A climbing rose that brings you joy? (Zone 6a)

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hi everyone,
I am trying to pick a climber to climb on an arbor that serves as an entrance to my garden. Full sun.
My number one priority is that it will bring me joy :). I know, it is a subjective quality!
I would like something very healthy, without a dieback in my zone. It will be in a rather high traffic area, so I am a bit concerned with the thorns but maybe it will be ok? Or maybe not advised to have a very thorny monster?
A repeat bloomer would be nice but not a must if the one flush will be relatively long and will give me that "wow" feeling.
Here is the list of climbers I have thus far and I am simply unable to pick.
- Colette
- Lunar Mist
- Zephirine Drouhin (I am growing it currently in a very shade spot and it is lovely, so I am strongly considering it for a new spot as well. But it took almost 5 years to finally show its potential)
- Bathsheba (no experience with her, but catalog description appeals to me)
- New Dawn (I heard it is a thorny monster?)
- Cecile Bruner
- Crown Princess Margareta
- Quicksilver (pretty hight on my priority because it is suppose to be very healthy and to repeat well)
- John Davis
- Renae
- Compassion
- William Baffin
- Veilchenblau
- Laguna
PHEW! Too many to choose from!
If anyone can advise against a certain rose, that's helpful too!
How do you pick that one rose to put in your garden in a prime spot? I understand that experimenting with different varieties is part of the fun, and I am all for it. But for this one spot I really would like to get a winner right away, if possible!

Featured Answer

erasmus_gw

2 years ago

Thank you, Carol. A garden is change if nothing else. The Madame Alfred above is a shadow of its former self. It's grafted. I have another one own root. The own root one was very slow to grow from about 3" tall, but once it got going it has outgrown and outlasted the grafted one.

Parade is still going strong though suffered some setbacks from cold and drought.

How could I forget Lavender Lassie? It's still going strong though not up in a tree anymore as the tree died.

Lavender Lassie and Alchymist

Alchymist, more orange tones. I loved it but something killed it...maybe gophers , maybe cold.

New to me is Ashmitterwoch. Unlike most greyish roses this one seems to have good vigor. New Dawn is lovely, but Awakening might be even prettier. I like the small flowered climbers too. Violette is not as huge as Veilchenblau:

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Comments (90)

Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
2 years ago
@jc_7a_MiddleTN That is such a true, clear red. I bet you can enjoy it even from far away. It really stands out well against the green, and the blooms look like a pretty good size.
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Jc_7a, what a great recommendation! After looking at Ramblin Red, I realized that this rose looks similar to the one that grows on an arbor in Michigan State University rose garden in Lansing. I have been swooning over it for years, it's red Seven Sisters.
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jc_7a_MiddleTN
2 years ago
Yes i like it very much. Most of my yard is shaded all day so the bright red lightens things up a bit.

I also grow a couple of Sally Holmes (5b) in part shade.

Mine are just OK but i remember someone here has one on an arbor and its a real show stopper.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked jc_7a_MiddleTN
rosesmi5a
2 years ago
Yula, here are some climbers I have in central MI (I offer no winter protection):

Quadra: beautiful, trainable

J. Davis -- very full plant; does not want to be a 3 cane wonder. Spring flush is amazing.

Honeymoon (by Kordes) -- beautiful, blooms on and off all summer, healthy & vigorous

Florintine (by Kordes too) -- wowsa red; tough plant with beautiful foliage

Laguna -- dug it up. bloomed once a spring, not fragrant,

super thorny & foliage always looked ratty.

Awakening (better plant & bloom) and New Dawn: vigorous and thorny

Baltimore Belle -- blooms for a long three weeks or so every June; gorgeous

Darlow's Enigma -- easy to train; blooms all summer; super hardy

Victorian memory: low thorn, drapes well

Bathsheba -- two years old; 2.5 feet of live cane this spring; elastic long canes -- easy to train

Teasing Georgia -- this grows as a 4' shrub

Graham Thomas -- happiest as a 7' plant

Several ramblers: Dorothy Perkins and all of her kin: bloom with abundance every May;

a thorny thicket the rest of the year with world domination plans clearly in action.

