SdMLV?

She is yummy, but HMF says she grows to only 10-12'.

Bigger please.

Daisy

'Jaune Desprez'? though she's thorny. Or, less thorny and equally huge, 'Souv. de Mme. Leonie Viennot' of commerce, once-blooming. I've never grown 'Cl. Cramoisi Superieur', but have heard good things about it. I don't know how big it gets. 'Duchesse d'Auerstaedt', grafted, is a respectably hefty rose. She has spells of her buds proliferating, but is otherwise gorgeous.

I'm pretty sure SdMLV grows taller than 12' in warm climates. I have only a young one. Maybe people who grow her in warm climates would chime in. Oh and opinions differ as to whether she repeats or not.

I don't live anywhere near Crete but Reve d'Or?

Naturally there are the Lady Banks roses, and also the once-flowering and gigantic 'Treasure Trove'.

I'm pretty sure I've seen SdMLV at least twice that height near me. And she had a nice, rambling sort of habit, just right for going through a big old tree - again, IIRC. Said to be 'perpetual' blooming here in SA.

Some of the 'extremely' vigorous R gigantea's 'very' vigorous hybrids might be worth considering for something a little different, if you don't already have them - Lorraine Lee (coppery pink floppy tea cross) and Nancy Hayward (tomato/ cherry red/ deep pink single) are two Australian varieties - both bred by Alister Clarke - that enjoy a warm climate.

I don't think you'd call the flowers especially striking individually, but NH has an interesting 1930s sort of vibe, and both are winter/all year round bloomers. (Deane Ross said to prune/trim in autumn for best winter display, but I don't suppose that'd be very practical for you.)

Or of course there's the breathtaking Belle Portuguese (sp?) (very vigorous, pale shell pink) that we've just been discussing on another thread, if you don't mind once-flowering. I just read that she's the result of a cross between gigantea and SdMLV, which I must have forgotten.

It's lovely to see you posting again, Daisy. Did your leg heal up eventually? Hoping all is well with you and your DH, and your wonderful garden. :-)

[Later, ETA: Hmm...I've been checking out some descriptions of NH on the internet, and find most describe her as only a modest climber/pillar rose, which is at odds with my perception/memory - but I'm now seriously doubting what I thought I knew about her...]

If I had the space, I'd grow Gloire de Dijon. What do you think of her? I don't know about self cleaning, though. Climbing Maman Cochet has always been one that has interested me, too. Although I'm in So CA, my zone is the same as yours, and my elevation is 600feet, so rather similar. The thing I don't have is space. I do have a list somewhere of huge climbers for my zone. I could only choose one big, big one. I chose "Mel's Heritage". I am supremely happy with my choice. I would totally recommend "Mel's Heritage", but I'm uncertain it's available to you in Crete. Lisa

Comtesse, you scared me a little- I didn't realize there was a climbing form of 'Lorraine Lee', and I have what I hope is the non-climbing form... it is a pretty thing, and I do think it would be a good-looking climber with that vivid coppery pink.

It seems that La Roseraie du Désert has "Florence Bowers' Pink Tea"... I think that would be a fantastic tree-eater...

Virginia

I thought of Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambler which I've seen in person a few times and which has always enchanted me. However, it does fade to white and may do better in a cooler climate. Length is 20 to 30 feet. There's also May Queen, 15 to 30 feet. Both of course bloom only once. My personal favorite would be Lawrence Johnston, 20-30 feet, with flowers of an unusual shape and a unique, unforgettable fragrance, The color is a lovely yellow. It can sometimes repeat in autumn.

Belle Portugaise is probably on my mind because of Cori Ann's recent post, but maybe that's a good thing. She should grow well in your climate, and she's magical in full bloom! I can't remember whether she's more or less self-cleaning. Does anyone out there grow her and have an opinion on BP's tidiness? I do know she's BIG and tender! Carol

Ooooo,what a delightful dilemma!!! Now, let's see...if anyone knows of where we could get Mel's Heritage here in Europe, PLEASE speak up! I'd love to have that'un.

I sure hope that Virginia is right and that Florence Bowers' will get huge; I just got it last fall from La R du Désert and it's still in a pot, for now. I love May Queen; the fact that it blooms early as far as ramblers go is a big plus in my climate,where it can get so hot already by June that later-bloomers end up a bit fried. This is the defect of Paul's H. Musk, IMO; it blooms later, and though beautiful indeed, the flowering lasts very briefly. Souv. de Mme. Leonie Viennot is early, long-lasting, and beautiful, though I wish the faded blooms would fall off faster. I love Climbing Old Blush,in spite of the fact that it tends to defoliate after it's stunning spring flush (it then tends to leaf out again, so I'm thinking to mask this defect with a clematis montana). Hiawatha impressed me deeply this year for it's long, long bloom. Also, there's Scarman's Himalayan Musk, which is supposed to get very big, too,and it's flowers lasted a long time...

