Can Aloha (the New Dawn offspring) be pruned to grow as a self supporting large shrub or will it end up being either too messy or too much pruned for its own sake and really needs climbing support? I understand it is quite thick caned so it should eventually be able to stand by itself but will the pruning required to do that affect its floriferousness? Does anybody have any experience in growing it free standing? I'm in a Med climate so roses do tend to become fairly large.
Nik

Folly

Mine is currently 6.5' high by 5' wide, growing in a natural vase shape, putting on about a foot of length each year so far, with sturdy canes thickened to at least 3/4" across. I've read in several places that Aloha wants to grow as a bush & must be selectively pruned to create a climber, however that might be accomplished. Many of the pictures I've seen look as if the rose is backed by a wall or trellis, rather than actually supported by it. You'll find some comments here about it: http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/jour/p/76/gw1045576/page.html

Crocus shows what looks like a bush shot behind a fence & gives ultimate dimensions of 3x2.5 meters. I'm metrically challenged, but use 41" to a meter as a rule of thumb, so that would be about 10'3"x8'6". Guess that's their estimate for the UK, and treated as a climber.

Hard to guess, isn't it? And frustrating as a result. But then I remember, with plants it's all guestimate till you find out by growing it in your own garden.

Mine came as a 6" ownroot gallon, grown on in a 3 gallon & planted out one Fall when I realized I was out of larger pots. It landed in a bed of mixed perennials with its sport Dixieland Linda/Lady Ashe 14' to the side. Both are still teenagers & I don't know what size they'll be when they grow up. Like all kids, it's pretty much wait & see...