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rosefool

Will this work?

I have a raised stone bed approx. 20 feet long by 3.5 feet deep (front to back). The bed is built just a few inches out from a 6-FT tall wood fence. Here's my plan:

--plant a climber (New Dawn, Don Juan, or Sombreuil) at the back center of the bed, planning to train it onto the fence.

--plant several small bushes (probably Caldwell Pink) spaced along the front of the bed.

Will this work? Can I do it with New Dawn, or would I be better off with one of the other less aggressive climbers??

Thanks!

Rosefool aka Karen

Comments (12)

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    Karen, New Dawn has the reputation of not being a good rose in a hot weather area in that it doesn't bloom as much and just generally doesn't thrive. It also has vicious thorns. It was miserable in my garden. With a row of pink flowers perhaps a climber of a different color might give a more interesting effect. Sombreuil is also very thorny and I think not a great rebloomer. Don Juan is red which I personally wouldn't recommend as a companion with pink roses. mendocino rose mentioned a very good white climber but I simply can't remember its name. Planting a few reblooming irises among Caldwell Pink in blues and lavenders (or white) might be a nice idea. Even when they're not blooming their foliage is a nice contrast with the roses. If I water them enough my irises rebloom quite often during the year. I hope you'll be given many other suggestions here.

    Ingrid

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago

    Here is a pic of my pink Don Juan. I got him at Chamblees a few weeks ago and I have him between 2 cl pinkies. I have a new dawn that has not thrived, it is scrawny and thorny.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    The pink Don Juan is gorgeous; I like it so much better than the red one. You could always consider having a white rose like Marie Pavie or White Pet alternating with the pink roses or different colors of irises to lend color interest if you decide on the pink Don Juan, which looks like a great rose.

    Ingrid

  • Lynn-in-TX-Z8b- Austin Area/Hill Country
    9 years ago

    Rosefool, I do not know what color combinations you prefer, but if you are considering Don Juan, from a gardener in a hot, dry desert, I can attest to it being bullet proof in those conditions. It is a fragrant blooming machine that is very healthy. It is the only rose in my garden that has the audacity to put out 3" blooms when it is 113 degrees, and dry. It is not a bright red. I have seen darker reds like Don Juan and even bright reds paired with pink. I cannot recall if it is tempered with lavender or white but I do not remember being opposed to the aesthetic. In fact, I believe dark red and some pinks look quite lovely.

    Lynn

    This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 19:10

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago

    I had already picked out my cl pinkies, they are a lighter are a lighter shade of pink and then I saw the pink DJ and had to have him. I think he will be a nice contrast with the lighter pink.

  • subk3
    9 years ago

    I'm not sure you want to try to manage New Dawn in a situation that makes it hard to get to. If you plant a row of thorny roses in front of it getting in there to get it trained and pruned might be painful. Of course, training and pruning New Dawn might be painful one way or the other, but I would at least try to make in easier on myself!

    What about a classic tea-noisette that should be great in your Texas climate like a Crepuscule or Reve d'Or?

  • Lynn-in-TX-Z8b- Austin Area/Hill Country
    9 years ago

    Zephirine Drouhin is a lovely rose. I do not know how well it performs in your climate, but it was fine in this heat (summers); morning sun only.

    Lynn

    This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 23:14

  • portlandmysteryrose
    9 years ago

    Karen, are you in North Texas? (I grew up in Dallas.) The climber Sombreuil/Colonial White should perform well for you with good repeat, although it is a thorny bugger. Gorgeous, though, and not so large as to make a poor fence rose. Zepherine Drouhin is good in North TX and she's thornless, but check out her shade of pink before you decide. Also, a bit of air circulation is good for her, so I wouldn't press her flat against the fence. She's more disease resistant on an arch or trellis...or fluffed out from the fence. I'd steer away from New Dawn, personally. Not enough repeat, quite vigorous, super thorny. The noisettes are nice, as mentioned, but maybe a smaller one. Not Madame Alfred Carriere. She tends to grow upwards with long canes that become somewhat inflexible. Great rose in the right place, though. I adore Don Juan but haven't grown him in TX. He can also be kind of upright and stiff. You'll need more than one for 20 feet. Two? He doesn't take off like gangbusters, but give him time. He's fairly healthy in my nonspray garden in Portland, but your area experiences different kinds/degrees of disease pressure. Boncrow's pink Don Juan is very pretty, but I'm unfamiliar with it. Smaller shrubs: Caldwell pink is nice. So are Hermosa, Martha Gonzales and Marie Pavie. All should be available from the Antique Rose Emporium. Be sure to post pics when you've completed the installation! Carol

  • buford
    9 years ago

    I have both pink and red Don Juan. They both have great blooms, but are ugly bushes. I do spray but they still look ugly. I wish my pink DJ looked like the picture above. I am considering cutting it down to the ground and starting over.

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago

    Rosefool have fun picking out your new roses. Can't wait to hear what you decide to plant and I'm sure whatever you so is going to be beautiful.

  • Rosefool/Karen 8b, central Texas
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, everyone, for some great suggestions! I think I'm going to put something else behind the Caldwell Pinks to train on the fence--I'm worried about getting around the shrubs to the climber to work on it. And, I certainly don't want something that's not going to look good, even if not blooming, because this is in my front yard. So...maybe I'll try some clematis behind the shrub roses--the roses will shade their roots, which they like.

    Rosefool aka Karen

  • portlandmysteryrose
    9 years ago

    Karen, clematis sounds like a lovely choice. Smaller honeysuckles (not Lonicera japonicas) are nice in tighter spaces, too. They attract hummingbirds and are not invasive. I am very excited about your new garden bed! Carol

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