Blaze climbing rose.

I don't know if Blaze would work in zone 5. HMF says it is zone 6 hardy. That might keep it from getting to house eating size. You might have difficulty with finding a house-eater that's in continuous bloom. The biggest and hardiest are probably going to be the once bloomers. I've got Francois Juranville which is a beast. It likes to run along the ground though. Also, take a look at Long John Silver. Quadra might work if you want more bloom, but it'll be smaller than a house-eater.

There are a couple of climbers in the Explorer series. Take a look at William Baffin on helpmefind -- its an amazing rose if you've got the space.

The really big ramblers are all once bloomers. Things like Queen of the Prairies that can send out 30 ft canes.

Explorers are really big shrubs. Really big shrubs, but 15 ft is about their limit.

*If* you can grow New Dawn, that may be the best combination of hardy, repeat blooming and big. However, here is wimps out not too far into zone 6.

My William Baffin was a continuous bloomer, house eater, but others reported less, if any repeat bloom.

My John Davis was a continuous bloomer but only about 7 to 9 feet in height. Others reported less repeat bloom.

I do not recommend New Dawn or Blaze, my zone 5 winters cut them down to ground level every 3 to 5 years.

My John Davis and John Cabot nice big specimens but repeat is poor because I keep them groomed to appear neat to front of the house. Mine die way back in winter, can't imagine how huge they would get in your zone.
Blaze committed suicide soon after arriving, never figured out why.

Actually like John Davis more but he wants to get a dusting of mildew so you have to watch him.

Be aware that a lot of those ratings on HMF are default settings. They're used because no one has said that something will or has grown in a different zone. I suggest you find the rose you like and try it in your setting. There is no other way to know for sure if it will work or not. I'm not saying to go crazy and try a noisette but I think there are a lot of roses that are hardier than rated simply because no one has tried them and said so. My Blaze is completely hardy to the tips almost every season with no protection at all.

Perhaps these 2 links will be of use.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG6750.html

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG6594.html

Thanks for all the info folks it is exactly what I was looking for.

Lindsey-cincy thanks I do like the look of Blaze.

Zaphod42 Long John Silver is a great looking rosé. One to consider, thanks.

Cecily thanks. I am trying to stay away from explorer roses in an attempt to be "different". The local nurseries push them really hard.

Mad_gallica great info. I was ignorant to the fact that most big ramblers where once bloomers. I have reevaluated and think I can away with a rosé with 15 canes.

Henry_kuska thanks for your experience with these. I am now leaning towards 'Blaze Improved' supposed to be hardy to 3b. Wonder in anyone here has experience with it?

Johnny_cabot beautiful pictures. I am trying to stay away from those as I explained above. Davis is my fav of the two as well.

Thanks again all.

SCG

Seil thanks for pointing that out and is the primary reason I am asking here. Since my rosé addiction is in its infancy I am trying to not chance things too much, yet. Would it be naive of me to think that if pickerings can grow it in their fields that I 'probably' could as well?

Henry thanks for the links. I will look at them when I get home.

SCG

Pickering is zone 6. Exactly how far away from the they are lake will determine whether that is 6a or 6b. I have talked to them, and they say they are unquestionably colder than I am.

My experience with Blaze Improved was fairly total failure. The reason the local nurseries push the Explorers is because they will work. There are things to be said for that.

Thanks Mad_gallica I thought they were zone 5. By the looks of things that might be my better choices without taking too many chances. Too bad about the blaze line. Maybe when I want to push it.

SCG

Purple Splash

ratdogheads, thanks for the great rose name...that is a great looking rose. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to grow as large as I am wanting... but maybe I should just plant more than one :) thanks

If you can get your hands on Lykkefund or any of the other bone hardy helenae hybrids, they will do well. Ayreshires such as Venusta Pendula, Splendens will cover an enormous amount of space and there are the setigera hybrids such as Tolstoi, Baltimore Belle et al.

