I think climbing roses are under planted. What trellis, arbor or gazebo isn’t made much more beautiful with the addition of an 8-12 foot all summer flowering climbing beauty. I haven’t even mentioned how lovely a climbing rose supports a clematis growing inside it. When you purchase a #1 grade climbing rose it is 2 years old, but unlike other roses you should only very lightly prune your climbing rose until at least the 2nd or 3rd year that you have it. Listed below are my favorite climbers for the Pacific Northwest. All desire 6 or more hours of sun (except where otherwise noted, 1-2 inches of water per week and of course an organic fertilizing program.
1.) ALTISSIMO – A gorgeous 8-10 foot Chinese red single petalled climber. Cisco loves this rose.
Plant it with a purple ‘Jackmanii’ clematis and watch your neighbors drool.
2.) AUTUMN SUNSET – At 8-12 feet (you can easily keep it at 7 or 8 feet and treat it like a big shrub, Autumn Sunset is a rich apricot gold with incredible fragrance and superb disease resistance. It will also accept 3-4 hours of sun a day without any pouting. It looks beautiful with the true blue clematis ‘Will Goodwin’.
3.) Dortmund – One of the highest rated climbers in the world Dortmund takes it’s time getting established but when it does it will amaze you with it’s disease resistance, beauty and all around toughness. It has single shiny bright red flowers with a white eye.
Try planting it with white ‘Henryi’ clematis.
4.) Dublin Bay – Large deep red, fragrant hybrid tea like blooms on an 8-10 foot plant with excellent disease resistance. Plant it with ‘Sugar Candy’ pink and red clematis.
5.) Fourth of July – This was the 1st climber to win the AARS award in 23 years. Each red and white bloom looks like a different firework exploding. Some complain of blackspot, but I have never had any trouble with it. It has a fresh cut apple and rose scent and is very quick to establish itself. It can grow to 14 feet.
Any blue, red or white clematis would look great planted with it.
6.) JEANNIE LAJOIE – This is one of the sweetest climbers. She is a soft medium pink miniature sized blooming machine. Great disease resistance and a very high rating make her a must in every garden. An established bush will grow anywhere from 6-10 feet and produce hundreds of blooms. I prefer growing her with a smaller flowering jasmine because the huge clematis flowers tend to overtake her blooms.
7.) NEW DAWN – Talk about a rose that has stood the test of time. New Dawn is a lovely (and large) 18-20 foot pale pink beauty that was introduced in 1930. She has a sweet rose fragrance and excellent disease resistance.
8.) ROYAL SUNSET – Another highly rated “oldie” but “goodie”...Royal Sunset is superb. Introduced in 1960 this rose gets up to 10 feet with huge orange apricot fragrant blooms. Any purple or blue clematis would look lovely wrapped around it.
9.) SALLY HOLMES – She is often treated more like a large shrub. Her single ivory blooms create hydrangea like clusters. Excellent disease resistance, vigor and the willingness to live with only 3-4 hours of sun if necessary make her tops in my book.
10.) WESTERLAND – This apricot orange climber is a relative of Autumn Sunset with all the same great attributes. Westerland establishes quickly and can reach 12 feet if allowed.
Terri Hiatt works at Peninsula Gardens as a buyer, designer and rose expert. She teaches gardening classes all over the Pacific Northwest and also at Peninsula Gardens and at Tacoma Community College in Gig Harbor and is the creator of Terosa Ultimate Once A Year Fertilizers. She can be reached at terrihiatt@hotmail.com.
