Last spring I planted a bunch of climbers along our very long, winding driveway, hoping they will be happy as large, informal shrubs. I would love to have them climbing up trellises or on a fence but the only fence I have is deer fencing, which would not support a climbing rose. I have a few climbers on arbors, but you can have only so many of those. I've grown Colette as a shrub for years and she is doing fine, with the long canes pegged. I knew this was the way to go for me when I saw the following photos on various garden blogs. As a bonus, you get more blooms with the canes growing laterally instead of straight up. There may be a short fence under there, but certainly not what you would normally think of to support the often 20' New Dawn canes in an upright position. Another thing to note is this one is growing in almost total shade, according to the owner. This New Dawn was obviously pruned into the perfect orb. If New Dawn can be grown as a shrub, then, I think almost any climber would be a candidate. A friend of mine uses large wire tomato cages to give her climber/shrubs a little boost off the ground. The wire eventually gets covered and lost among the foliage. I may do that for any that are too languid.

You freed up a Gentle Persuasion and I missed it as they are still all sold out! LOL. Lemon Fizz was on the Rose Symposium Handout as suitable for drier conditions. Beautiful color! Austrian Copper was also. It is a beautiful rose! I had several of them at my previous house that was built in the 70s and I LOVED them! They required no care, came back beautifully each year and had stunning color. I pretty sure the original owners of the house didn't have to do anything either. I need to look up some of your others. I just got done researching Reine de Violettes. Do you have that one? If so does it rebloom for you? Cane hardy? I am concerned my Fourth of July is doing to be a dud in my very visible corner so looking to see what else will do.

Thank you so much BenT!! I didn't realize that pic is from your garden, this is the one that put it on my must have list. I have 2 roses on fortuniana and both are sickly looking. Munstead wood, Molineaux was planted in ground about a month ago. I have poets wife from david austin(not sure what they graft it on) right next to Molineaux(fortuniana) and it is robust, healthy sending numerous new canes. Munstead wood, Molineaux do not have not much growth on it. Munstead is a one stick wonder. I had heard such reviews about fortuniana root stock. I lost one that was also on fortuniana, Huntington. All were from K&M roses. Also, even though the plant graft is above soil level. Fortuniana is sending out side branches. I will take a picture and post it. I don't know what I am doing wrong as there is not one person out there that does not speak favorably of their rose grafted on fortuniana..Richmond VA

Diane, your F-I-L's place sounds just my sort of garden. And how great to have been sent boxes of avocadoes! I have a lemon tree in the ground, and one in a pot. But they both have leaf miner, which I'm treating so far with neem oil, and the one in the ground had gall wasp (I think) as well. Something that made it weep, and die back. I cut it back almost to the graft a few weeks ago, and it's sent up 3 little shoots - above the graft - which have leaf miner still, but not too badly. It may still have gall wasp too. I only use the lemons for Lemon Delicious, which I have to make vegan these days. Too lazy to make lemon curd, and I'd be the only who could eat it. Though my son might sneak a little behind his girlfriend's back! The area which is available is a great deal nearer the house than the one in the ground, and I'd like a small tree there, and lemon blossom smells so wonderful. I have an avocado tree - a Reed. It's been fruiting for around 5 or 6 years, though didn't get a one last year, as a terrific rain storm knocked every last baby fruit off the tree. They're mostly rather watery. Lots this year. I live in hope. I'm not going to try another Austin. They've all BS'd terribly here. A shame. I tried lots! It's Teas and Chinas for me, and the Rigo Rosen Kordes range. The humidity is bad here, and it's worse than ever this year. It used to not get really humid till February (late Summer), but this year it started in Spring. I just drip when gardening, even before 8am. Did you have a look at the video of Lioness on Treloar's website? Magpie, that soup sounds so good. And actually just the thing for you and your family while you're unwell. I hope you're on the up and up?