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dianamccly_gw

Starting Climbing Roses

DianaMccly
9 years ago

I just recently perchased a house and for the first time have enough room to grow the roses that I have always wanted. We have a flower bed along our front porch and columns supporting a roof. Come spring time I wanted to plant two rose bushes so that eventually they would form a sort of arch over the front of the house. I have never attempted roses before so I would love to hear suggestions/ advice for growing them. The roses I would like to use are "blaze" and "Gloden Showers" I found on this site. Red for love and yellow for friendship ï http://www.directgardening.com/prodnav.asp?cat_search=Cli&nav=ros&header=Roses~-~Climbers

Specifically:

1) Is this just a terrible idea? What haven't I thought of?

2) What is the best practice for securing the roses to the columns?

3) Is there enough room for two plants? (its about 8 or 10' of space).

4) What advice would you give to anyone just starting out with roses?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me!

Comments (4)

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    It sounds like a lovely idea and I can't imagine why it couldn't be done unless the spot is too shady. My only hesitation would be the choice of colors since red and yellow are both very strong colors, and I wonder whether two colors that blend a little more harmoniously might not be a better idea. This way your eye will tend to go restlessly from one side to the other rather than perceiving the whole as a harmonious picture. A creamy white paired with a pale pink or a pale yellow would work nicely or a lighter and somewhat darker pink or even the same rose on both sides, or at least the same color.

  • roseseek
    9 years ago

    Added to Ingrid's good questions...another potential issue may be prickles. Are any of the support pieces you wish to train thorny canes to, needed to balance yourself with or otherwise useful for entering or exiting the porch? Are there (or are there likely to be) small children using that porch? Thorns are dangerous where small faces can too easily come into too intimate contact with them. Is it likely you may have to spray those roses with fungicides or pesticides with any regularity or frequency? Are the spots you've selected for them suitable for applications of potentially smelly, potentially toxic chemicals? A chemical which is completely acceptable when applied twenty feet from the house may not be acceptable when it is within several feet of your primary entry/exit to your home and possibly just out side of windows you may wish to open for ventilation. If you do spray, can you keep the spray off the door and windows on the porch so they don't become messy from the over spray? I love your idea and the sentiments you've expressed for selecting the roses in question. But, there are many other potential issues to consider before breaking ground. Good luck! Kim

  • seil zone 6b MI
    9 years ago

    Besides that Blaze is really only a once bloomer. That means it will only bloom one time in the spring and not again until the next spring. Golden Showers is a repeat bloomer so it should bloom in flushes all season. That's going to unbalance the whole thing. I think your idea is good and should work but you need to rethink which roses to use.

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    9 years ago

    I think that would look lovely!

    I would consider something without thorns if you aren't completely set on those! There are lots of really pretty thornless roses.

    Are you familiar with helpmefind.com? If you go there and go to advance search, you can select habit - thornless and see all the thornless roses. Regardless it's a super helpful website to have and you can stare at all the pretty roses this winter!

    I don't grow it but zephirine Drouhin is a really popular thornless climber that is pretty vigorous and should do well in your zone.

    Good luck & take lots of pictures! :o)

    Michaela

    Here is a link that might be useful: Zephirin Info