Check out roses with "Smooth" in the name. I think there are more thornless antique roses than modern roses.

Check out Belinda's Blush, Thomas Affleck, and Valentine, available from Antique Rose Emporium. They are all modern shrubs.

Among their antiques, I love the teas G. Nabonnand and Mrs. Dudley Cross, the noisette climber Reve d'Or, and English roses Heritage and Lady of Shallott.

I grow Lady of Shalott and it is anything but "thornless". It isn't packed but it will sure let you know all about it if you reach inside the bush to get a bloom. Go with the "smooth" series of roses. I see them at my local Lowe's every spring.

Thornless (or near thornless) come in many varieties including climbing. Do you have a preference for colour and/or form? Stawchicago on the Organic Rose forum has at least one thread highlighting thornless varieties and many references in other posts as she doesn't like growing thorny ones. Do a search within the ORF and you'll find a slew appropriate to your zone and growing conditions.

Our Thomas Affleck had some thorns...Got jabbed enough..lol

Summer Snow and Climbing Summer Snow

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.6014

Of the rose shrubs that I have, Reine des Violettes and St. Elizabeth of Hungary are virtually thornless. You didn't ask for climbers, but just to mention that my Peggy Martin is also thornless. Among Austins, I've seen Heritage nearly thornless and the blooms are beautiful but sadly shatter quickly.

As barbarag mentioned, I recommend Smooth Lady. Large pink, classic blooms with little scent; but it's absolutely, totally thornless. It makes a largish bush about 5x5' here by the end of Summer, not extremely full, but healthy. It has a great Spring flush, and smaller, more scattered blooms throughout Summer and Fall. It might bloom better if I treated her better, lol. But basically she's been a plant-it-and-forget-it rose, and does just fine.

John

https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/groups/thorn-free

nearly thornless roses

Great link, modestgoddess!

The closest to thorn free rose I have is an own root carding mill. Maybe it's a fluke but it doesn't have any large or even medium thorns only a few small prickles and some of its canes are remarkably smooth.

I do love a rose that doesn't bite the hand that feeds and waters it. Many a pretty flower I've passed up after seeing well armored canes that scared me off.

My climber Renea is thornless . It is a rose that amazes me ! Very clean , always growing and blooming, and fragrant! Can't recommend her enough

I grow Zepherine Drouhin, a Bourbon climber, over an archway because it is virtually thornless. I had no blackspot this year (its first since getting established) despite much rain. There is a massive one at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at NYBG that the gardener isn't happy with because it doesn't bloom enough in its less than optimal sun exposure.

Here is an old shot of my Zephy’s along the top of our fence, over an archway, and on top of the deck. Not a thorn on any of them. Not much black spot this year.

That is so beautiful, but I have to admit, my first thought was, "There's room for more roses in front of that fence." : )

Does your Zephy bloom much? I just planted what I think is ZD in front of my fence and hope it looks 1/10th as good as yours.

vaporvac -- They are once bloomer then a rose here and there the rest of the year. I still have roses on most of the plants (60) with some getting ready to open and here it is 2 weeks before Thanksgiving......

I second or 3rd???the Renae. Memorial Day is Thornless. It also has a lovely fragrance. If you can find it Annie Laurie Mc Dowell is too.

I grow Zephirine Drouhin and it's completely thornless here and I haven't had any issues with BS this year. Heritage is another good rose to consider...it's not totally, but almost completely thornless for me.