Paul's Lemon Pillar -- beautiful. Lemon sherbert transformed to a once blooming rose.

Rosa setigera -- a 12-15' sheet of pink for the last three weeks of June. Gorgeous & native.

still testing: Kiss me Kate, Quicksilver
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked rosesmi5a
strawchicago z5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
rosesmi5a: THANK YOU for the excellent info. of your climbers in zone 5a. I bought Kiss me Kate from Roses Unlimited for this spring. A friend nearby said his Kiss me Kate is cane-hardy & healthy & very fragrant with bush beauty. I sniffed Laguna (loaded with blooms) in a small pot at Meijers store, scent was spicy and strong. I prefer other scents so I didn't buy it.

My own-root Teasing George is not as big as Crown Princess, so I grow it as a shrub.

Yulia: here are the own-root climbers that give me joy in my zone 5a, I'm 3.5 hrs away from Grand Rapids, my siblings live there.

Below is 10th-year own-root Crown Princess Magareta, in less than 5 hrs. of sun, the blooms smell delicious floral and fruity in my dense & alkaline clay. At least 3 feet of green canes after each winter:

CPM blooms best if crawls horizontally on the ground, or brutally pruned short in spring:

CPM makes good cut flowers, lasting 5 days in the vase, compared to 3 days of pinks Zepherine Drouhin. CPM is low thorn, and Zeph is thornless.

Below 7th-year own-root Zeph. takes my breadth away in spring, it perfumes my garden, I can smell its wonderful raspberry rose scent 30 feet away.

Below 7th-year own-root James Galway (low-thorn) is green to the tip after each winter. The growth is stiff upright (like compact a pillar). It has bush beauty in winter or without blooms. Superb in health and glossy leaves. Spring flush is best, then 1/4 the blooming in 2nd flush. Scent is very enjoyable carnation and old rose (gets stronger once picked for the vase).

Below is James Galway 2nd flush in August in only 4 hrs. of morning sun:

James is low-thorn and lasts long in the vase, scent is stronger in the vase than on the bush. James is more low-thorn than CPM. For bush-beauty in winter: Zeph and James are #1, then CPM. All are cane-hardy in my rock-hard & alkaline clay. I was about to get Quick Silver but Andrea (Floweraremusic) reported its messy growth, she has dense clay like mine.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked strawchicago z5
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Rosesmi5a, wow! You provided me with an abundance of food for thought and research! Thank you!

I would be curious to hear how dis your Quicksilver overwintered. Do you like this rose so far? Same with Kiss me Kate, such a pretty rose in catalog pictures.

Quadra seems like a winner but so far I have no luck finding it. I will try calling High Country Roses nursery.

I had high hopes on Laguna, especially because I can actually buy her. Oh well!

Now, Victoran Memory sounds very promising and available for sale! Could you tell me more about it? Does she repeat? Not a must, just curious. She has really great ratings on HMF as well!
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
Strawchicago, I was really hoping you will see my post and chime in! Thank you!

I have been specifically looking through you posts to see which climbers worked well in your z5 garden!

Of the three that you mentioned, which one do you think will work best trained on an arbor?

In your experience, own-root roses grow better in your zone?

The pictures of your roses are inspiring!
strawchicago z5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
LauraLG Z5b-NwPA I appreciate your info. on Quick Silver and The generous Gardener. How's the scent on the Generous Gardener, what is its size and the growth habit? Is it tall and compact, or wide and spreading (like Austin catalog)? How is the repeat in blooming? Thank you.
strawchicago z5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Yulia: For a tall arbor, James Galway or Zeph are good for their healthy leaves, fast growth, and many blooms. James is upright & compact like a pillar, with stiffer canes than Zeph.

Zeph is more wide & spreading vase shape with flexible canes.

CPM likes to grow wide and blooms best if crawls horizontally. CPM is not 100% healthy like James. CPM is healthy only if doused with calcium and potassium in my alkaline dense clay. CPM canes are stiff.

