARE a season ago. This growth is all in just this spring.

I'll second cl. Pinkie from ARE, although mine from May is nowhere near as large as Cori Ann's. Mine is growing very well and already putting on some blooms.

Colette might be a good choice, though it would probably take two plants to cover a pergola. Despite the delicate look of her blooms, Colette is very cold hardy. Others in zone 5 have grown her. She also grows very quickly, and should bloom her first year in the ground. I've already posted these photos on the forum, but here they are again. They were taken a couple of weeks ago. Diane

mad_gallica My pergola is about 8 1/2 feet high, and 8x9 ft wide --- I'd really love a rebloomer though

It's not so much that thorns are a big problem... as long as .. it can be trained on the pergola & not turn into a huge problem... I guess I can just keep it super pruned?

My husband keeps telling me he's "not afraid of thorns" but I'm like.. Idk I've heard New Dawn is a killer--- but I really do want a rebloomer that will cover my pergola fast

Whatever you end up with, if it's pink-ish I strongly suggest you plant a goldflame honeysuckle next to it. In my zone 6 climate anyway, goldflame always seems to be in bloom when the roses are resting between flushes, so they alternate and there's always color. It's also not as yellow as some photos online make it look, more of a strong pink and very soft cream - not offensive or loud at all, IMO.

Fast and furious makes me think of the Hurricane Katrina rose, Peggy Martin.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/PeggyMartinrose.html

It is apparently nearly thornless and very hardy as well.

Peggy Martin is fast and furious for sure. All of this growth is just from this spring (it was a "band" from ARE I got just over the winter too...about the same time I got Climbing Pinky). Not really a repeat bloomer though from what I understand.

Climbing Pinky on the other hand is almost a non-stop bloomer here.

Oh my goodness I can not make a decision to save my life.

Ok--- I need a rose very heat tolerant (as this part of my garden gets so much sun & it just is HOT there), will grow fast (something worthwhile in 2 years) , and will grow attractively on a pergola

Which would be the best out of these & why (do you think):--will any work being grown from own root:

Laguna, Quick silver, Viking Queen, Jasmina, New Dawn or Awakening

Sorry to be throwing something else into the mix, but if you want something easy to train, reblooms, grows quickly, and handles lots of sun, look at Mel's Heritage. It will need support as it makes its way up the pergola, being as its canes are rather lax. But once it gets up there, it would look nice dripping down.

:-)

~Christopher

Mac is fast, never stops, like a tomato vine.

So many beautiful pics. In my garden, Ramblin' Red, John Davis, William Baffin and Laguna are all huge climbers. I would highly recommend them.

Mrs T, among the choices you list I'd recommend Laguna and Awakening as the quickest to grow and the longest blooming, with the best hardiness ratings. New Dawn grows fast for some people but mine was four years old and only knee high - it also died over the winter. Jasmina is iffy hardy in our zone (surprisingly) and Viking Queen isn't cane hardy and is slow to recover from the winter for me. Quick Silver is new to me but looks VERY good out of the box.

What I'd do is plant at least one rose on each side of your arch so you can get them to meet in the middle to cover it faster. The light pink of Awareness and dark pink of Laguna would go together reasonably well. You can put more than one climber on each end if you're indecisive (smile) and let the best rose win the race to the top!

Cynthia

Oh no don't enable me Cynthia! lol The beds around the pergola are a little crowded with roses already lol. I put the roses in way before the dreams of a pergola were realized-- Queen E, MOH, and 2 Abrahams! I just moved Eden out of one corner as I needed her somewhere else & knew she wasn't going to get the job done there anyway!

I think I'm leaning towards Awakening (based on your experience!) and Viking Queen or Quick Silver...(My zone is a bit warmer so I'm thinking it will be alright). My husband says I have too many light pink roses as it is but... I need a fast grower! lol

I like the way you think Cynthia. When I can't decide between roses, I get them ALL! As far as what to do when there's no more room, I'll figure that out later.

Sadly... I'm already running out of room... I actually don't even know where I'm going to put the Julia Child & Elina I'm getting!! ahhhh!

Here's a wonderful article on fragrant climbers...after reading it. I want all of them, especially Lady Hillingdon..

oops sorry, let's try again..

.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/plants/10173011/Heaven-scent-the-best-roses-for-your-garden.html

Cecile Brunner - cl

Repeat bloomer

Goes 20-30 feet and will cover your structure

It is a rose from 1894 so it can survive without a lot of frou-frou fussing - had to since all gardeners had then was manure to fertilize - not sprays for black spot etc.

https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/roses/903/cecile-brunner-cl

Zone 6 rose so will be happy in your Zone 7

Antique Rose Emporium is always good - first season their roses settle in and grow and bit and go nuts growing in season 2.