To have a true climber you need to be concerned about winter cane hardiness in your zone. Most climbers will live through your winter but if you have to cut the canes all off every spring because of winter damage they'll never cover an arbor. I would suggest you contact a local rose society to find out which climbers they would suggest for your area.

Talk to the people at High Country Roses in Utah. They started out in Denver, which is higher and colder than you and they can tell you which roses you have a good chance of having overwinter cane retention.

I've bought roses from them and gotten good plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Roses

I can recommend Purple Splash. She's three years old, 12' tall and has lost no more than about 6" of the cane tips over the winters. She grows (vigorously!) on a trellis against a south facing wall, so there's good wind protection, but other than that and mulch/manure at her feet, I haven't done much to winterize. The graft is buried good and deep.

Being from zone 5 as well, I can give you some feedback about the roses you list, since I grow or have grown all of them:

Fourth of July - tried it last year but it didn't overwinter. Reports are that it has grown in zone 5 but might be marginal hardiness

Dublin Bay - in its second year in my yard and overwintered OK with protection. Reports are that it doesn't grow very tall, and if you want to cover an arbor you want a climber that doesn't die back in the winter, since it needs the old canes to support new blooming growth (as Seil mentions)

Eden - hardy enough to bloom in my yard, but hasn't maintained enough old cane to cover an arch. It loses about half its canes for me each winter, and blooms at about 6-7' tall. I grow mine next to a monster climber that's extremely hardy (Quadra) so it can shine in contrast partway up the arch. My Eden took at least 4 years to have ANY blooms at all, though a friend nearby had hers bloom earlier

Jacob's Robe - Also tried this one last year and it didn't overwinter. Others have reported it surviving zone 5 so I'll probably try again, but the same concerns with maintaining enough cane to cover an arch apply

Westerland/Autumn Sunset - these are both closely related climbers, Westerland is more orange toned and Autumn Sunset is more yellow. Both are reasonably hardy in my zone, and they've both survived the winters with most of their cane, even in my zone 4 pocket of my yard. Not a huge climber for me, but nice flexible canes and I've seen reports of others in zone 5 that have it covering an arch.

Ramblin Red - this is by far your most hardy and trouble free of the roses they listed for you. It's a crimson sort of red, but it has very strong canes and is a fast grower. You should have no trouble having this one grow over an arch, but be sure to tie the canes early as they grow and stretch them horizontally on the arches so that they send up laterals (the blooming part of the canes). This one gets pretty thick canes as it matures.

Where are you in KS? Since you're south of us I would have thought you'd be at least zone 6, which makes any of the climbers you mention a much more feasible option. Regardless, a little extra hardiness in a climber can't hurt with the variable winters we've been having.

Cynthia

The northern half of Kansas has been Zone 5--although with global warming, that may be changing to Zone 6, depending on where you live.

I am in Zone 6 Kansas (southern half) and have been growing Dublin Bay and Eden here for about 6 years (love 'em both). Our weather (especially winter) has been getting warmer these past couple years and those two climbers are doing even better than they did before. Therefore, I conclude that Zone 6 is probably as far north as they will function effectively.

In my Zone 6, Eden gets about 10 ft tall (maybe a bit more) and Dublin Bay is a bit less--maybe 8 ft tall or so. They could probably survive in Zone 5, but they would probably end up being shorter.

What about that Quadra--a "hardy monster," according to Nipstress. All I know about it is I've seen pictures--it is a lovely red.

If you want to order online, you should check the David Austin site. He has a number of climbers that are hardy Zone 5, and Austin roses are some of the loveliest in Rosedom. I have The Pilgrim (light yellow) and Wedgewood (light pink)--they are both in the 10 ft range and lovely.

Other popular Austin climbers are Teasing Georgia (golden), Generous Gardener (pink), Mortimer Sackler (light pink). Mortimer is probably a bit taller than the others--more like 12 ft. Good rose--I have one.

Austin doesnt list his roses by zone, but in the introduction he states that most of his roses should be hardy to Zone 5.

Or look at an older, popular non-Austin rose--New Dawn (light pink). I probably grows more like 15 ft and is practically indestructible. And lovely.

Years ago I grew Viking Queen (pink)--as I remember, she was bred for the north. Another good rose.

I'm sure there are others. Do you know the resource helpmefind.com ? You can look up all these names and get info. and see lots of pictures of them.

Good luck in your search.

Kate

NOTE: Had to make a correction; wrong Zone listed in one sentence.

This post was edited by dublinbay on Thu, May 23, 13 at 16:54

I'm in zone 6 and I have a Joseph's Coat which is growing like wildfire! It was quite small last year and only had one flower. Now in its 2nd year, it has several ready to bloom. Not ready to climb yet though---probably later this summer or next year.

I also got a very small (own root) Abraham Darby (which is a David Austin Rose). I've heard wonderful things. It's growing but its teeny so I don't expect anything yet.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I still haven't made a decision. I have a small yard which makes deciding difficult because I want them all.

Yep, welcome to the club, Daggett, lol!

ill 2nd the rambler as a good choice. i live in zone 6. i have a dorothy perkins rambling rose. i havent had any die back. this is it last year alittle after full bloom. it was covered it bloom.