Zeph. has more blooms with less petals. James is a faster grower but less blooms.

Own-root roses have more blooms and faster repeat since their small size don't demand much water nor fertilizer like grafted-on-Dr.Huey.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked strawchicago z5
Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
2 years ago
Freedom gardens Currently has Quadra for sale . Fall delivery.
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Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
Vaporvac, thank you so much!
michluvroses
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I like Spirit of Freedom a lot. continuously blooming in Texas.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked michluvroses
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
@Yulia_6a_Michigan

Just FYI, a couple of members think they may have received a rose that is not Reine des Violettes from High Country Roses. Sheila believes HCR stock is correct, so maybe she received the real RdV from High Country? (See the Perfect Rose thread on the forum.) Reine des Violettes should NOT have thorns, and if you order RdV and receive a rose with thorns, it is an imposter.A nice imposter, but still…. I do know first hand that the Antique Rose Emporium carries the true RdV.

Carol
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Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
I'm sorry if I am wrong about HCRs this time. I do have the right one but I might have gotten it from ARE.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
@Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR

It’s so hard to keep track of the origin of our roses while tracking everything else in our gardens as time goes on. I always begin my planting journal with good intentions, but if I have to replace misidentified deliveries or critter victims…. Honestly, you have SO many roses filling your magnificent garden, I don’t know how you stay on top of anything, but I know you do because I’ve seen your jaw dropping garden pictures. Your Tea Roses—wow!

HCR RdV: What’s weird is that the HCR website photo of its RdV bloom looks EXACTLY like a real deal RdV. I’d bet money it is RdV! But then why are buyers getting thorned roses? Hmmm.

Carol
ratdogheads z5b NH
2 years ago
Purple Splash is a joyful rose for me! Vigorous and cane hardy in zone 5b. This is a grafted plant. Magnificent first flush with a decent amount of scattered blooms though the rest of the summer.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked ratdogheads z5b NH
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you for letting me know, Carol! A real Reine des Violettes is such a lovely rose!

Ratdogheads, your Purple Splash is gorgeous and such a unique color!
Liz Bell
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Eden. Hands down. No question. Make my heart sing.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked Liz Bell
CeresMer Zone 7a NJ
2 years ago
@michluvroses gahhhh 😍😍 please share more of your SoF, im so excited to have her coming this week! i just hope i get a nice size one as last year my evelyn was so tinny and is still strugling
jlee160
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Yulia hi neighbor! I am in Rockford- about 12 minutes from GR:) for me- although still young, Zeph has a lot of die back in the winter and I thought I had completely lost her until she popped up one little puny cane last year from her own roots! at my previous house- eden hardly had any winter dieback and was gorgeous. New Dawn was a monster. all of my current roses are still too young to know how they will do height wise in my garden. love the suggestions!
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked jlee160
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
Hi Jlee! Awesome to see a neighbor!!

I actually have both ZD and Eden and have been growing them for 7 years now. It took 5 years for ZD to show her full potential and now she amazes me every spring with beautiful fragrant flowers. So glad I was too busy with life and didn't shovel prune it. I got her as own root from Heirloom roses and this might be the reason for a slow growth.

As much as I absolutely love the way Eden's flowers look, the winter die back is bad for me. I have two of them and they are about 4 feet tall at best. They are not in the best location but neither is ZD. I guess it all depends on the microclimate of each individual yard.

These were my only two roses until last year. I planted Olivia Rose, Eustacia Vye, Gabriel Oak, and Emily Bronte.

