Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
molineux_gw

A love letter to Climbing Clotilde Soupert

Molineux
17 years ago

Have you heard of CLIMBING CLOTILDE SOUPERT? If not then let me enlighten you. Last year I acquired this rose from Countryside Roses (countrysideroses.com). Climbing Clotilde had come highly recommended by my forum friend Jean-TN and I had been lusting after the rose for years. Well let me tell you that the first year it was planted the long limber canes leaped to 8 feet, bloomed right after planting and then gave me flowers off and on again until the first frost.

Now as many of you know it is very unusual for a climbing rose to repeat bloom. Most spend the first two years building their root structures. Not until the third year do you really get to see what a climber can do. AWAKENING, a doubled sport of the classic climber NEW DAWN, is a perfect example of this principle. In a large flower bed where the bed had been dug down to 4.5 feet and the heavy clay soil replaced a foot of gravel and the best top soil your money could buy Awakening did nothing until her second year. Even then I only got a few lousy flowers after the first flush. Not till her third year (the year she got shovel pruned) did Awakenings repeat performance improve to tolerable levels.

Granted this bed is on the west side of my house where my neighborÂs trees provide a good deal of shade. This spot only gets only about four maybe five hours of direct sun a day. What-is-more the light hits during the hottest part of day  scorching western sunlight that suddenly strikes the plants as the sun clears the roofline. Did this bother Clotilde? Not in the least.

In a single season Climbing Clotilde Soupert matured into one of the most beautiful climbing roses that IÂve ever seen. The flowers are simply breathtaking. They are small by large flowered climber standards but mass themselves into sprays that profusely cover the canes from top to bottom. The quartered Old Garden Rose flower form is simply superb and the color is gorgeous. The ARS classifies this rose as a near white and white blend. In actuality it is pink. Blush pink to be precise with white outer petals surrounding a rose pink center. Now IÂve read that in all day sun the blossoms do bleach out to a uniform white but in my garden that never happened. In the cool of autumn the flowers are light pink all over "blushed" deeper pink in the middle. From a distance the flowers literally glow.

And the F-R-A-G-R-A-N-C-E!!! OMG it is to die for! I have a highly developed sense of smell with the ability to break down fragrances into various scents but CCC stumps me. It isnÂt damask, fruity or tea rose but something else entirely. The perfume is strong in intensity but not heavy; kinda like an Alba rose but sweeter. To my nose the fragrance literally dances in a multitude of directions but with a uniform sweetness always in the background like a good musical score.

Not to be outdone the plant itself is winner. The canes are nearly thornless and thankfully stay flexible, a big advantage over stiffly caned climbers that are hard to train to a support.

Another plus is the disease resistant foliage. Now I knew this rose was disease resistant (especially to blackspot) because it is on JeanÂs no spray list but I was pleasantly surprised to find it more resistant than New Dawn/Awakening (considered by many rosarians to be the benchmark for climbers). Last year is a perfect example. The 2005 growing season was a horrible year for powdery mildew in Maryland. The fungus literally mummified three Awakenings destroying their spring flush but didnÂt affect Clotilde until the very end of summer. Even then one application of a fungicide cleared up the disease. As for black spot, Clotilde only got a few spotted leaves on the lowest part of the canes where water splashed up from the soil well that IÂd built up around the base. Everywhere else the leaves were clean as whistle.

If Clotilde has a fault it is balling, i.e. the rotund buds fail to open in wet weather. This gets me to one of my pet peeves: complaints about this rose. IÂve read a lot of them on the Antique Rose Forum and everybody says the same thing  BALLING. To be honest I never noticed this problem in the two years that I grew her. Even if she did it wouldnÂt bother me because I adore SOUVENIR DE LA MALMAISON, the balling queen of the world. Balling?! Humph! Give me balling any day over some viciously thorny amazon warrior from hell kind of rose like New Dawn/Awakening.

Sadly I no longer have Climbing Clotilde Soupert in my garden. Two weeks ago I mailed her to my forum friend Flo (Zeffyrose). Why? Because this spring my next door neighbor lost three climbing roses to Rose Rosette Disease (RRD). After that I decided to give up on tall climbing roses altogether and Clotilde is a tall climber. I must confess it almost broke my heart to send her away. I loved Clotilde, which says a lot for her because I usually have no trouble getting rid of an unwanted cultivar. It really is a shame. Of course on the bright side Clotilde is available as a short shrub so next year I can have those deliciously scented roses in my flower borders(just not wafting into my upstairs bedroom window as previously planned).

Lastly, why did I wait so long to mail Clotilde to Zeffy? Because I wanted the first flush to finish. It didnÂt. That thing kept blooming and never stopped until the temperatures hit the 100s and I stopped watering it. If the first year was good then the second was phenomenal.

