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lazydaisies

roses on a chain link fence?

We are fencing our property this week with a 4' black chain link fence and all I can think about is all the climbing roses I could grow on them. It's just so tempting with all this space.

I have one stretch of fence that is 67 feet long with no gates. Thought this would be the perfect place for one but was worried that the 4' would not be tall enough for many climbers.

I really love Zephirine Drouhin but it appears that one would get too large for my fence. Was also thinking about Ramblin Red. I believe our local nursery carried it this year so they may have it again next year. I have read to tie on roses, rather than weave them in and out of the chain link. Any other feedback? Anyone love this on their fence? Anyone hate it? Any rose suggestions?

I'm in Zone 5. I don't care about rose color, I love them all. Vigorous growth is always nice as patience is a virtue I'm still learning. ;o)

Thanks for your help! I just love this site. I've learned so much from all of you.

This post was edited by thegardenat902 on Mon, Aug 18, 14 at 12:30

Comments (15)

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think zephrine would be a good choice. I know they can get large but I am growing mine as part climber part cascading shrub. I'm training it to climb on the railing of my porch but don't want the whole porch covered so I am going to let the front I the zeffie cacade instead of climb. I don't know how it's actually going to look in reality but in my head I have pictured as beautiful lol but who knows it could end up looking like a big mess. It was just planted this year and still has time to grow so time wi tell. Have fun picking out climbers, I'm sure you will get many more good suggestions from everyone.

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    boncrow - thank you for your response! I'm glad your first thought wasn't that I was totally crazy.

    Zephrine is so pretty it's making me want to grow it anyway and see what happens like you are but I am worried of creating a crazy mess for myself! Haha.

    Thank you very much for your feedback and I hope it does well for you on your porch railing. :o)

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Rose climbers don't have to grow "up"--they can stretch out horizontally (with assistance from you as you tie the long canes along the horizontal line of the fence).

    If the rose climbers would normally grow about 12 ft high, you just stretch that rose sideways about 12 ft along the top of the fence.

    No weaving--tie the canes to the fence.

    Alternate idea: Build a walk-through arbor along a good length of the fence and then plant climbing roses at the base of alternating posts going in the ground. They can climb up and over that way. This plan would also help block out the neighbor's view, whereas the 4 ft fence isn't tall enough to block out much of anything.

    Decide if you want a couple BIG bushes along there--a couple yellow forsythias for early season color, a lavender-purple lilac bush for late spring bloom, a paniculata hydrangea (white/pink) for July-August bloom (that type can take a lot of sun). Space one or more of those out along there and then plant the climbing roses inbetween --add a tall trellis behind each one and tie the canes, fanwise, to the trellis. That will give you all season color and beauty! And block out the neighbor's view.

    Kate

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Kate - thanks for your response!

    I was more worried about the width since I read the size of this one on HMF. It says 10-15 feet tall, and 8-10 feet wide, and only being a 4 foot fence, I was worried they'd be too wide that direction. I guess I was afraid it'd be too wide for the fence and canes would break off, or weaken the fence if it got too heavy.

    I am not too worried about blocking out neighbors. We have a pretty large yard and the neighbor next to us has a large yard as well so her house is a ways away. I also don't want to make it so others can't see my garden as I know a lot of neighbors enjoy seeing the flowers.

    I do love climbing hydrangeas but I love climbing roses so much I don't think I'd want to plant anything else. I do like the idea about doing some different roses so I have lots of color all season! I am thinking I will still have room for a few others with Zep since the length of the fence is over 60 feet just on that one side.

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think whatever you decide to grow will be beautiful. I am growing my zeffie a along the porch horizontally, not straight up and then letting the rest cascade to the front. I am also growing my golden celebration the same way. Kate had some good suggestions too. Have fun deciding what you want and don't be afraid to take a risk lol. I googled different ways I grow climbers especially my zephies.

    This post was edited by boncrow66 on Mon, Aug 18, 14 at 14:57

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, looking online it looks like Zephirine may not be ideal for my area. It's only hardy in zone 5 w/ protection... and I don't know that I want to go that route then, I'd rather find something that will handle the cold better. Shoot. Back to square one. :P

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh no! Well good luck and I'm sure others with more rose knowledge will chime in and give you some great suggestions for climbers that we work in your zone.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Congratulations on that delightful 67' of fencing ready made for roses! It's like a birthday present for rose fiends that keeps on giving! I had a similar reaction when our neighbors put in this lovely 6' black fence at our back yard, and we decided to join it up the sides to fence in our yard for a dog. The dog didn't work out as my kids turned out to be allergic, so SOMEONE (ahem) had to make use of the fence to make it all worthwhile, didn't they?

    You have a lot of options for climbers that like zone 5, and you're right to avoid ones that might survive but only just. If a climber dies to the ground each year, it won't bloom, so you want ones that are cane-hardy in zone 5. It might help if you let us know which region you're in, since zone 5 Nebraska (dry heat) is different from east coast zone 5 (lots of humidity and blackspot issues). Also, you'll hear from many of us the importance of training the canes of any climber you grow horizontally along that fence when it's young. That's the way you can make use of almost any size of a climber like Kate says, as long as it has flexible canes.