What other roses do you grow/ have grown?
jlee160
2 years ago
I have Jude the obscure, bobsocol, darcey brussell, golden celebration, walferdange, clotilde soupert, maggie, mm isaac pierre, gartendirecktor otto line, tranquit tranquillity, earth angel, zeph, frontier twirl, my girl, all the rage, mollinoux, a few that are un- named, and I am sure I am missing some.
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
That's an amazing collection! I will be keeping an eye on your posts! Are you on Instagram or Facebook? I am not part of Grand Valley rose society, so I don't know anyone else in the area that grows roses.
Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
2 years ago
Frontier Twirl? I would love to hear about that rose!
111plisa su
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
@portlandmysteryrose @Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR. I got the RDV from HCR, I remember this clearly because was quite obsessed with RDV at the time. After I already ordered, someone here(houzz) mentioned they did not receive the real RDV from HCR. I called Matt and asked him about it, and he said as far as he knows that should be the real one, but he has never seen it flower, as they take so many cuttings of the mother plant. Sadly, the blooms I have look nothing like the picture on the site, plant had some thorns and does not have blue green fooiage that RDV is known for..Flowers pink not purple. @Yulia_6a_Michigan Alchymist is a moderate climber, one time bloomer(thorny) long, glorious blooms season, also fragrant. Florentina is a beast, prolific bloomer, flowers last forever(does take long breaks in between bloom cycle) Love Red eden and Quicksilver too.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked 111plisa su
Yulia_6a_Michigan
Original Author
2 years ago
@111plisa su what zone are you in? I am curious to hear about your experience with Quicksilver. Does she repeat? Any winter dieback if you live in a cold zone?
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
Perhaps someone who knows Matt well or has ordered a RdV from HCR and received a not-RdV should contact him? I think he’d want to know. My impression is that he is very conscientious. Carol
Patrick-7a-MD
2 years ago
CLIMBING LA FRANCE, literally made me swoon the first time that I smelled her. The large, nodding blooms (always a plus on a climbing rose) are also ravishingly beautiful in that gorgeous shade of pink that everybody likes. Nice, flexible canes, and the foliage is in a shade of green that perfectly matches the pink color of the blooms. The repeat bloom is surprisingly reliable for a climbing hybrid tea, provided you plant it in full sun in zone 7 and warmer. It does need spraying but for something this beautiful, I don't mind.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked Patrick-7a-MD
erasmus_gw
2 years ago
Some on your list I think will get too big for an arbor such as Veilchenblau, and Cl. Cecile Brunner. I am not sure the following would be hardy enough in MI but they do well in zone 7a, NC.

I have a Blossomtime on an arbor at the entrance to my garden. It is in part shade, so I imagine if it was in more sun it would be a fuller plant. I just love it...the blooms are very full and have darker pink reverses.

Compassion is a wonderful climber with , to me a perfect rose scent.

Harlekin also has a powerful, sweet fragrance and is a strong grower:

Madame Alfred Carriere gives me joy but the arbor has to be pretty big for it:

Parade is good, but not fragrant to me:

I finally got a Quadra plant in the mail Saturday after wanting it a long time. I bought Colette a couple years ago and am very happy with it so far. It is climbing an arbor and branching nicely. It has a lot of buds right now. Seems to be a disease resistant one...and just beautiful. I'm liking Clarence House also. It's healthy and vigorous.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked erasmus_gw
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
@erasmus_gw

OMG, Linda! I honestly am at a loss for words when I see your roses. Perfection! Carol
librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
2 years ago
Here's my not RDV from HCR

I don't have a photo of the bloom as it's not yet flowering. The one flower i got last year was a dark pink...along the lines of Young Lycidas or Gabriel Oak in color (two others i grow).
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
oursteelers 8B PNW
2 years ago
I especially enjoyed Ashmitterwoch-I have never heard of that one. Does it have fragrance?
erasmus_gw
2 years ago
oursteelers, I don't remember. A rosarian friend from the mountains brought me plants of Ashmitterwoch, Dixieland Linda aka Lady Ashe, Wedding Cake !, and a new Comtesse du Cayla. Anyway if you look at pics of Ashmitterwoch on hmf there are some absolutely gorgeous ones...and yet it also was described as just a rose that sets off other roses. To me it looks stunning in its own right. Since I haven't had it long I don't have pics and don't remember the fragrance. I can't wait to see it this spring.
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
@erasmus_gw

