Check out this thread for ideas

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5240523/favorite-companions-plants-perennials-ground-covers-living-mulch#n=51

Unless those are all climbers, which I'm guessing they're not, I'm a little worried that you've planted the roses much too close to the back of your bed. They should have several feet to grow in all directions, and I'm not sure what will happen to them in their present position. I hope others will comment on this since I don't live in your zone.

Yes, you have planted the roses as if they will stay the size they are now. They will NOT - even in zone 6 they will get much bigger. Also, nothing else of any size will fit into that bed. First, since you just planted them, I would move then right now way more towards the front of that bed, and I might take one or two out to make more room sideways. If it was me, I would then wait until they have grown for at least 2 years, to see how big they get, before planting anything else. It is a common mistake - we have all made it, but roses need space to grow, as Ingrid says.

Jackie

Thanks for your feedback. Actually 5 of the 8 are climbers but I think I want to move some of them to the front of my house. Also I'm going to post an updated picture because they have grown in the month since I planted them.

There are 3 New Dawn climbers and then 2 David Austin climbers - Old Wollerton Hall and a Strawberry Hill. I didn't really intend to have so many climbers but they were so cheap I just bought what they had. My plan is to train the New Dawns up and around the sun room windows. The DA climbers I had no plan for. I put a New Dawn at each end of the sunroom window and one in the middle. Will that be too much? Sounds like I've much underestimated the growth of these.

I'll post a picture of the front of the house. Could you help me figure out which climbers should stay on the side by the sunroom and which should go on the front? Also in the front, where should I plant them? There is plenty of sun in the front but ideally I'd like to tuck the rose bushes behind the hedge up close to the house and front stoop but not sure if that is a bad idea.

Also these are my very first roses! So I really appreciate all your advice.

What a charming house, Louis. Wish I could advise you on putting a climber around the portico/door--you will need to put something up for it to "climb" on, but I don't know how that is done on houses. Presumably that is something you will need to do for the planned climbers in the first pic also.

My rose climbers are tied to free-standing obelisks. Like I said, roses don't really "climb."

I'm sure some more posters will come by with advice. Or you could do a separate post asking for help with getting your climbers to "climb." That would draw attention to the topic and maybe get you more responses.

As for your roses, you have lots of beauties there! I can't wait to see them bloom!

For the record, Doris Day is anywhere 3 to 5 ft tall and about 3 ft wide. Wollerton Old Hall is more what I would call a short climber at best--but I haven't grown it, so maybe I'm not aware of its full potential. Young Lycidas is about 4 x 3.

When you need more info on a rose, do you know about helpmefind.com ? I use it all the time. Very helpful.

That is about all I can help you with, but more posters will be along, I'm sure!

Good luck.

Kate

Over 16 ft. high is typical for 'New Dawn'. With ones working their way up trees growing taller still. Unlike the back side of it first shown here house facade is geometrically symmetric so associated garden should have a formal design with geometric patterns, matching pairs etc. throughout or it will not be coordinated with the pattern made by the house. The curving main path unfortunately runs counter to the full achievement of this - there should be a symmetric layout made using plants and other garden elements that extends some distance out from the house, echoes the facade, And serves thereby to integrate the house into its comparatively naturalistic, trees and grass setting.

Regarding choosing plants to go with the new roses I would look at each of them in flower and then get companions that harmonized with their individual flower colors. Also I wonder if every rose you have chosen is going to look well against the color of the brick there.

I agree and I also dislike our front walkway. If I had my druthers (read money) I'd redo it in bluestone like our back patio and put on a small front porch.

I forgot to mention the most universal support system for climbers is metal wires run through eye hooks so the involved fence or wall becomes like the neck of a guitar. One of the advantages of this approach is that the wires don't show up very much. Otherwise if you don't want to mount hooks in your brickwork then you will have to install free-standing, self-supporting frames in front of the house walls.

Yes I was reading about adding screw eyes and wire and that would be my preference but don't love the idea of putting all those holes in my brick. I wish Command strips worked on brick! That would be the perfect solution. :)

Although the pediment over the front door is wood, so I'm wondering if I could add the screw eyes and wire to the wood pediment and train it that way. Thoughts?

Doesn't give you much square footage - might be enough area for hybrid clematis or comparatively short and vertical growing pillar/climbing hybrid tea roses. But nothing like 'New Dawn' for instance.

Here in USDA 8 Austin roses may turn out to be larger growing than described. For instance a planting of Graham Thomas ('Ausmas') ended up covering a small building in one instance - not positive now but I think the story was that it had grown about 20 ft.

Maybe I could put something like this at the bottom of the pediment over the door?

Should I move these roses now or wait until spring?

