Yes, depending on the rose, and how big it thinks it should get before it blooms. Do you know the name or type of your rose? I had a Belle Portugaise which grew 15 feet tall (over 4 years) before it produced its first bud! Jackie

hi there, i have 3 climbing hydrangeas, 2 are in their 3rd summer, and one is in it's second summer. the two older ones are on the south side of our (stucco)house, with one getting more sun and one getting a little afternoon shade. the one that gets a little more shade is taking off this year, almost 10-12 ft high. the other one is a little slower, i suspect that the additional sun and a little less water due to it's location might be why. still blooming and happy though, and filling in quite a bit from the bottom this year, but only at about 5 feet. the two year old north sider is also growing, at about 5-6 feet now. i think they are worth the wait, i've seen some big established ones around and they are beautiful. i also have a moonlight schizophragma planted next to the taller of the 3 yr old hydrangeas, and that is taking off, much higher than any of them, and is really beautiful. you may want to plant one of those too, for quicker gratification, and also to "extend" the bloom time, since they tend to bloom a couple of weeks after the hydrangea, and climbs in the same way. i think the combination is really nice too. good luck!

I have frequently attached a 4' trellis to the top of a fence as a line of sight sight screen. With a 4x8 you can increase the fence by 3 to 3.5' taller, and very economically cover 8'. A series of these could do your whole back fence. I attach them by predrilling to not crack trellis wood and using deck screws and electric screwdriver. A climbing hydrangea is slow growing at first. It gets quite woody, very large, and very heavy, like a Wisteria it might break a lighter to mid duty trellis. Honeysuckle 'Scentsation' or a smaller trumpet vine such as 'Indian Summer' may work better and survive in zone 5b (tbey are rated to 4). They drop their leaves, but might block quite well, except in winter. If this was my fence I'd pair Honeysuckle 'Scentsation' with Clematis 'Jackmanii' both have a long season and repeat blooming. That also gives you fragrance and hummingbird draw. The honeysuckle also has nice red berries late in the season for visual impact and the other birds. Both grow fast and together you should get enough vine growth to be a decent Winter block. Here's an internet photo of the in bloom appearance. The light colored honeysuckle really shows up in a twlight garden. And it does get woody too for that forest cottage look. I'm guessing this honeysuckle would cover about 20' linear. And one Clematis half of that? I've actually started this pair on my gazebo entrance.

Very similar in both appearance and habit. 'Moonlight' features rather fetching silvery colored and veined foliage in shade and is reportedly mild fragrant (not that I've noticed). It also blooms slightly later than the hydrangea. Both are slow to establish and bloom and both can get big and quite heavy.