I've got a series of arches on one of my garden paths.. I've got 'New Dawn' and Clematis x 'Jackmanii' on one, and a light blue Clematis on another that I'm looking to pair with up another rose. I need something that is fairly limber, and easy to train. Almost any color would be ok except for really bright yellows and oranges...
Any thoughts? (Here's your opportunity to wave a flag for your favorite climber)

It's the bare arch behind the one in front. Thank-you in advance!

How about Climbing Old Blush? She's a generous bloomer for me, isn't armed with vicious thorns and her lack of lush foliage would be unnoticed growing with a Clematis.

Zephirine Drouhin. Fragrant, limber, few thorns.
Rose (Rosa 'Zephirine Drouhin')

Ooh, yes, I like that idea too!

Thank-you!! Zephirine Drouhan has always been on my list.. It's fragrant and has few thorns... How could I complain about that? Thanks for jogging my brain... Old blush is nice too.. I've got several Chinas, and am quite fond of them... There are two other arches............ Actually, thinking about it, there's one arch where the soil is not great and is somewhat dry... Any thoughts on yellow (limber again) climbers?

Sky's the Limit is a nice yellow climber.

Rose (Rosa 'Sky's the Limit')

So is Golden Showers.

Rose (Rosa 'Golden Showers')

Climbing Old Blush could easily overwhelm a clematis. It grows into a veritable monster in zone 9.

Oh, I have no Clematis on the third arch, or anything, for that matter. I've had Golden Showers in the past, but I think it's too stiff. Mine was espaliered on a fence, and was perfect in that application. Sky's the Limit looks sweet...
Thanks for the head's up on Old Blush... Maybe I could send it up one of the Douglas firs or Redwoods I definitely need something smaller and well-behaved for the arches. Pruning season is pretty crazy around here as it is..

Well I was going to suggest Peggy Martin because it is so limber, but there's no telling how big it would get for you because I have 15' canes on mine in zone 6. It is beautiful, though.

You may want to think twice about Zepherine Drouhin if you're anywhere near the ocean. It's not a good rose near the beach as it gets every disease in the book...in my experiences, anyway.

"Colette" does very well for me here near the water but she does "pout" in the heat of summer. Mine is on an arbor just like yours.

I second the suggestion of Golden Showers. Does very well for me here and even tolerates a good amount of shade.

Just remembered this one: "Bloomfield Dainty"
A friend of mine has two of these planted on either side of an arbor and they do extremely well for her in Huntington Beach.
It's a single rose but very prolific and a nice soft yellow.

No need to make excuses for a single rose, I love them all.. 'Bloomfield Dainty' sounds like a possibility...
I'm in a canyon in the mountains above Santa Cruz, and although we're only 6 or 7 miles from the ocean, we're easily 10 degrees hotter (and colder), and much drier. I do get occasional balling up on some of the high count petals.

'Colette' is lovely.. So she's easy to train on an arch?

I remembered that I've got a 'Buff Beauty' and possibly 'Polka' in containers... I think Polka is going to be too stiff.. Anyone have experience training a 'Buff Beauty'?

Buff Beauty is a joy to train. The canes stay pliable for a long time. You're right about Polka: Its new canes are pliable for only a short time before they become uncooperative.

Thanks Zuzu!

Sherry ...

Have you considered 'Purple Skyliner' ? I haven't grown the rose, but have heard very good things about it.

Rose (Rosa 'Purple Skyliner')

There are no photos on the ATP page, but here is a link to the photo page on HMF

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose...

Smiles,
Lyn

Thanks Lyn, Purple Skyliner is pretty cute... It's one I hadn't heard of..

I may as well throw this one out to you folks... A couple of years ago I had a wedding here, and the bride's bouquet had Romantic Antike roses in it.. I've only been able to track it down to a cut flower grower near by, and I think I found a wholesale source, but had to buy a large amount... Has anyone seen this available anywhere (where it's not 100 plant minimum)?

It's really pretty. I see on the HMF page that no one on this continent is selling it, but it looks like a rose Palatine might offer someday. Palatine carries a lot of the Freelander roses. They'll be updating their website for next season sometime in August and will start taking orders in September. It might be worth waiting until then to see whether Palatine just might be carrying that rose this year.

thanks Zuzu.. I'll check with them in a few months.

Hi Sherry! Here's another suggestion... Lady Ashe. I bought my "band" from Heirloom and planted it directly into the ground. It is very disease resistant here on Long Island where the summers are warm/hot and very humid. I have never seen any black spot on this bush. It's fragrant too - another plus. I decided to purchase this rose because the Heirloom website stated it would make a good pillar rose. The canes are very pliable - the wood pillar is a 4" x 4". This was my first attempt at growing a pillar rose. If you look closely (don't laugh), you can see long twisty ties from the supermarket that I used to secure the canes. It's not too bushy so, I think it would be a good candidate to marry with a clematis.

OK - here's my last suggestion - Reine des Violettes. I bought this fragrant rose from Palatine's last year. I became a little more creative and used pieces of panty hose to secure the rose. I have not seen any black spot to date. I think a clematis would be a good companion plant.

Thank-you Margie, those are 2 nice ones.
How tall is your tuteur (The structure you're training the rose on...I think that's how it's spelled)..? Just made me think that I've got a wire one that has no plans right now, but it's only about 6' tall.. I also have a 7' weeping standard that needs a frame/structure to support it... I've *got* to get that puppy in the ground, but can't until I figure out the structure. sigh...