Rose Arch

Gosh having read a thread or two I am wondering if this is too ambitious for me as I haven't really much experience of roses but here goes:

What are the best varieties of rose for a rose arch?, Do I need a rambler or a climber? I have an old fashioned cimber in my garden which has big flowers fewer of them and suffers dreadfully with blackspot, I have two rambers which have smaller flowers, flower more profusely and are disease resistant, they also have more numerous and more flexible stems so would seem easier but I don't know if a rambler will get tall enough or if it would take forever to cover the arch.

I would like something fast growing with a long flowering season and disease resistant ideally (Is there such a thing?)

Should I plant a rose at each side of the arch?

As far as the arch is concerned could I get away with a cheap one such as this or should I invest in something better? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-GAR...hash=item220253514052&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318

How long realistically should I expect it to take to establish? I don't expect to be in this property more than another three years or so - will it be worth it?

In the meantime could I put say a clematis montana at the other side, (to give the arch some cover and to remove when the rose got established)

We'll get to the training bit later (that's the really confusing sounding bit!)

I would really appreciate the thoughts of you experts out there!

Many thanks

EGW x

 

Okay I've done a bit of googling, - Madam Alfred Carrier( Rose) and Marie Boisselot (clematis)come up as a good combination. Any thoughts?

EGW x

 

Hi Ellie,

I have a seagull climbing rose-this is extremely vigorous-I purchased it when it was 2 ft in April and after training it horizontally it now has a wingspan of roughly 6.5ft, so it`s quick, BUT it does not have a long flowering period-over and done with within about 4 weeks really. For a dead quick clematis montana is pretty much the beast of the clematis world, and if you are leaving in three yrs then you won`t have the worry of having to prune it often. These both flower white and at differnet times so one goes and then the other starts. The technically is no such thing as a climber rose-just a shrub rose which tends to chuck up tall upward shoots.

Do you really want roses? Because in your circumstances I would probably plant sweetpeas there, they are annual so you put them out each yr, however I direct sow mine and no kiddingI am gobsmacked with how fast they have grown-and another plus point-you don`t need to train them really, just point them in the right direction and away they go. If you don't want to seed them yourself they are actually a cheap plant to get each get at a garden centre. If you choose sweetpeas then your arch won`t have to be so strong really, they are very light plants.


But there are loads of climbers and you really should choose whichever is the most pleasing to your eye.


I really hope you you will put a pic up when you have chosen I am thinking of doing something similar and if I do I will too.

 

Claire,

Thanks that's really helpful - sweet peas sound good too - I do kind of have my heart set on roses as I am trying to acheive a "cottage garden" look no reason I can't throw a couple of sweet peas in there as well though! x

 

Thanks Wiseoldowl, that's really helpful - I have lots of pink and purple in my garden so fancy white or cream for a change - I am liking the sound of the aforementioned Madam Alfred Carrier but would welcome recommendations of any alternatives.

Do you think I can manage the pruning/training without messing it up? (being a complete novice)

 

Hi again Ellie,


Just googled those flowers-what beauties. It says they smell gorgeous too. And I agree with you about roses-they are stunning-every single kind has its own appeal.

And that idea about sweetpeas +roses+clematis idea is brill-nicking that.

I have strawberry fields at the moment and they smell unbelieveable. This is the first yr I have tried sweetpeas and I have fallen in love with them. I keep looking for seeds for next year.

Just need to find propagating space now.

 

" And that idea about sweetpeas +roses+clematis idea is brill-nicking that."

Chuck in a couple of Morning Glory too perhaps!

 

Calypso (AKA berries and cream) is a fairly quick grower, flowers continuously, has good scent and is red and creamy white striped. It will flower at least until first frost, mine starts blooming in late May & still has buds in November, although I am quite a bit further south ;-)

 

Did someone mention St Geoff, you`ll get me all misty again. That man was the single most important inspiration to get me off my backside and in my garden. And he loved sweetpeas too. I think anyone who tries them once, does them forever more.