| I am hoping to plant a climbing rose against a gray barn sided garage. It would receive a few hours of early afternoon sun and would be facing west. Due to the gray background, I would like a yellow or if need be, a red climber that will of course be beautiful for as long as possible during the summer. I guess that's asking a lot of one plant! I don't know which varieties would best suit those requirements. I have done a lot of gardening, but have always been afraid of the picky reputation of roses and have mostly avoided them (with the exception of one new dawn planted last year). The descriptions I read at the nurseries all sound too good to be true and I guess I am a bit skeptical. I thank you for any suggestions you can give me. |
| I used to feel the same way about roses. The first rose I ever tried was a climber and it got me hooked. Roses really don't deserve the "picky" reputation they have received. Don't get me wrong, you can fuss over a rose all you like, especially Hybrid Teas, but many varieties such as climbers and shrub roses are just as easy as any perennial. I might mention that a book that has guided me on my rose quest is "Roses For Dummies", it is a well worn reference in my gardening endeavors. I now have 3 roses, 2 of which are climbers, one of which I would like to recommend to you. It is a yellow called "Golden Showers". It is a very prolific bloomer, gets to be about 10' tall. It has a rich, tea rose fragrance. You can get it from Jackson and Perkins at 1-800-292-4769. Burpee offers a red climbing rose called "Blaze", it too blooms prolifically. I've never grown it myself, but have heard great reviews. Though you don't mention this color, Burpee also offers a coral-pink climber called "America" which I think would do nicely against the gray. I really love this variety, it has a spicy scent, blooms well, and is disease resistant to boot. You can reach Burpee at 1-800-888-1447. |