That is an amazing collection of climbers! As you said, gardens change, but yours is always lovely. I, too, grow and love deeply purple Violette. I have rehomed several ramblers because they are honestly waaay too big for a garden like my dinky one. I do still grow Violette and 2 others…at the moment. I would love to see your Ashmitterwoch as it blooms and matures! And you have the *famous* collector’s rose Wedding Cake?! Carol
User
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
‘Golden Century’ is one of the best ”miniature” climbers I’ve ever had the pleasure of growing.
Yulia_6a_Michigan thanked User
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
Wow, Paul, what a winner.
erasmus_gw
2 years ago
Golden Century is amazing. Does anyone have cuttings of that one? I don't see anyone selling it anymore and it should not be a lost rose. I think someone in CA once posted a pic of this rose growing near their front door. Memorable.
User
2 years ago
@erasmus_gw i know Burling has it, but not sure if its currently available.
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Amazing GC, Paul!

Linda, I can 100% see this incredible rose in your garden of incredible roses!

What would we do without Burling? I hate to think.

Carol
erasmus_gw
2 years ago
Burling does have it in stock and she has one reserved for me.
portlandmysteryrose
2 years ago
Congratulations!
Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
2 years ago
@erasmus_gw What zone are/were you in when you grew Alchemist?
erasmus_gw
2 years ago
Magpie, I was in the same place I'm in now which is zone 7a, NC. According to Botanica's Roses Alchymist is hardy to zone 3, but I think that book overrates hardiness consistently. Still, it is supposedly a pretty hardy rose. Could be that gophers got it. I never thought we had gophers but I'm thinking just lately that that might be what we have.

My plant was grafted and had tremendous vigor. Canes were ugly at the lower level, stiff, fat, and very thorny. Would look good with a clematis or something to hide the lower canes. I might get an own root one.
Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
2 years ago
@erasmus_gw Thank you for your info. Tremendous vigor is a great quality! I just bought a band of it this year, and am really hoping that it is hardy enough for my zone. It just looks so gorgeous. Ugly legs, huh? How far up would you say the canes look bad? I'll definitely be putting things in front of it to hide the legs. I was thinking of planting it along a fence line and fanning it out, I do have an arch but I'm still waffling a bit on which climber to place on it. I was thinking Constance Spry but not 100% sure. How does Alchemist look in the fall, any interest?
User
2 years ago
'Alchemist' can have a serious problem with Blackspot in a climate that favors the disease. Mine hangs on by a thread - its usually 95% leafless by the time the blooms are at their peak. Not a great look, honestly. In my experience it is essential to spray it with fungicides if you want it to stay "healthy" and look decent.
Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
2 years ago
Luckily for me black spot is basically non-existent here! One of the trade-offs for such a cold, dry climate. Here, my biggest issue is winter hardiness. And water.
rosesmi5a
2 years ago
Yulia, you asked @ Victorian Memory: purchased from High Country Roses, lived for over 15 years unprotected until the rabbits decimated it one winter. 6-8' long very flexible canes, mostly thorn free, disease free, one big flush and then scattered flowers all summer. Fragrant soft flowers. I would get it again!
erasmus_gw
2 years ago
Magpie, I don't remember that well how many feet the canes looked bare...I think it was at least 3'. Yes, there are trade offs for being in a dry climate. I think an own root Alchymist might not be as huge . Mine was an ungainly grower...sent out very long stiff canes. I still liked it.

A climber I bought this spring is John Cabot. I think Frances in NJ's plant is gorgeous. Another couple of climbers I like but which are not very big plants:

Penny Lane...seems to be a tough plant

Courageous

Love Polka... mine has been in a lot of shade but still is healthy and blooms and grows. I put another one in more sun to replace dwindling MAdame Alfred.
Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
@erasmus_gw I have an own root John Cabot, this will be its 3rd year, I love it!! It has fantastic fall foliage, a light scent with many clusters of flowers that attract little native bees. Mine bloomed for 4-5 weeks last spring (its first year blooming), no repeat yet though but I don't mind. I've only had Polka for one season... I wish I loved it but instead it got narrowed eyes from me last year. I'm being patient with it, though.