Oh, goodness, Virginia, yes I hope it's the bush form you have! Both are old, nostalgic favourites here; the climber has eaten many an Aussie water tank tower and big old farm buildings, etc. Although she grows and blooms profusely in a warm climate, she got a frostier reception in England, where the complaint was that one needed binoculars to see her only flower...

Daisy, I look forward to hearing what you decide. So many wonderful roses laid out before you. . .

I forgot about Cecile! That is gorgeous!

I was thinking Lorraine Lee, too. I love the colour - it glows, but it's not for everyone. I have the bush form here, struggling along. Too much humidity for it here really.

Lisa, your Mel's Heritage is gorgeous.

I really like Lorraine's rich coloring also... it isn't garish, but it is definitely visible... even from a distance.

Such great suggestions! Mel's Heritage in on my "if only" list. I'll never see most of these big beauties growing in my tiny space. It's fun to dream along with the thread. I look forward to reading what you choose, Daisy. Carol

Gosh! What delights you have shown me. I go away for a day and return to find that you have all come up trumps. I will have to take some time to go through all your suggestions and photos.

I think I have room for two massive roses. The mulberry tree has two trunks, about eight feet apart, coming from the bole, which is about twelve foot across.

This is the bank. I would like the roses not to clash with Mutabilis, which is further down the bank.

You can only see the first trunk of the mulberry tree in this photo, I will have to take a clearer picture of the tree and post it later.

Daisy

It looks like Lorraine Lee would go really well there. So would SdMLV, so would Florence Bowers, so would Mel's Heritage. Gorgeous photos of climbing Cecile Brunner Mariannese. Thank-you. It looks like that would work too.

I will have to look through the rest of your ideas and see what is available in Europe.

Daisy

Ingrid. We have the same taste. I grew PHM, May Queen and Lawrence Johnston in England. They were all lovely. I really would like here, something that would not grow in England, that would be new to me.

Daisy

Here is the tree. Or at least the bottom bit.

Whoops, how did she get in here?

Daisy

This looks like it was cut (or rather chopped) to the ground ages ago and has resprouted. I think your problem will be where to find root free space to plant the roses. This must be massive underground.

I like Melissa idea of Cramoisi Superieur climbing too. In fact what about Lorraine Lee AND Climbing Cramoisi Superieur growing together up one trunk? They are both lusty growers it seems. They could fight it out together.

That would leave the other trunk for something else.

You can see that I am getting delusions of grandeur!

Daisy

Nik, we posted at the same time.

I was thinking of building a dry wall a few feet away from the bole and back filling with top soil to give them a starting root run. The bank drops away so I would not be building up soil on the tree. After the roots have gone through that, well, it is up to them.

I am hopeful, because, I did something similar before and it worked.

At my age, I think I have to go for it and see.

Daisy

Good idea. That raised spot will be pretty dry though so you should ensure good watering until the rose(s) establish.

Daisy, I have my still small Lorraine Lee planted next to Mutabilis, and I think they go well together. Your Mutabilis looks wonderful - especially good to have it somewhere it can be viewed from above.

Thanks for more shots of your garden, which is utterly enchanting. And honestly, I don't know whether your cat or your bench win the honours in that photo. They are both lovely.

I think the dry wall idea is excellent, too. Another thought: whatever you decide to grow there,if you get it bare-root, you might want to start out in a pot for it's first year. Now, something like P's HM or May Queen wouldn't need that, perhaps, but if it's a kind of "difficult" spot it might be just as well to make sure that the rose/s have a good robust root system to start with,which I find is easier to achieve if they are in a pot for the first year. But that's in my circumstances; remember, in my garden most plants only get auxiliary watering in their first year...

That shot of the bank is so beautiful. What plants are shown?

What bart said regarding the pot.

Have to jump in and say it as well, your embankment shot is beautiful. I have a similar dry slope, and wish mine was so lovely. Lisa

bart, I haven't planted much on the bank, because I cannot climb up it. There are just a few plants at the bottom. Two large clumps of Aloe vera, donated by Voula in the village shop. A Puya berteroniana, yet to flower, some Lychnis coronaria, that seeds around, some succulents, various pelargoniums and Lobelia laxifolia seen here with an ivy-leaved pelargonium.

Daisy

Daisy, if you cannot climb the hill, how can you plant it?. Living on a steep hill as I do, any tips you can give will help.

Cath