Given the fact that you will need 30 - 35 plants if they are 6' apart, I would talk to a vendor now about providing plants for next spring. They will most likely be bands which means you will have to provide constant water and weeding for the first year if you put them in the ground. I generally put them in a 2g. pot for a year before planting in the landscape. They need constant water when in the pot too. You are setting yourself up for a big project. Rogue Valley Roses seems to have a nice selection of the Barbier ramblers.

One other consideration: some of the Barbier ramblers are only just hardy in zone 6. I have had good luck with 'Francois Juranville' but lost 'Alexander Girault' and 'Alberic Barbier'.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rogue Valley Roses

Actually, this is a volunteer project, and I was going to put them about 20' apart or so, with about 10 roses. It's for a nursing home that needs some help. I know it will take awhile to fill in.

Where, fairly exactly, are you?

The Barbiers are not zone 6 plants. They bloom on last year's growth, so need to over winter a lot of cane to do anything. They stand a chance on the coast, in the zone we know as 'We are not zone 7, we are NOT zone 7!'

Setigera ramblers are much hardier, with a lot of the same characteristics.

Any rambler is going to need annual pruning and training. 200' of fence line isn't a joke to redo.

We grow MAC, Paul's Himalayan, Cecile Brenner, Alexander Girault, Alberic Barbier, and others, all without trouble. They'll be fine.

While I appreciate all the concern about my project, I've got it well in hand. I am simply asking advice on how best to speed the project (and the growth of the roses) along.

Must agree with Mads here - the Barbier ramblers can be iffy in cold locations.....but not all wichurana ramblers are Barbiers - there is, for example, the rather good Jersey Beauty, a Horvath rambler....and I think Dr.Van Fleet would also manage the chilly climate of Z6. Also, do consider the soulieana ramblers - Chevy Chase and Kew Rambler...On the other hand, the setigeras also have that nice flex which is so essential for fence-line plantings - I have a wonderful Bohm rose, Tolstoi, which, true enough, takes a few years to get going....but is very beautiful and trainable.

I just gave a Barbier wichurana as a gift to a friend in zone 6 Ohio. The one I picked was Leontine Gervais purchased from Antique Rose Emporium inTexas. One reason I bought from ARE is their plants are big own roots--2 gallon size--and I wanted the plant to establish faster. ARE lists it as hardy to zone 5 but HMF indicates zone 4 However, ARE stopped taking orders for this season June 2 and won't resume shipping until this fall, so I don't know if this shipping time would be a good option for your zone.

Melissa

Here is a link that might be useful: Vigorous Climbers at Antique Rose Emporium

Thank you Melissa!

With the bigger size I can order them for this Fall and plant them directly without waiting for Spring, or messing with bands.

In my experience, I've found most of the Barbier ramblers not reliable hardy. A few, however, seem hardier than others. This is true even for coastal southern New England.