Rose Pearly Gates is a climbing rose that is suitable for training as a pillar or on a trellis…or better yet my favorite method which is sprawling along a (preferably old) fence. By the way, with all climbing roses get those canes horizontal in order to encourage lateral buds and consequentially more roses. Train the canes when young as they are (like children) more impressionable at an early age…please note I did not use a term like ‘bend them to your will’ - firm and gentle guidance is the way to success.

Read the rest of this entry »

Rosa Laevigata, Cherokee Rose, is the state flower of Georgia, my home, so it is understandable that this rose is close to my heart. However, it is not native to Georgia, having been naturalized from China. Nonetheless, Cherokee Rose is a wonderful rose with a good story surrounding its introduction.

Read the rest of this entry »

A very popular climbing rose, Joseph’s Coat can be found in almost every garden center. The reason for the popularity is the unique color of the blooms, a bright orange-yellow blend which mature through shades of orange and red. Flowers are produced consistently; at any one time, Joseph’s Coat will sport flowers of different stages of maturity (and thus, colors - providing the basis for this rose named after Joseph’s multi-colored coat).

Read the rest of this entry »

Blackswamp Girl wrote in a recent blog comment: I noticed that you have not yet reviewed Dortmund….Dortmund is going in my front yard where it can ramble all it wants over my otherwise boring front porch. We have a Lake Erie microclimate that allows us to grow climbers and ramblers to the top of our porch roofs here in my suburb–and our old houses from the early 1900s seem to provide good hosts for them–so it seems a damn shame not to take advantage of it! Well, Blackswamp Girl, you love grasses thus must be a person of character (admittedly, I have some strange methods for judging character). This (brief) review is for you.

Climbing rose Dortmund has many strong points: Bright red blooms are borne repeatedly throughout the entire season. Growth is vigorous. Foliage is dark green and disease resistant. Large hips are produced in fall. Excellent winter hardiness to Zone 4b. Dortmund is a spectacular rose. Dortmund is well-armed, so beware.

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: rose

Tempo is a rose for those searching for a climber with flowers which are similar to the  form and color of those roses found in a florist shop. Beautifully shaped blooms are the very picture of high-centered elegance, and the dark red color is like velvet.  Flowers are fully double, with 35 to 40 petals.  Growth is vigorous and the foliage is dark green and glossy.  Disease resistance and cold hardiness are good.  Fragrance is slight.

Read the rest of this entry »

Like Scentimental, Climbing rose Berries n Cream is a painterly rose, owing some inspiration perhaps to the old parrot tulips. Berries n Cream is a climbing rose, and the nearly thornless canes are a help to those among us who are likely to stumble around drunk in the garden at night bumping into things. A strange recommendation, I’m aware, but apt since I awoke this past weekend to hear something (or someone) careening around the garden. I’ll never really know what was going on, although a half-empty bottle of dark Jamaican rum gave some clues the next morning. Anyways, back to our climbing rose Berries n Cream…

Read the rest of this entry »

Introduced in 1931, Etoile de Hollande is a classic dark red climbing rose that is still considered among the finest. Seductive dark crimson roses are set off well from the dark green foliage. Etoile de Hollande has strong flushes of bloom both in spring and early fall, with sporadic repeats during summer. Fragrance is generally brilliant, a heady Damask. Interestingly, the climbing version of Etoile de Hollande is considered far superior to the shrub form. This is somewhat unusual, as the climbing versions of roses, Souvenir de la Malmaison for example, are often inferior as garden plants.

Read the rest of this entry »