vesfl... I've got lots of those obelisks, and whilst I can't recommend roses for that climate, I would advise your friend to plant the rose outside not inside. I've planted a couple inside and soon realised the mistake, which I wouldn't want to repeat...

Marlorena, thank you very much. I'll surely tell him to plant it outside. I showed him a few photos on this forum and yours was one of the photos that caught his eye for this idea. On this first photo, you have 'Generous Gardener' growing up the obelisk. Could you please explain how you trained it? Did you just tie it to the obelisk from the outside or weave the canes through it?

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/some-more-light-relief-dsvw-vd~4675627

vesfl... oh that's nice, I'm glad he liked the photos... 'The GG' is one of those I mistakenly put inside the obelisk, but you can get away with it as you see, but it's a little awkward to train up the middle, which is why I recommend putting it outside..

I also have another rose on that obelisk outside of it, so they share the space, although can't see it much in that photo.. some of my obelisks for this season, I've got no less than 3 roses all planted outside, which I shall entwine together, but obviously this is for the adventurous [read insane] gardener. Your friend can make do with just one rose... I like 'The GG' very much, lovely scent, nice first flush, and continues to bloom until late...

Oh, you asked about the training, well I just let The GG go straight up really, it's quite an upright grower fortunately, not too thorny and troublefree, but the other rose on the outside, I'm training it around the structure, twirling it around upwards as it goes...

Wonderful! Thanks so much, Marlorena.

I recently decided to take out my spectacularly huge Graham Thomas, as he refused to be trained against the fence. Undoubtedly I was doing something wrong, but my efforts to prune him and train him were rewarded by his repeatedly breaking free and growing straight up. Subsequently, he blew forward in a wind storm and began grabbing passersby on the sidewalk. When this sidewalk-grabbing routine started happening twice per year, I realized that I couldn't handle him, and he had to go. He may be more mild-mannered in your friend's climate, but if not, I suggest the strictest discipline.

P.S. he was more than 10 feet tall when I dug him out, and his branches (chopped up and rolled into a big tarp) barely fit into a Subaru Outback with the back seats down. Even then there were thorns and hips poking up into the front seats, and I had a hard time closing the tailgate...

K S, thank you. That's good to know. I'll let him know about your experience. I wonder if some alternative DAs that are similar in color to 'Graham Thomas' might be less massive for that kind of structure. 'Teasing Georgia' or 'Golden Celebration' perhaps... Or some less vigorous yellow tea-noisette (he likes larger blooms).

My Golden Celebration hasn't gotten very big yet- this will be it's fourth spring for me. It seems to be a favorite of the bunnies for early autumn feasting, when it's still too warm to wrap. Just a side not, mine has never been very yellow, if he is after a true yellow and lives in the northern climes, GC may not be reliably yellow enough.

Is your friend a dedicated fighter of Black Spot? Willing to spray twice a month, every month the rose is leafed out?

A quick update and to thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

Jackie, when I showed him a photo of your GT, he didn't just walk, he ran to buy it at a local nursery. Of course, it will not be grown up this obelisk but he has another nice spot for it in the garden. I had no idea that it can get that huge in warm climates.

stillann, he is just starting to grow roses and is hopeful to be able to deal with BS. But I still shared with him your warning! :-)

Karen, your Golden Celebration is gorgeous. My friend lives in zone 8/9 so it sounds it might get too big for an obelisk in his climate. With that in mind, he'll probably grow Generous Gardener (it beautifully works for Marlorena in her warmer zone) or Teasing Georgia. Thanks to all on behalf of my friend as well!