How to train rambler over small area?

Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice for how to train a rambling rose over a small area – specifically the side of a bike shed, which is 90cm wide by 160cm tall. The rose, a Ghislaine de Féligonde, was planted as a bare root last autumn just in front of that side of the shed, and has already grown about 50cm.

I have bought vine eyes and galvanised wire, which I plan to fix horizontally across the side of the shed. My concern, however, is that with little room for sideways training the stems will have to be trained vertically upwards, and that this might lead to a bunch of flowers at the top of the shed and not much lower down. I have never trained a rose before but, as I understand it, the stems are normally encouraged to grow as near to horizontal as possible, to encourage flowers to grow close to the ground as well as up high. In my case, the width of the plant is already naturally about the width of the shed, so no further training in the horizontal direction appears possible – unless the stems are encouraged to zig-zag their way up.

What do you think? Is it advisable to zig-zag the stems of roses? If not, what is the best way to encourage plenty of flowers in such a small space?

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner JonC. I know very little about rambling roses, but I will tag our wonderful rose expert @wiseowl for you, who will be able to help you with your questions.

 

I have this rose too, I'm just letting mine claw its way up and over an arch. Probably not the best way of doing it but it's still young so no real rambler shoots coming out yet?

 

to GC @JonC

Hopefully @wiseowl will be along soon to give you the best advice.

 

Thank you Woo, I've now learnt something about ramblers too.

 

Thank you @wiseowl , I'm glad I've done the right thing in not pruning mine. It's very shrubby and kept nearly all of its leaves through winter.

 

Thank you for your expanse of knowledge to Woo!

 

Ditto!