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Climbing Roses

 'Mme Alfred Carrière
How do you define a climbing rose? According to the late Graham Stuart Thomas, one of the world’s most renowned rosarians, ‘There is no such thing as a climbing rose. All roses are shrubs, and they range from tiny dwarfs to gigantic plants achieving 15m (60ft) in height. These very strong growers are not self-reliant but hoist themselves up through shrubs and trees by means of their hooked prickles.’

Fortunately, this method of growth is perfectly suited to modern gardens where space on the ground is limited and wall space is ample, although most of us prefer our climbing roses to remain well below 15m (60ft) in height. Plant breeders have borne this in mind and many modern cultivars will attain a maximum height of no more than 3m (10ft). Some shrub roses may also be grown as climbers, responding to a sheltered position and ideal soil conditions by producing longer stems than usual that may be tied in to a wall or other support.

Carefully trained and secured, the long stems of climbing roses can be used to form the framework for weeks of summer blossom, most of which is at its peak just now. For the most reliable display of flowers, climbers should be planted where sunshine is ample. Extremely hot summers, however, can cause blossom to fade more quickly than usual, especially if the rose is planted in a sun-soaked courtyard or similar suntrap. For sites where intense heat is likely, cultivars belonging to the Noisette group of roses are a good choice. The flowers of 'Blush Noisette' and 'Mme Alfred Carrière' will withstand more heat than many climbers, have good fragrance, and will repeat throughout the season. Both are fairly vigorous in habit, reaching a height of between 4 – 6m (13 – 20ft). Grown against a cooler wall, or even a north-facing wall, 'New Dawn' will not flower so profusely as it might in full sunshine, but it will still produce a reliable display of pale pink blossom throughout summer. With slender, pliable stems up to 6m (20ft) long, this climber is also useful for growing through a hedge and is well suited for growing through branches of trees or along fences.

There is a large selection of lower growing climbers with a less vigorous, wayward habit. One of my favourites is 'Sombreuil'. This old fashioned, tea rose was introduced from France in 1850 and is extremely hardy for a rose of its type. It will reach a height of around 4m (13ft) and produce abundant, wonderfully fragrant, double, cream-coloured flowers, sometimes tinged with a touch of pink.

Recently, many miniature climbers have been produced for patios, courtyards and urban gardens. With careful selection, it is possible to have all the admirable qualities of old-fashioned climbers, but on a smaller scale. 'Golden Future', introduced in 1999, is proving popular; fragrant, yellow blossom is repeated throughout the season and growth will remain around 3m (10ft) in height at the most. Fortunately, those large, hooked prickles mentioned by Graham Stuart Thomas have been bred out of most modern, miniature climbers.