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roseberri

growing roses up buildings

roseberri, z6
12 years ago

Why is it that when I try to grow roses and flowersI need large holes and lots of mulch, but in looking at this blog of a french town in june, it seems the roses are growing out of cracks and up buildings? Is it the climate, and

something that I can never hope to achieve here?

Here is a link that might be useful: Georgiannalane

Comments (9)

  • zeffyrose
    12 years ago

    Thank you for this wonderful link to the French gardens---What a lovely group of roses and homes----
    BTW----I have every issue of Victoria Magazine since it came out way back in 1987------I will search through and find the one mentioned.
    Florence

  • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
    12 years ago

    Get yourself some setigera hybrids and stand back.

    It's a combination of the climate, and the appropriate roses for the climate. So it's not a bad idea for a cold climate to start with roses that were recommended for growing up igloos a hundred years ago.

  • jacqueline9CA
    12 years ago

    roseberri, I don't know about growing out of cracks, but Gerberoy, France is just NW of Paris - looks like heat climate zone 8 on the map I checked. That makes it much warmer than where you are in zone 5. I don't think it's terribly humid, either. Roses love to grow up buildings - in addition to support and shelter from wind, they get the reflected heat from the walls - rose heaven.

    Here in No Cal we are zone 9, with little summer humidity. I have trouble getting roses to NOT climb up buildings - even ones that were supposed to be only 3-4 feet tall, that I planted in the middle of beds, are growing 8-10 feet tall, and would climb up a building if one was handy. Frequently we have to build supports for roses that are "climbing" in the middle of nowhere.

    If you want to have roses climbing up your building, it may be possible now that there are so many roses being bred for cold climates - I bet if you google "cold hardy climbing roses", or something like that, you will get some hits and can research from there. Many of the breeders are in Canada. A tall wall with a Southern exposure will help.

    Good Luck!

    Jackie

  • seil zone 6b MI
    12 years ago

    I know it looks like they're growing out of cracks but some of those roses were probably planted before the pavement was there. I'm sure the roots go deep and wide beneath it. Thanks for sharing a lovely site to peruse!

  • roseberri, z6
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the comments, I was just feeling sorry for myself (have a cold) and slightly frustrated because I HAVE researched and gotten cold hardy roses, and now the last two years we have had warmer weather, WAY warmer, and humid and there are lots of thrips and midges. Spring flush was ok but after that everything struggled. They recovered in Sept. which I am thankful for as some get no relief.
    Florence, I have all the Victorias too! Glad you liked the link!
    Seil, i think you are right, that the roses weren't planted into the cracks, but look at the other flowers, it just seems that the hollyhocks and such are too! and they dont look as if they are struggling, on the contrary, they are thriving!

  • rootman
    12 years ago

    If you want to grow a climbing rose that will climb and bloom like no other, it is William Baffin, but don't only take my word for it...do a search and see for yourself.

    The flowers are so powerfully pink, I believe this shade of pink has been referred to as 'cheap lipstick pink', but don't let that discourge you, because the flowers will be up so high, and down low too it will need to be so illuminated. What an impact.

    The trouble with growing roses way up a house is that during the summer they benefit from the heat, but during the winter their exposure up so high does them in, but not william Baffin in your zone 5.

    Make sure you have at least a 20' ladder, you will need it to manage William Baffin, and it will have to be very securely fastened/tied down to the house or a strong wind along with heavy rain will bring it tumbling down.

    On the other hand, though, it can be kept controlled to some degree to grow smaller, but it really wants to be massive.

    Most climbers are not good at reblooming, but Wm. Baffin should repeat better than most, certainly better than 4th. of July, IMHO.

    It's only shortcoming is lack of fragrance, and the flowers could us a few more petals, but blooming up so high out of nose range, fragrance is not as big a need as a rose that gros at head height and no more. Its redeeming qualities far outweght its liabilities, IMHO.

    I had to dig mine out years ago it was dwarfing everything around it, but if I had room for it, anything better would be hard to think possible.

    Rootman

  • roseberri, z6
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    thanks for your comments Rootman,
    I think that after the last few years I am really in zone
    6 now, I do have William and he has done awful for me but it is not his fault! I read of all your pest problems, and I have them as well. In particular a thrip, and midge problem that is keeping many of my roses from growing and blooming in late spring and through most of summer.
    I do have a climbing rose near the house and it doesnt have the problems because it is a once bloomer,Alba-semi plena. It is about 10 -11 ft. tall on an arch. (but not near as spectacular as the one in the post from AB!
    I suspect all the roses I so carefully researched for zone
    5 are not happy with all the extremely hot weather we've had for two years in a row. They all perk up and get lovely now in Sept and Oct. On Nov. 11th Heritage was blooming here as lovely as everand James Galway who struggled all season is looking lovely today!.Not normal!
    This is Central Ohio!
    roseberri

  • imagardener2
    12 years ago

    aaaaaaah what a beautiful village. I want to go there.
    thanks roseberri for the link.
    I used to buy Victoria back in the day, eye candy galore.

    Denise

  • rosefolly
    12 years ago

    Rootman, are you the gardener in western Pennsylvania who had so much trouble with rose midge? If so, I remember you from those days. My first rose garden was at my father's house in western Pennsylvania.

    Rosefolly
    aka Paula SF Bay