Below is a link to an image placed by Jean at HelpMeFind Roses. Jean if you read this please post some pics. Your images of CCC are the best.

Patrick

Comments (41)

  • carla17
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So glad you are happy with it. I smelled Jean's bush at one of her old houses and it was wonderful! I guess you've done it again. From now on I'm going to call you Old E, old enabler, except you aren't old.

    Carla

  • rozannadanna
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    And she is supposed to be hardy for me here. Since there is no moisture I shouldn't have to worry about balling. I don't grow her in Texas because she does ball so bad in the humidity.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have the shrub form. She's a cutie. Since we don't get much rain here, the flowers don't have problems opening.

  • zeffyrose
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Patrick------I just got tears in my eyes---I know how difficult it was for you to part with CS.

    But as you know she will have a good home here .

    She was planted lovingly by my DH in a prime location.One of the few sunny spots in my yard. Right outside the French Doors so her fragrance will waft inside.-
    Ernesto came along and it has been rainy and cloudy so she has been getting all snuggly and comfortable.--She did lose a lot of leaves (probably the shock of leaving you) but her new growth looks really healthy.

    I'm eagerly anticipating next spring when I'm sure she will burst into bloom.

    Here she is all comfy and cozy--notice the fence so the critters can't nibble on all her new leaves.

    {{gwi:312037}}

    thanks again and now we will pray that RRD doesn't find my garden--pictures will follow in the spring

    Florence

  • rlukacevic
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just wanted to say that I "tried" to get this rose several times from one vendor, but it always ended up back-ordered, so to speak. So, I tried another vendor, and, got it this spring...a little twig. It is doing beautifully, almost to the top of its teepee, and has put out some flowers. No sign of disease yet.

    Robert

  • clbravo
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Molineaux,
    I feel the same way about my Climbing Clotilde. She is a wall eater and a consistent bloomer for me. She has easily outgrown every other climber I have put on this wall. Here are pics from spring 2005.
    Clint


    {{gwi:312038}}


    {{gwi:312039}}

  • carla17
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You'll be glad to know you have another victim. Maybe an English Pillar will be good?

    Carla

  • emilyg
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Helpmefind says zone 5, but the place where you bought it says zone 6.....

    Any clue about whether it would take to zone 5?

  • tandaina
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I wish she was, I have a bad feeling she's not. I could just picture this beauty cascading over my fence....

  • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The shrub form is kind of hardy here. It dies back a lot in a normal year, and isn't all that vigorous in growing back. Foot tall polyanthas don't bother me since I don't expect them to be big bushes, but I do wish it bloomed more.

    The climbing form I sent somewhere else without even trying it in the ground. Given the dieback on the shrub, this was a good decision.

  • Molineux
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Clotilde Soupert is half Tea rose. The climber is fully hardy in zone 6b with no dieback but truthfully I wouldn't try her in zone 5 (especially in zone 5a). If you want a fragrant climber then I suggest VIKING QUEEN, which was bred by the University of Minnesota for disease resistance and winter hardiness. It also happens to have gorgous flowers. The flower form is quartered like an Old Garden Roses and the color is medium pink.

    Image of Viking Queen by Zeffyrose at the Roses Gallery
    {{gwi:312040}}

  • zeffyrose
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You are so right Patrick-----Viking Queen is a winner------leaves have stayed lush and green all summer and she still has blooms which nod down in a sweet way.

    Florence

  • carol_se_pa_6
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have the shrub Clotilde on its own roots and it took a few years to become settled in but this year it busted a move and really grew and bloomed and smells great when you get out of the car. It does ball more in the spring than in the fall. A little PM but nothing to write home about. A keeper!

  • york_rose
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How pliable are Viking Queen's canes? How fragrant are the flowers?

  • emilyg
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What is strange is that helpmefind also reports that Viking Queen is for Zone 6 and up.

    Geez. Hard to know what's what. (And yes, I know that everything is variable in the plant world.)

  • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's because Viking Queen dies to the ground in zone 5.

    To the best of my knowledge, there really isn't a fragrant, repeat blooming climber hardy through zone 5. Take out any one of those requirements, and there are roses that fit the bill. All three of them together is a problem. Ogilvie should be slapped with a wet noodle until he comes up with one, except he's moved on to another job.

  • annabellethomp
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So sorry you had to give her away, but it was better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all.

    Mine never balls much either, and she is a powerhouse of beauty and fragrance - my most highly recommended climber. I have her on a 6 ft. fence, where she can ramble over and in front, and about 16 ft. wide. In spring especially, she is breathtaking.

