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kristimama

Good roses for pillars?

kristimama
12 years ago

I had a chance to visit the Russian River Rose company last weekend and noticed that they had a lot of roses on those 2" round fence-post type poles as pillar roses. And a lot were fairly slim-growing, not huge and growing out of control but fairly well behaved.

Of course, Murphy's law, I forgot to take pictures of all the names of the roses they used, I was just in awe of the garden.

I'm wondering how you know what kind of rose works best on a pillar? Is it the bendiness of the cane? Do some varieties handle pillaring to better than others? Or do you just think, "I want that rose and I'm going to make it fit in my space?"

What are your favorite roses for pillars?

Thanks,

Kmama

Comments (10)

  • rosefolly
    12 years ago

    You want roses that throw out long, pliable canes from the base, and not too many. You don't want roses with rigid canes like Dortmund, or climbers that build on older growth like Jacob's Ladder, or roses that produce the right kind of canes but so many of them that you can't keep up with them like Chevy Chase or Louise Odier.

    One rose that works well on a pillar for me is the HP Ferdinand Pichard. I do need to go in and work on it two or three times a season, and occasionally tuck in a straying cane, but all in all that's not bad.

    Rosefolly

  • lori_elf z6b MD
    12 years ago

    Pliable canes and roses that are vigorous but not TOO vigorous make good pillar roses. That said, most canes are more pliable when young so even some stiff-caned roses can be trained if you tie in new growth before it hardens off.

    Some roses I use or would use for pillars include: Aloha, Cornelia, Mme Ernest Calvat, and Kathleen Harrop.

    Here is a photo of Aloha:
    {{gwi:273821}}

  • roseseek
    12 years ago

    A suggestion I haven't seen made yet is thornless. Renae, Opal Brunner, Cl. Yellow Sweetheart are all fragrant, ever flowering, thornless and shade tolerant. If it's a larger pillar to arbor, my Annie Laurie McDowell is thornless, larger flowering and ever blooming. She's as fragrant as any and can be kept to a larger space. The previous three can build to that size but it takes more time. Believe me, there is NOTHING better than working with a pillar or climber that doesn't BITE! Kim

  • landperson
    12 years ago

    HA HA HA. I probably should have read that post last year before I started Stanwell Perpetual up a pole....On the other hand, it's really nice not to have her hogging so much horizontal real estate.

    But, I second the suggestion for Renae. She is almost overly vigorous, but she's certainly lovely and lax enough to do the job well.

    Susan

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    7 years ago

    Among the OGRs, you'll find roses that may work among the long-caned Bourbons and Hybrid Perpetuals. I think most of the original-type Noisettes would be too shrubby, and many of the Tea-Noisettes would get too big, but there may be some oddballs in there. As far as David Austins, look for those bred from 'Aloha'.


    :-)


    ~Christopher

  • fduk_gw UK zone 3 (US zone 8)
    7 years ago

    Celine Forestier is often recommended as a pillar rose here - I have it as half of an arch. It's supposedly slow to get going but it threw two 4ft canes from a bare root for me last year, and it rebloomed, so mileage may vary I guess. it's a very beautiful rose.

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    7 years ago

    I think in Texas it may grow too large for a typical pillar. We all know the saying "everything is bigger in Texas."


    :-)


    ~Christopher

  • boncrow66
    7 years ago

    I grow climbing pinkie on a post and also Peggy Martin would do very well on a pillar as well.

  • frances_in_nj
    7 years ago

    I second the idea of Climbing Pinkie. Peggy Martin is stunning too, but she gets BIG so it would have to be a pretty big pillar. Madam Isaac Periere is very lovely on a pillar, and so is Purple Skyliner (but again, gets big).