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kpaquette_gw

HI! An introduction and I'm new to roses

kpaquette
12 years ago

Hi everyone! I've been lurking over the winter here and in the Antique rose forum...I am an infrequent poster over in the New England gardening forum (I live in Newport, RI.) I am a new-ish gardener and stayed away from roses because I'd heard about how persnickety they can be - but I can't stay away! I am going to try a couple in my garden this year and would LOVE input. A bit about my garden - it's small, more like a patio surrounded by beds. This is my first garden, as prior I'd always lived in the city (or apartments.) So when we renovated our house 4 years ago, I hired someone to do the design and install. I love the outcome, but as I've learned gardening is, am reworking the main hot bed to be a cutting garden. And I need to figure out the arbor.

I am looking for both a climber for my arbor (8x3 white arch, very sturdy) and a bush that is good for cut flowers, stays relatively compact or likes pruning and can take a hot bed (full sun.) Pale pink in color. And since I'm a beginner, something relatively disease free. I don't mind a little spraying but don't want to be a slave to it - I have a 50+ year old trumpet vine trained up the back fence and it completely defoliates due to black spot if I don't spray it constantly. Since it's tops are 15 feet tall, I can't reach. So It's days might be numbered. ;)

I have clematis on my arbor now and sadly it's just never taken off. (Bettina, a dark purple.) This will be the 4th year in the ground and it still isn't half way up my arbor. :-/ I will leave it though and let it mingle with the rose. Hence, I am impatient for whatever rose I choose. I'm looking for something pale pink - The research I've done says Awakening is a vigorous grower but not as crazy as New Dawn. James Galway is also interesting to me but I'm not sure how vigorous it is? I am also in love with Eden, but it's slow. If anyone has any experience with these or thoughts about how they'd do in RI on a mostly sunny arbor I'd appreciate it!!

As for the bush, I have no idea. If there is such a thing as a pink double rose that is a repeat bloomer, compact, can take full sun, and disease resistant, I'd love to hear!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:234981}}

Comments (20)

  • mike_rivers
    12 years ago

    Hi. I doubt my experience with roses here in the middle of Michigan would be helpful, but if I lived in Rhode Island I would give some thought to the historic climbers bred by the Brownells in Little Compton.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Brownell Article by Mike Chute

  • jacqueline9CA
    12 years ago

    Welcome! I looked at your picture - what a wonderful arbor! I'm not going to try to give you specific rose advice, because our climates are too different. The first thing to learn when you are learning about roses is that it is NOT TRUE, as the big companies will try and tell you, that a given rose will do well in all climates in the US. Rose success is VERY dependent on finding a rose that does well in your specific location/climate. So, the first thing I would do if I were you is locate the nearest American Rose Society group - they are all over, there should be one in your region. Then, go to the meetings and ask questions. Rose folks are always eager to share information. Your questions are so specific that they should be easy to answer. The other thing I would do is to walk around your neighborhood, looking for gardens with roses that look healthy. Then, later when they are blooming, go back and see which ones you like the look of.

    One other thought - because your arbor appears to be a place where people will be walking under/near it, you might want to aim for a rose with no or few thorns.

    Good Luck!

    Jackie

  • kpaquette
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you, Mike and Jackie. Mike, Little Compton is very close and would have similar climate - very interesting article. I'll look for these roses. Jackie, I know, you're right about my climate - I was going to post in the NE forum but it seems like it the past when rose questions have been posted there, they're often directed here. ;)

    That said, there is a nursery that specializes in roses (Roseland Nursery in Acushnet) in nearby SE MA that I will visit when it opens for the season. I notice on their plant list that they carry several of the ones I mentioned - specifically Eden and James Galway. You're right about thorns, which is why I'd put JG on the list. I also googled and found the RI rose society and they have several lists of roses that do well here - I'll just have to find them. :)

    I have been keeping my eye out for roses I like but in my neighborhood, most of the gardens are "secret gardens" tucked away in a back yard and hidden by a fence. Mine is one of the few that's on display. And there don't seem to be many roses on arbors. There is plenty of clematis and climbing hydrangea. It could be because my neighborhood is about 50% second homes, so the gardens people have tend to be low maintenance? I have seen one place with tea roses but I wanted bigger blooms than that.