    As for a fragrant climber for zone 5 - is Parade hardy? She a wonderful smaller climber and has nice fragrance.

  • Molineux
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've never lived in zone 5 so for you cold zoners I'd listen to mad-gallica. The only repeat blooming climbing roses that I know (from reading more than post from forum folks in zone 5) are reliabe in zone 5 is AWAKENING/NEW DAWN and some of the Hybrid Kordesii. The first two (Awakening is a sport of New Dawn) have fragances that are best described as light. As for the Hybrid Kordesii, this rose class isn't known for strong fragrance. Since it was hybridized in Minnesota I had hopes that Viking Queen could cut the mustard, but alas not so. For the most part there aren't a lot of choices for climbing roses in zones 4/5. Folks in frigid zones seeking a fragrant climber might have better luck with an annual vine. Clematis also comes to mind, although only a few cultivars are fragrant and hardy.

    Patrick

  • Molineux
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm reviving this thread given how both the Antique Rose Emporium (antiqueroseemporium.com)and Countryside Roses (countrysideroses.com; look in the climbers section) has this beauty in stock.

    If you are looking for a sinfully fragrant, super vigorous, hardy (at least to zone 6), nearly thornless, gloriously beautiful, pink climbing rose then CLIMBING CLOTILDE SOUPERT is your girl.

    Here is what erasmus 7a NC had to say about it at the Low growing roses to add? thread:

    "Clotilde Soupert is one of my favorite roses but it does ball, mainly in the cooler damp weather of early spring and late fall. It blooms SO profusely in huge flushes all season. It has healthy glossy dark leaves. The fragrance took a couple of years to develop on mine but now it's pretty consistently an intense, delicious scent. The blooms are a charming blend of ivory with pinker centers, and they have many petals as you'd expect of a baller. I have five of them, three of which are in some shade and still bloom well. I like the shape of the plant, which is wider than it is tall and very well branched. There are few thorns and no bare legs"

    Image of Clotilde Soupert by erasmus
    {{gwi:312041}}

    And of course Clint's marvelous images
    {{gwi:312036}}
    {{gwi:235272}}

  • zeffyrose
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Patrick---I'm axiously awaiting the arrival of spring so I can see one of these beautiful blooms.

    She still looks good so I'm hoping for the best.

    Florence

  • alameda/zone 8/East Texas
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a question........I bought a Clotilde quite a few years ago, very bushy, healthy little shrub. It is now a huge, arching bush, long tendrils that bear the most beautiful blooms. I am wondering, could I have the climbing form rather than the bush? This rose is 6-7 feet high and just as wide. I keep it pruned of all dead wood and where the tendrils drape and arch. It is fabulous! Yes, it balls if weather is drippy, but so what. Nothing is perfect, but when the sun shines, those blooms show off the big bush to perfection, it is gorgeous. But I would be curious to know which one I have. It is one of the most striking roses in that bed.

  • jean
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here you go, from last year:

    {{gwi:308566}}

    I do love this rose.

    Jean

  • Molineux
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you Jean.

    See what I mean folks. This beauty blooms from top to bottom. Complete coverage during the first spring flush.

    Now to answer Alameda's question. I don't know if you have the climber or not. I haven't ever grown the shrub. I've been told by more than one rosarian that the shrub tends to stay small, rarely topping 2 feet. Paradoxically, the owner of Countryside Roses E-mailed me stating that the climber is very large and more like a repeat blooming rambler. I believe Lisa because the CCS she sent me grew up to 8 feet the first year. Perhaps what you have is a climbing sport that is a little less vigorous than the Countryside clone?

    BTW, I have two of the orginal shrub Clotilde Soupert coming from the Antique Rose Emporium (Countryside was sold out), witch should be delivered the first week in April. One is replacing the Polyantha LULLABY (Sigh, so much beauty ... so little fragrance) and another a miniature that I've fallen out of love with (miniatures just don't do it for me; I think the only one I've ever liked is PINK POODLE).

    Hope this was helpful.

    Best wishes,

    {{gwi:241388}}

    Patrick

  • zeffyrose
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jean---that is a gorgeous picture----I'm really looking forward to spring to see my first bloom on my bush from Patrick.

    Florence

  • Molineux
    Original Author
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Flo,

    How is your CLIMBING CLOTILDE SOUPERT doing? Has she bloomed yet? My roses are just starting their spring flush.

    BTW, the irises are stunning right now.

    Patrick

  • zeffyrose
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Patrick------I have quite a few buds on your baby----I will take a picture tomorow because the buds are starting to show a little pink----She hasn't grown much in height but she made it through the winter just fine----I should have open blooms very soon---I can't wait.I have her on the arbor by my french doors that I always open first thing in the morning---Looking forward to the fragrance.
    Thanks again! How is your hand???