Nothing I have read about Purple Splash speaks to the size mine has grown. It's on the south side of my house on a trellis that measures about 3 x 10', but it reaches beyond that support to grow up onto the to the middle of the second story. I bet if I gave it support it could be up to the roof. To one side it's dominated a 12' wide bed, killed a poor little floribunda with its shade, and is determined to wrap itself all around the next in line. In the other direction it's reached from the side of the house and claimed a nearby arbor. In addition to growing wide and tall with oodles of laterals it's constantly putting out new sturdy fast growing canes from the base. I try to keep it tamed but it's always one step ahead of me.

It's made it through two winters with only a bit of damage to the tips of the canes that were tender autumn growth.

Negatives - it's a little shy to repeat and in my climate it would will blackspot without spray.

Camp, those are most excellent choices. I particularly like the Balitmore Belle it has some great foliage as well and is available.

Thanks for the great suggestions.

Rat, that sounds wonderful! LOL I am going to have to take a second look at it. Any chance of a pic of this beauty of a beast?

In my zone 5 Nebraska yard, Quadra is a house eater as you can see in the picture below, and if you don't want the Explorer connection Illusion is pretty much the same growth and bloom pattern. Both have heavy blooms of dark crimson flowers in spring with fairly steady bloom for the rest of the growing season. My Illusion is a few years behind Quadra, but the picture below is pretty representative of what Illusion will look like in a year or two.

Ramblin' Red is another crimson climber that's pretty large and self-sufficient, probably hardy to zone 3 or 4. Mine is young and mixed in with some other roses, but it holds its own and blooms off and on in less than ideal conditions.

Cynthia

In contrast, here's an Illusion just getting started in the spring. By now, it's climbing over the top of the arch and the Quadra from the previous picture is reaching a ton of arms way over the arch clearly smacking its lips at the house and considering the second story for desert (smile).

Cynthia

My Illusion comments are at the link below:

http://home.roadrunner.com/~kuska/illusion-the-plant.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: link to Illusion comments

Crossing Kordesii climbers with HTs sounds like an interesting project.

Thanks Cynthia, I was hoping you would see this. Thanks for the pics as well. Don't get me wrong I do like explorer roses it is just that they are the only roses you see around here. Why I choose to try and be different is beyond me, but that's me! The 'illusion' rose looks wonderful! Also, thanks again for your cane hardy post. While they still might not like my garden it is a great place to start.

Henry that is a very good article on 'illusion'. Since they germinate somewhat easily I might play around. BTW, how are you making out with the cross with 'William Baffin'?

Thanks folks, while I might get a few different climbers, I am pretty much sold on 'illusion'.

SCG

Beautiful pictures Cynthia-thank you for the inspirations.
Your gardens are gorgeous.

SouthCountryGuy, regarding your question about William Baffin/Illusion crosses. About 2 years ago I started downsizing from about 1000 to 60 roses (I am 76). The link below shows the 60 still remaining.

https://picasaweb.google.com/HAKuska/RosesFromFinalCutOf612012?authuser=0amp;feat=directlink#

There should be a control in the upper right to increase the size of the individual pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: link for above

Henry, I appreciate the photos of your roses. They are amazing. It is also nice to see what a rosarian like you chooses for breeding. After seeing how much you like folksinger and illusion I am going to find them for myself. You really are an inspiration.

SCG

SCG - sounds like you have a choice that suits you, and all of us on GW understand having preferences and wanting to be different from the norm around us. I agree with Henry that Folksinger is a terrific rose and it blooms consistently through the summers in part shade and in my zone 4 pocket of my yard.

Johnnycabot, SCG - glad you like the pictures as well as the cane hardy list! I'm always happy to share them and enable fellow cold zone rose people.

Henry, that's fascinating to see all your rose crosses! You should start a thread of these on your own so more people have a chance to see these! I particularly like #436 from New Mexico and #324 Prairie Harvest X R-15. And oooh, if #325 cross between Folksinger and Illusion turns out to be a climber, I really want one! That's exactly the color I'd like to see in a good hardy climber, and with those parents the odds of good winter survival are excellent. Since these are the "keepers" are you planning to propagate and distribute them any further?

Cynthia