    I just didn't know if anyone had anything to add before I continued with my research and spoke with the nursery.

  • carol_se_pa_6
    12 years ago

    Your arbor is beautiful. Awakening and New Dawn can grow pretty big and take over your arbor and not in a good way. They also have thorns that aren't very pleasant. Eden is a beautiful rose with no fragrance and its reblooming ability has been debated. It is not an easy rose to bend on a arbor unless you do it while it is quite young. That being said, I don't have a good recommendation for you. I just remember a few people recommending Viking Queen. Check it out on HMF/Roses. I think Zeffy Rose is a big fan of VQ. You can do a search on this forum and see what you find. Good luck!

  • Krista_5NY
    12 years ago

    James Galway is vigorous, here it is a large shrub that is 6 feet tall and about 5 feet wide. It's more of a shrub than a climber here, but in a warm zone might grow taller. It has thick canes that support it well; I grow it as a free-standing shrub.

    Late in the season it gets blackspot in my no-spray garden, but this does not diminish vigor or hardiness.

    Elgantyne, Sharifa Asma, Mortimer Sackler and Geoff Hamilton are beautiful pale pink Austins, all have delightful fragrances.

    Pink Promise is a fantastic Hybrid Tea with excellent repeat bloom. It blooms all summer with blooms that look like sugar frosting. It holds onto its leaves better than some other Hybrid Teas. The fragrance is like apple with a hint of Tea Rose.

  • ladyrose65
    12 years ago

    My advice is roses do like the sun and well drained area. Happy Planting!

  • lsst
    12 years ago

    How about Evelyn, an Austin rose?
    I bought one last year through RU. It was about 18 inches tall in a gallon pot.
    It grew wonderfully and shot out several long canes( one over 6 feet) so I am training it on a trellis.

    Beautiful house and garden by the way!

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    12 years ago

    Hi and welcome kpaquette,
    Our climates are certainly different, but I've spent the past six months trying to come up with a smaller, more manageable replacement climber for a monster New Dawn which broke my arbor. After lots of research and getting some recommendations from knowledgeable people, I settled on the beautiful Colette (pink), which is waiting for me in a greenhouse right now. Other strong contenders were Polka (more peach), and Jeanne la Joie, a pink climbing miniature. Check them out on HMF. I have grown several Evelyn roses for a number of years, and I can't imagine bending Evelyn's stiff canes on an arbor, but that's just my personal experience. Evelyn is an exquisite rose, though.
    Best of luck with your new roses. Diane

  • kpaquette
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you so much everyone for your input! After reading all the comments here and looking at what they have at the local nursery that specializes in roses - what I am leaning towards now is doing a mix of Jeanne la Joie and either James Galway or Eden on my arbor. Then for my hot bed I might put a rose they have there called Heritage, or Eden if it didn't go on the arbor. (The site is adjacent to the lattice enclosure for the AC units....which perhaps Eden could climb on?) I'm going to talk to the people there for advice but you guys are right about picking roses for my climate. I guess at this point, I'm leaning towards varieties they have in stock since I know they will be suited for my area.

    Now patience...it's been such a mild winter here and I'm chomping at the bit to get started...but alas have to wait til May...

    but thank you all again. I'll post again after I've planted. :)

    Kim

  • GaelicGardener
    12 years ago

    Hello,
    I live in RI -- but at the other end of the state -- in Pascoag. I'm a member (though not active) of the RI Rose Society -- you should visit their Rose Show in June -- I think it's in Wickford -- great people, full of amazing information. Just remember that in RI we need to bury the rose pretty deeply to avoid it freezing to death over the winter. Two members of the RI Rose Society, Mike and Angie Chute, have a really good website (also with info about the Brownell roses)-- this is from that site http://www.rosesolutions.net/how_to_plant.html
    Also, you're lucky that you live on the coast because roses love seaweed. As a Rhode Island resident you have a constitutional right to harvest as much of it as you like. Read Mike's article "Seafood for Roses" on that site as well.
    Good Luck and Happy Rosing!
    --Kelly