    Florence

  • zeffyrose
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Patrick--I forgot to add-----my DH made a nice 4 ft' fence circle to put around CS so the deer can't reach her till she gets stronger. We have to put fences around everthing!!!Darn deer YUK !!!

    Florence

  • jrmankins
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have had climbing Clotilde Soupert since about '93; I bought her from that wonderful native plant nursery on 11th Street in the Houston Heights, I can't remember their name just this minute. They'd bought her from ARE. I planted her next to the driveway when I moved into my grandma's home, and she stayed smallish for two years, then became an enormous flower covered mound. She bloomed from the first, tho, and didn't stop. This rose blooms in the baby box on cuttings which always root. I have never known her to have any problems except that some blooms ball in serious humidity, but there are so many blooms it never has seemed much of a problem. Because of this rose, I always have rose bouquets to give away. I have given away lots of her cuttings, but still have two clones with me presently. This ought to be the year they take off and go big time!
    Jeanine

  • wichurana
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    She is quite the seductress!...and after I just said to my husband "I am going to stop buying roses because we are running out of places to put them." Hah!

  • come_n_up_roses
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Love this rose! The smell is amazingly intoxicating! I purchased mine at Chamblees in Tyler, Texas in their bargain area about 3 years ago this spring. It has show slow growth and a few long arching canes and has blooms on it now (3). And it is February 5! Fixin to move it this week so it will have more room and support. I plant all my roses the Earth-Kind method, I do not feed or water or spray my roses and they do good.

  • jacqueline9CA
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I had this rose (the bush form) once. The most beautiful blooms. One word of caution, however. I live in the No SF Bay area, about 5 blocks from SF Bay. I NEVER got one bloom from this rose that I did not have to personally pry open with my fingers. 100% balled, 100% of the time.

    It is one of the only 2 roses I have ever shovel pruned, with much regret.

    Jackie

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I NEED this rose! I fell in love with pictures of it and I know after reading this thread that I must have it in my garden. I want both too, the climber and the shrub. I just have to figure out where to put it lol.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    FWIW, I haven't grown the climbing CS but I have the bush form and I agree with Jackie. It ALWAYS balls, even in our mostly low humidity climate. For instance, 40% humidity is "high humidity" according to our weather folks. I just have to think of CS bush form having round flowers, then it doesn't bug me too much. Obviously some folks get gorgeous blooms from this rose, but it might have to be in the high desert to be reliable. I'm impressed that Patrick didn't have much problem with this - I think he's on the east coast. It must be lovely where it's happy, and this love letter is almost enough to make me want to try it in the climbing form. It's also possible I guess that the climbing form is more resistant to balling than the bush form, but with all those petals it's probably still susceptible.

    It looks like the rose Patrick was talking about is the Dingee and Conard rose, and hmf lists the following vendors: Angel Gardens, Antique Rose Emporium, Rose Petals, and Roses Unlimited. It's listed at one 5b and I've had good luck with polys, so I might give this one a try next year just to see how it does.

    Cynthia

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    For me, balling on 'Clotilde Soupert' (I have the bush form) occurs only when it's both cool AND damp. In my area, this means a bit during the first flush and again in Autumn -- if it's wet. During the Summer, I get virtually no balling, despite it being rather humid. This may have to do with where I have mine planted, where it gets pretty much all-day sun. Perhaps this means that even when it's damp, it will dry out quickly enough that it doesn't ball.

    :-)

    ~Christopher

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oddly, this rose doesn't ball here unless we have several days in a row of rainy, overcast weather, perhaps because we get almost all of our rain during our hot, humid summers. It's a wonderful rose here.

  • saldut
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I looked at several Vendors on-line and none have CS in stock...drat...sally

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Saldut -- Rogue Valley Roses has 'Clothilde Soupert' (bush, not climbing) available, according to its website. And I know that Long Ago Roses has it available as well -- Linda mentioned it as one of her Polyanthas available, but I already got one from her back in 2013. I'd check with her first, since the shipping would be less.

    I didn't search for the climber because I didn't see you specify it.

    :-)

    ~Christopher

  • Lisa Bunker
    8 years ago

    How do you prune Cl Clotilde? I gave up last year -- she has gotten so big!

  • Maria (S. FL. zone 10a)
    8 years ago

    Down here in our semi tropics she rarely balls. Maybe it is the extra heat??'I have the climbing version.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    8 years ago

    Check with Angel Gardens Nursery in Florida. I believe that is where I got my climbing Clotilde Soupert last year.

    kate

Sponsored
Art Masonry Inc.
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars132 Reviews
Loudon County's Hardscape and Landscape Expert in Outdoor Living