Clamoring for Climbers

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Robert J. Dolezal

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Climbing roses are adaptable and quickly become the feature of vertical space in a rose garden. Train them onto pillars, columns, arbors or trellises, or plant them near rustic fences and fieldstone walls, where they’ll mound, spill over and cascade around a structure.

If a rose has long, strong, flexible canes that arch or spread, you can bet it’s a member of the climbing rose class. These beauties are divided into three major subclasses: climbers, ramblers and pillar roses – and all look wonderful in the garden if given the right space and structure to grow on.

The climbers are long-caned sports (natural genetic mutations) of bush roses and some naturally lanky hybrids with no bush counterparts. Most are repeat bloomers. The ramblers are vigorous, hardy, non-remontant (annual) bloomers, producing showy displays on their second-year wood. Pillar roses are upright, shrub-like, recurring varieties with supple canes that need careful training to climb, but they’ll mound on pillars and posts with colorful blossoms and attractive foliage.

Unlike most vines (like grapevine, honeysuckle or wisteria), climbing roses lack the holdfasts and tendrils to climb on their own. To reach great heights, these roses need to be tied securely to sturdy upright supports. Training should begin early. In fact, soon after planting, the young roses will send out tender, flexible canes distinguished by their girth. Note these, and wind them onto a trellis or guide them up columns. As they lengthen and become more woody, they’ll support their own weight. Keep ties in place to avoid displacement from winds or sagging from excess weight. As they reach the top of the support, arch them to encourage laterals to sprout.

Consider filling a fan trellis with rose blooms by allowing climber canes to develop at a variety of lengths. Bend the longest canes across the center of the trellis, securing them at the opposite outside top. Weave successively shorter canes to alternate sides of the trellis, working downward toward the plant until the entire trellis is filled.

Facts

Climbers and ramblers are the ticket to fill large areas or to climb structures and pillars. Some grow canes 20 feet long – or longer!
Arbors are ideal for climber, rambler and pillar roses alike. You can build these garden gateway arches from wood, buy them pre-built or purchase easy-to-assemble kits.

Tips

When you arch the canes of climbing roses over a trellis, pergola or arbor, you bring their ends lower than the canes’ middle. This triggers nascent buds along the cane to develop, producing lateral shoots that bear blooms. Tie the canes securely to the support with plant tape. The tension in the cane and its new position will soon result in new lateral shoots.
Remember that within a few years of planting, climbing roses will grow quite heavy and strain all but the strongest supports. Plan for their eventual mature size, or wield your pruning shears to remove wood 2 or more years old to limit their size.

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