Climbing rose

Climbing rose: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Long, stiff stems of 2–3 m that you need to tie in yourself; no aerial roots or tendrils.

Leaves

Compound, with five to seven toothed leaflets, often glossy dark green.

Flowers

Singly or in clusters on short side shoots along the main stems; single to fully double.

Scent

In many varieties lightly to strongly scented, depending on the variety.

Thorns

Hooked thorns with which the stems catch onto other plants in the wild.

Flowering: June–September · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: February–March

Why grow it?

• Brings flowers and scent to eye level and above, where few other plants reach.
• Covers a wall, pergola or rose arch within a few years.
• Repeat-flowering varieties bloom from June into September.
• Varieties with single or semi-double flowers are valuable for bees.
• Takes up little ground space: ideal for a small garden or a narrow strip along the house.

Climbing rose: where does it grow best?

• Sun or light partial shade; an east or west wall is ideal, on a hot south wall mildew appears more readily.
• Rich, well-drained soil that does not dry out: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Soil right against a wall stays dry: plant 30–40 cm away from the wall.
• Put supports in place first: horizontal wires every 30–40 cm, a trellis or a pergola.
• Allow about 2 m of wall per plant.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

3 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Clematis: Climbs through the rose and flowers before or after it, so the wall has colour for longer.
• Lavender: A fragrant blue base in the sun.
• Catmint: Hides the bare lower part of the stems.
• Lady’s mantle: A fresh green edging at the foot of the wall.

Climbing rose: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November; bare-root roses only in these periods.
2. Fix wires or a trellis 5–10 cm from the wall beforehand, so air can circulate behind the stems.
3. Dig a hole about 40 cm wide and deep, 30–40 cm from the wall, and mix compost into the soil.
4. Set the rose at an angle, stems towards the wall and roots away from it, with the graft union about 5 cm below the soil.
5. Firm in, water well and mulch with compost.
6. Tie the stems in loosely straight away, fanning them out along the wires.

Care

Water

Soil by a wall dries out quickly: in dry summers give a full watering can at the base every week.

Feeding

Rose fertiliser or organic feed in April and after the first flush in June.

Tying in

Tie in new long shoots in good time, as horizontally as possible, with soft ties that do not cut in.

Faded flowers

Deadhead repeat-flowering varieties: new buds will follow.

Mulching

A layer of compost in spring keeps the soil at the base cool and moist.

Tip: Tie the long stems in as horizontally as possible: they will then produce flowering side shoots along their whole length. In February–March, cut the side shoots back to two or three buds.

Climbing rose: when to prune it?

Pruning months: February–March.

When: In February–March, before the new shoots start to grow. In summer, only deadhead.

How:

• Keep the long main stems and tie them in as horizontally as possible.
• Cut side shoots that have flowered back to two or three buds.
• Remove dead, weak and diseased wood.
• Every few years, replace an old, bare main stem with a young, vigorous shoot from the base.

Caution: Ramblers that flower only once, on last year’s wood, are pruned straight after flowering, not in spring.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Layering

In summer, bend a long, flexible stem to the ground, nick it lightly, pin it down and cover it with soil. Sever it after a year and replant.

Hardwood cuttings

In September–October, push 20 cm cuttings two-thirds into the soil in a sheltered spot. Not every variety roots equally well.

Climbing rose: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: usually no problem in Belgian winters.
• Mound 15–20 cm of soil around the base of young plants in November and remove it again in March.
• Check the ties before winter storms, so long stems do not work loose and break.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on leaves and buds, especially against a dry wall. Water regularly and mulch the base.
• Black spot: Black spots on the leaves, which turn yellow and fall. Clear up affected leaves and do not water over the foliage.
• Aphids: On young tips and buds in spring. Spray them off with water; ladybirds will help.
• Flowers only at the top: The stems are too upright. Tie them in at an angle or horizontally, and side shoots will form along their whole length.

Through the year

• February: Prune: side shoots back to two or three buds. Check the ties.
• March: Finish pruning. Remove the mounded soil. Plant.
• April: Give rose fertiliser and compost. Tie in new shoots.
• May: Watch out for aphids. Tie long shoots in horizontally.
• June: First flush. Feed again afterwards.
• July: Deadhead. Water in dry spells. Layer stems.
• August: Repeat flowering. Water at the foot of the wall.
• September: Last flowers. Take hardwood cuttings.
• October: Plant. Check the ties.
• November: Plant. Mound up young plants.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Climbing roses have no aerial roots or tendrils: in the wild they hook onto shrubs and trees with their thorns. That is why you have to tie them in yourself.
• Many climbing roses arose as a spontaneous mutation of a bush rose that suddenly produced long stems; their variety name then starts with ‘Climbing’.
• A stem trained horizontally sends out side shoots along its whole length; an upright stem mainly at the top.