I think the sooner the better unless you're experiencing a heat wave, especially since they apparently haven't been in the ground long.

Chances are that 'American Pillar' (20 ft.) isn't staying in position over the door on it's own, they'e got something in place to help keep it there. And a protruding shelf like that might look funny with what you have over the door already.

Notice also the size and shape of the hybrid clematis to the right. A couple of those might fit on each side of your door comparatively well.

If you reveal your location, you can get much better specifics on how things will grow. You say you are in 6a, but Austins definitely don't climb in the 6a down the block from me.

Another consideration is which side of the house gets morning sun vs. afternoon sun? Afternoon sun is harsher - more delicate roses may scorch in afternoon sun, but do great in morning sun + afternoon shade. (Unfortunately, I don't have any of the roses you bought, so can't advise re which is more sun tolerant.)

P.S. Once you get it all sorted out & the roses establish themselves, it's going to look great!!!

Re companion plants, Nepeta (catmint) "Walker's low" is a great classic companion plant for roses - the small purple flowers look nice with almost every color of rose, and it attracts bees like crazy. It's listed as a perennial, but I'm in zone 9 so don't know how it handles winter. (And, I would also recommend the thread totoro provided a link to above, for great ideas for companion plants.)

Walker's Low nepeta was hardy for me in Alaska. It is great. Rozanne geranium is great too and also hardy.

Personally I don't find that path so bad. The house is indeed nice, and very geometrical and formal, but I don't think that means that one must, perforce,rigidly maintain that geometry in the garden. Now, maybe not a "cottage garden" look, lol, but throwing in some graceful curves could work. Just, for example, if you do get a rose to arch over your front door (do keep in mind that New Dawn is very thorny,so you'd have to keep it closely in hand if you grow it where people will pass),you could sort of "echo" the curving, arched plant,maybe with a couple free-standing archways or pillared roses in the width of the front lawn ,or even only one, on the sunnier side of the path...just a thought.

You can also attach special eye hooks with silicone glue. I have had success on brick and wood fence. But Awakening (sport of New Dawn) just ripped them off. I recommend you install a support over the door whether it is the one in your photo or some kind of arbor

My WOH does not climb for me, but it is a shady spot.

Perhaps your shelf idea could work along the porch in the back. Okay, I just reviewed your pictures and that probably won't go . You could use 2 New Dawn back there but I would not put them at the ends, but rather near the middle because they will grow in both directions. Unless one at the end could grow towards the side of your house then you could have one on the end and 1 in the middle. That would be it for New Dawn. I have six of them and they get large. You could use them possibly in the front of the house also at either end. In fact that might be very nice with two at the very end of your house side and using the other New Dawn in the middle of your back porch. Then you could use the Austin's next to your door or at the ends of your enclosed porch. I would just stick with annuals until you see how large these are. Unless your bed is very deep you won't be able to accommodate much else with new dawn. I'm sure people will come up with some excellent solutions for attaching these to your house. Usually you drill into the mortar not the actual brick. The new dawn will look gorgeous next to your brick. Look up pictures of Monttisfont Abbey to see a beautiful brick wall with roses growing up it.

PS. Your house is really pretty, I wouldn't change a thing.

I second Sheila's recommendations of the catmint and the geranium as companions. Both are beautiful and very long blooming with blue/lavender flowers. I would be wary, though, of Walkers Low in a narrow bed with small young roses, because it can be a smothering thug. Rozanne can be a rounded mound or a viny spread-out thing that can climb. It is my absolute favorite hardy geranium.

Genevre makes a good point about not putting in competitive plants around very young roses; that goes for annuals, too. Remember that annuals have only one season for their entire life-cycle, so they have to "do it all" in one season, and can get very thuggish. I'd stick with laid back, short-growing little guys like alyssum, lobelia,etc until the roses get really established.

Totoro, I’m interested in those eye hooks you attach with silicone glue. Can you tell me more about them, like where to get them, and did you find them strong enough to hold any climbing rose? I need to do something for my Felicia, and that looks like something I could do without help. Think they would hold her? Thanks, Lisa

Sorry about the highjack, Louislinus. Your house is lovely, btw. Lisa

I had the same question- see the end of this thread

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/suggestions-for-compact-rose-peony-type-or-like-just-joey-dsvw-vd~4224849[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/suggestions-for-compact-rose-peony-type-or-like-just-joey-dsvw-vd~4224849)

i bought the tuxax anchors and they are working well on the Nahema, on a brick rendered wall. Only trouble is I bought them from amazon USA and when I tried to get more they are no longer shipping to Australia!

Ps I use the anchors but don’t use wire, I just tie the plant to the anchor with some twine or garden ties when it looks like it needs it