Please excuse my absence yesterday….I was up at 4AM with my Dad going to airport and was pretty wrecked the rest of the day. Plus I was working on a story about Roses. Roses are not something I generally plant….but I have been trying to be more adventurous lately. I saw so many pretty things that I have decided to go for it with a climbing red rose at the corner of my garage this year. I think that this one (from Baileys) is utterly gorgeous and has the ‘look’ I want, but I am wondering if any of you might make a recommendation for a climber. Here are the guidelines:
- Blood Red — the kind that looks killer with a black and white backdrop. This is on the edge of allowable pinkness…more red would be better.
- Easy – I don’t plant roses for a reason, I’m not patient and I don’t do lots of maintenance
- Climber – to at least 8′
- Fragrant
- Cuttable
- I’m Zone 6 now — but I would feel safer if it was ok to zone 5.
Ideas?
‘Cascade’ rose is a beautiful red massed low-care rose that I have always wanted to plant, but haven’t yet. Deborah at Debs Garden grows it:
http://debsgarden.squarespace.com/journal/2011/4/26/red-cascade-a-favorite-low-maintenance-rose.html
It is sold as a groundcover rose, but it scrambles, so you can make it go up a structure as Deb did in her garden. It’s ok in zone 5.
It may be smaller-flowered than you want, (it’s described as a miniature rose) but I love the massing effect and the deep red color. Not sure if it’s what you are after, but what a sweet, easy care red rose it is!
The Don Juan rose is a great starter climber (and easy to find). It says zone 6, but my mother grows it in Chicago with no problem, and I grow it in Nashville with no problem. Heavenly fragrance, deep color, a bit thorny, but worth it in my opinion.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55944/
Also, check out the Antique Rose Emporium. So far I have been very pleased with what I’ve bought, and they are very specific in when and how much a variety blooms.
http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/index.html
When you are looking, try to get a rebloomer, not just a flash in the pan.
Maybe you can take Naheglut. Look here: http://www.rosenhof-schultheis.de/Rosen/Kletterrosen/Moderne_Kletterrosen/Rot/artikel_2912_Naheglut.html.
It`s in german, sorry 😉
Rosa rugosa ‘Michel Trudeau’ is hands down the most lovely care free rose I have ever seen. It’s double pink, with a long blooming season and excellent disease and pest resistant foliage.
I like ‘James Mason’– And not just because he was SO great in Lolita and Georgy Girl. It’s a nice rose!
Yeah so don’t get a Blaze – I have a climbing blaze and it’s WAY pinker than deep red.
good to know!