Everything You Need to Know About Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are a fantastic addition to any garden, adding vibrant colors, fragrant blooms, and a touch of classic beauty to your outdoor space. These hardy plants are not only visually stunning but also functional, as they can be trained to grow over various structures like gazebos, trellises, and fences. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore 17 of the best climbing roses that are sure to elevate the beauty of your garden.

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The Stunning Beauty of Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are a popular choice among gardeners due to their ability to add a vertical element to the landscape while providing a burst of color and fragrance. These roses are known for being fast-growing, disease-resistant, and long-blooming, making them a favorite for many garden enthusiasts. Additionally, climbing roses can be trained to cover unsightly structures and serve as focal points in any garden.

Benefits of Climbing Roses:

Adds vertical interest to your garden
Provides vibrant colors and fragrant blooms
Fast-growing and disease-resistant
Can be trained to cover structures like trellises, arbors, and fences

Top 17 Climbing Roses for Your Garden

Altissimo (Rosa ‘Altissimo’)
Features stunning single flowers with velvety, bright red petals and showy yellow stamens
Disease-resistant and long-blooming
Can be trained as a small climbing rose or a pillar climber
American Beauty (Rosa ‘American Beauty’)
Deep, cupped dark pink rose that tolerates shade
Ideal for training up walls or trellises
Hardy and grows 12 to 15 feet tall
Cécile Brunner (Rosa ‘Cécile Brunner’)
Petite clusters of blush-pink flowers with a sweet, spicy scent
Can reach 20 feet in height and 6 feet in width
Blooms in late spring or early summer
Dublin Bay (Rosa ‘Dublin Bay’)
Produces medium to large-sized rich, velvety red flowers
Mild, fruity perfume and grows 8 to 12 feet tall
Blooms throughout the growing season
Iceberg (Rosa ‘Iceberg’)
Vigorous climber with profuse flowering and extra-large blooms
Known for repeat flowering but has little to no scent
Requires good airflow to prevent black spot disease
Fourth of July (Rosa ‘Fourth of July’)
Large-flowered climber with profuse clusters of red-and-white-striped blooms
Sweet rose scent and grows 12 to 14 feet tall
Not bothered by polluted urban air
Peace (Rosa ‘Peace’)
Fruity scent and full, ruffled yellow-and-pink flowers
Can reach 20 feet tall and 5 feet wide
Versatile and works well in various garden settings
Royal Sunset (Rosa ‘Royal Sunset’)
Glossy leaves and apricot-colored blooms
Makes gorgeous bouquets and has a strong fruity fragrance
Requires pruning in late winter for repeat blooms
Souvenir de la Malmaison (Rosa ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison’)
Vigorous climber with strong-scented pale pink flowers
Extremely vigorous and can reach 20 feet in height
Best enjoyed on the vine
Westerland (Rosa ‘Westerland’)
- Extremely fragrant and winter-hardy rose
- Large, copper-orange to apricot colored blooms
- Prune lightly in late fall or early winter for best results
Zephirine Drouhin (Rosa ‘Zephirine Drouhin’)
- Heirloom rose with beautifully scented blooms and thornless canes
- Deep rose pink blooms and can reach 15 feet tall
- Prune significantly in late winter for continuous blooms
Eden (Rosa ‘Eden’)
- Light pink and white cupped blooms
- Easygoing and hardy plant that adapts well to various climates
- Requires consistent watering and full sunlight
Don Juan (Rosa ‘Don Juan’)
- Romantic red rose with velvety petals
- Climbs well along fences and arbors
- Best suited for milder temperatures
Lady of Shalott (‘Rosa Lady of Shalott’)
- Abundant orange petals and subtle, spiced tea fragrance
- Drought tolerant and thrives in zones 4 through 11
- Requires decreased watering in between blooms
Tangerine Skies™ Arborose® (Rosa ‘KORtangenu’)
- Striking orange-pink blooms and heavily scented flowers
- Resistant to most diseases and requires little maintenance
- Ideal for climbing up trellises and arches
Raspberry Cream Twirl™
- Striped exhibition-type rose with variegated blooms
- Eye-catching flower with few thorns
- Perfect for high traffic areas in the garden
New Dawn (Rosa ‘New Dawn’)
- Fastest growing climbing rose with continuously blooming pink flowers
- Low maintenance and resistant to diseases and pests
- Requires regular watering and deadheading throughout the season

How to Care for Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are relatively easy to grow and care for, especially once established in your garden. Here are some tips to help your climbing roses thrive:

Care Tips for Climbing Roses:

Regular pruning and feeding
Consistent watering, especially during the growing season
Deadheading to encourage continuous blooms

Choosing the Right Support for Climbing Roses:

When choosing a support for your climbing roses, consider the size of the plant and the structure you want to cover. Trellises, arbors, archways, and fences are all great options for providing support to your climbing roses. Remember to choose a support that is sturdy enough to support the weight of the plant as it grows and climbs.

Important Note: Avoid planting climbing roses in pots, as their growing pattern can quickly become heavy and sprawl beyond the pot’s capacity.

In Conclusion

Climbing roses are a beautiful and versatile addition to any garden, offering vibrant colors, fragrant blooms, and a vertical element to your landscape. With a wide range of varieties to choose from, you can find the perfect climbing rose to suit your garden style and climate. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, climbing roses are a fantastic choice for adding charm and elegance to your outdoor space.

So, why wait? Start planting climbing roses in your garden today and enjoy the beauty and fragrance they bring year after year!