    Depending on how much ground you have in front of your fence area, you can fit in roses relatively close along the fence, but you should start with them at least 4' apart until you get a sense for how they grow.

    Anyway, here are some suggestions of climbers I grow that are hardy and reliable in zone 5, by some general categories. I have pictures of most if you're interested, or you can check helpmefind.com for LOTS of rose information.

    Cynthia

    Fast growers and bloomers in 1-2 years:
    The Prince's Trust (red)
    Nahema (very double pink) and Madame Bovary (medium pink)
    Laguna (dark pink)
    Dixieland Linda (coral-pink)
    Viking Queen (medium pink)

    Tough as nails very hardy rebloomers, mostly stiff canes
    Quadra, Illusion, Ramblin' Red (all crimson pinkish-red)
    Alexander MacKenzie - hot pink (canes more flexible)
    John Cabot - hot pink
    Polka - one of the hardier apricot climbers (also Papi Delbard is apricot)
    Darlow's Enigma (prefers to be a very large bush, single white)

    David Austin roses that can climb:
    Teasing Georgia (yellow)
    The Generous Gardener (buff-cream)
    Golden Celebration (yellow)

    Reliable good rebloomers in zone 5:
    Compassion (medium pink)
    Rosarium Uetersen (coral-orange)
    Westerland (orange)
    Autumn Sunset (yellow)
    Collette - (blush apricot very double)
    New Dawn (pink, very thorny), also Awakening (light pink sport)
    Blossomtime - pink
    Annie Laurie McDowell (one of the best thornless climbers, pink, may prefer some protection)
    Fields of the Wood (crimson, not as frequent a rebloomer)
    Puerta del Sol (cream/yellow)
    Lunar Mist - yellow

    Old Garden Roses that are tried & true in zone 5
    Madame Isaac Periere (hot pink, scent to die for)
    Madame Alfred Carriere (white, takes a while to grow)
    Reine des Violettes (purplish pink)
    Madame Carolyn Testout, climbing (medium pink)
    Louise Odier (light pink)
    Excellenz von Schubert or Gartendirektor Otto Linne (dark pink small flowers, rambles), can take shade
    Cecile Brunner Everblooming (light pink)
    Clair Matin (light pink), can take shade
    Ghislaine de Feligonde - blush apricot, can take shade
    Cornelia - light pink, can take shade

    Fun colors, also reliable in zone 5
    Orfeo - dark red
    Senegal - dark red, also Santana - dark red
    Berries 'n' Cream - red/wh stripes
    Harlekin or Antique 89 (both white w/pink edges, very hardy)
    Eden (fussy and stiff whitish pink in zone 5, but worth it)
    Three Weddings - white with pink edges
    Velchenblau - once blooming violet - very fun

  • toolbelt68
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here is a shot of some Zeffy's on a 3 foot high chain length fence.

    They pop in the Spring, then get black spot followed by new growth and blooms through out the Summer and Fall. During that time I clean them up, getting rid of all of the dead wood. I found out how to create new canes so I'm looking forward to next year. I have 35 now and plan on getting more. Just tie them along the fence going both directions. If you plant the next plant under the 'arm' of the plant beside it it will fill in the gap directly overhead of that plant. That will give you a solid wall of blooms. Also plan on Robins making nests in them....

  • toolbelt68
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Check out my posting on "Moving roses off fence between neighbor" as you may want to make sure you don't have to move them off the fence. Many years went by before a new mowing person started clipping the stems that stuck over the fence....

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cynthia:

    WOW what a wonderful post. Thank you so much for all this information. I will be jumping on HMF now and looking at all of these! Right?? I think I'm going to enjoy the fence more than my dog! :P Sorry to hear you weren't able to keep the pup but you are right that it's worth it just to be able to grow roses on them. I'm like a kid in a candy store thinking about all these roses I could grow.

    I am in southern Iowa, just south of Des Moines. Thank you again for all of these wonderful suggestions. Looking at them now!

    PS - your roses on your fence are absolutely stunning.

    Toolbelt:

    That's just beautiful! I don't have any doubt that I'll be planting roses on my fence now. :o) Thank you for your feedback.

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Toolbelt your zeffies are gorgeous and exactly how I pictured I want mine to look when they grow up :).

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cynthia - I see you have Ramblin' Red on here. You enjoy yours?

    My local nursery still had them today when I stopped after work and for 23.50$ I got a super healthy rose that's at least got 3 feet of growth and is covered in buds. I figured I could use it in the smaller fence between our garage and garden shed! That'll tide me over until next spring when I attempt to tackle this bigger project. :o)

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    boncrow I was hoping you'd see that!

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yep, Thegardenat902, if you're around Des Moines then all of these roses should work fine for you. You get a little more moisture than we do in an average summer, but we have generally similar weather.

    As for Ramblin' Red, it sounds like you got a great deal on a healthy rose. Make sure to water it in well planting it as late in the season as this, but an established plant that's super hardy as this one is should be no problem. I like mine OK, but it's in a part shade region of my yard and isn't as impressive as the same rose in other people's yards. For me, Quadra and Illusion are more reliable rebloomers, but you have a good spot picked out for you and it should work well. Just be sure to tie the canes on horizontally as soon as possible on your fence, as this one has pretty stiff thorny canes.

    Have fun and send pictures!

    Cynthia