    Here is a link that might be useful: Rose Solutions: A Website for New England Gardeners

  • kpaquette
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the info, Kelly! I'll definitely check it out. I can walk 2 blocks to the bay and grab some seaweed anytime...and can bring walk it home instead of stinking up my car. ;) And of course there's plenty of it at 1st or 2nd beach! That website looks like it will be a wealth of info so I'm going to get reading. ;)

  • kpaquette
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi Everyone! Well I spent the rest of the winter patiently waiting planting time and as of yesterday, am mostly finished.

    I went to a local nursery (Farmer's Daughter in South Kingstown, lovely place) and spoke with the gentleman there who was the expert on roses. For my arbor, I ended up walking away with Zéphirine Drouhin - since it has few thorns, is easy to train, and is relatively disease resistant.

    For my bed, I ended up with a double Knockout. I thought since I was a newbie it would be best to start easy - plus the color (deep fuchsia almost red) works with the rest of the bed. I know it's not really a rose to some rose gardeners but baby steps. :)

    So I'm patiently awaiting being able to start training the ZD - she already has lots of new growth so that's a good sign. Anything in particular I should know about this rose? Anyone have experience with it?

    So thank everyone for their input! I'll still be looking to go to the rose show in Wickford and to the rose gardens in Providence just to gawk and get inspiration.

  • JessicaBe
    11 years ago

    What about Aloha? Its beautiful on here and it has been talked alot lately..

    http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.153

    Here is a link that might be useful: HMF- Aloha

  • seil zone 6b MI
    11 years ago

    The thing you have to have most is patience. Climbers can take 3 or 4 years to really start to climb. So don't get anxious if it only puts on a few inches this year. It's building the big root ball underground that it will need to send up and feed those long canes to come.

  • Laurie
    11 years ago

    I little off topic but barely. Where did you get your arbor? I've been having trouble finding any that I really like or look like they will support roses adequately. That one is beautiful and looks pretty rugged.

    Thanks!

  • kpaquette
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oh my gosh I'm sorry sivyaleah I came upon this thread doing a search on the rose forum for something else and completely missed your question last spring.

    My arbor is from Trellis Structures and we are very happy with it. It's solid, very high quality. We also got three trellises for along our property line from them at the same time. All have held up perfectly through their 4th NE winter no problem.

    They delivered the arbor and trellises about 3 weeks after we ordered them (I believe they are made to order.) I had my contractor install them. They also do custom work, which we will be checking into when we replace our fence and shed. I highly recommend this company.

    And just a follow up - my ZD did great it's first year in the ground, put on about 5' of growth which I trained up the side of the arbor. I think it will reach the top this year!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Trellis Structures

  • susan4952
    11 years ago

    Climbers...first year sleeps, second year creeps, third year leaps! Have fun!

  • buford
    11 years ago

    ZD is a great rosé and so fragrant. It's mostly a spring bloomer, but will have some repeat. She is nearly thornless and should do well on an arbor. Don't be afraid to trim it back after the spring flush. She will rewars you with lots of new canes.

  • kpaquette
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi again everyone...just an update on my arbor. ZD has leafed out nicely and has TONS of buds! She must be happy on her arbor. :) I cannot wait for the flush - last year when I had 2 blooms it scented the entire patio.

    {{gwi:234982}}

    Now that I am no longer afraid of roses haha, I just bought an Aloha to plant on the other side. Hoping it will give me blooms longer than ZD.

    So, looking at the picture there, I think there is plenty of coverage on the arbor. I have 4 canes trained back and forth horizontally. She is sending up 3 more canes (that I can see) - should I prune them now and let her put her energy into the ones that are already there?

  • lesmc
    10 years ago

    You`ve done a marvelous job! A real rose grower now!! I appreciate the update and photo. Happy 2013 Gardening! Lesley