Climbing rose for south wall (Wet Coast)

Hi, I'm new to this forum, and excited to be here with other gardeners!

I just moved to a lovely older house (in Maple Ridge) that has a two-storey white stucco wall on the south side. I've placed my vegetable garden beds on that side of the property because of the exposure, so I expect to be spending some time in that area, for my first of many growing seasons!

I've always wanted to have a climbing rose, but couldn't at my old place, which was acreage: shaded beautifully by a cedar and big-leaf maple forest, but not the best 'climate' for roses.

Can any of you recommend a rose that will climb (but not rampantly), is fragrant, blooms throughout the summer and fall, likes full sun (and a warm wall behind it), is comfortable on our 'Wet Coast' *, and can tolerate winter wind? (that side of my property gets some pretty strong winds sometimes). I'm not stuck on a particular colour, but I am fond of peachy tones in roses.

I've dug up the soil on that side of the house already - it's already quite rich, but I plan to augment it with some sand, compost and well-rotted manure.

I'd also appreciate any advice you can offer about what supports climbing roses need. And appropriate pruning.

Thanks, everyone...I'm looking forward to learning from your experiences!

- Trude, in Maple Ridge, B.C.

* P.S. Maple Ridge gets higher rainfall than the rest of the Lower Mainland (except maybe North Van?)

 

Are you going to buy locally? If so the starting point is what local outlets are stocking this year.

 

I don't mind driving somewhere for the rose, if it's "the right" one. Or getting it shipped, if it doesn't cost an arm-and-a-leg.
There are two fairly good nurseries in 'Ridge - I suppose I could start by checking out what have in stock or can order in.

But putting availability aside, any suggestions for a specific rose?

 

How tall?

 

Hi Trude,
I wanted a delicate pink climber with beautiful foliage, (and black spot resistant, of course.) 'New Dawn' was highly recommended and I searched for it. Couldn't find it anywhere from North Van through Langley... it's not a 'flavour of the month' rose, and climbers may not be in high demand. Somehow I found Jason Crouch at Fraser Valley Rose Farm (jasoncroutch@rocketmail.com) He had it, and brought it in from his growing-house to a Farmer's Market in Chilliwack for me. I strung wires all across the south face and east side of my stucco garage, and am on the second full growing year. They're taking off now! I can't wait!

 

It would also be worth your while to talk to Brad Jalbert of Select Roses in Langley. Home - Select Roses

 

I checked his site - he doesn't list climbers.

 

I didn't know that. Brad is very knowledgeable though and might be able to recommend a few climbers for you.

 

You could post your question on Roses Forum - GardenWeb. It is a very active forum, you will have to tell them where you live.

 

Specifically how tall of a specimen - in numeric terms - you want to end up with is a fundamental consideration that will be likely to come up again at some point, during any additional discussion. The aforementioned 'New Dawn' for instance can be expected to grow over 16' tall.

 

Have you chosen your rose ? Which one(s)

Perhaps instead of drilling holes in to the vital exterior « envelope » of your stucco house ... you could have a climbing arbor of some sort a couple of feet away but parallel to your south wall

It could enhance the overall exterior design of the house and make a sheltered south face garden sitting spot esp at this time of year when the south sun is esp pleasant.

 

How about a "Westerland"? It can be trained as a climber or kept down to a bush. Really nice smell, and peachy colour. I got one from Buckerfield's so it should be easily available. The deer think it's great too.

 

New dawn is a lovely rose, great disease resistance but lacks fragrance and may want to grow larger than you hope.
She also has a very curved thorn. You'll find that every time you walk past her she'll snag you on the shoulder or arm.
If you're looking for a smallish climber 2m x 2m , passive thorns, divine fragrance and disease resistance then aim for Hybrid musk rose "Felicia".
She's a knockout and flushes spring summer and autumn.
The small flowers don't cut for long but leave a truss of flowers on your car dashboard in the morning and open the door later in the day. Whoooosh.
She's a very good do'er and not grown enough.
Rosa 'Felicia' (HM) | rose 'Felicia'/RHS Gardening

 

I would say ‘ coral Dawn’
A lots of Beautiful bright salmon pink flowers,
Non-stop bloom,
Medium fragrant,
Dark green leaves,
Healthy.

 

This may come too late for you as a suggestion for a climbing rose but, until tonight, I could not remember the name of one I greatly admired 30 years ago in a neighbour's garden in 'old' Burnaby . . . Royal Sunset. I saw it blooming floriferously on a a white, two-storey, south-facing wall such as you describe. Fragrant and gorgeous. Makes me wish I had such a situation to grow one myself.

 

Hi Trude,

Have you chosen your climbing rose yet? I think of you when I tend to my New Dawn. (Which is a bit paler on my garage than I'd anticipated. It's old neighbour, a disease-y red one that earns its place because my son is sentimental about it, kind of knocks it out of the park by comparison. )

 

Gwen - your north shore garden is gorgeous!

I like how you have managed so nicely with what appears to be a fairly Small space ... great colors on house and in garden

And looks like some raised vegetable beds?

 

Oh, Georgia Strait, how sweet of you!
Yes, it's a typical small city lot with an old-fashioned cottage-y garage (with a giant picture window on the garden side, but that's another story. ) My sweetie did the vegetable gardening in recent years under clear plastic sheeting to warm the soil, but I've taken it over this year. I just whanged together something to contain the soil using lumber I had on hand. It lets me cover the paths to eliminate weeds between the rows, a problem with sweetie's method, but his plastic is much better for warming the soil and to conserve moisture from the trip irrigation.
The rest of my back garden is waiting for micro clover to grow. I had the little lawn under 6 months of black plastic to get rid of the large clover I'd planted in error a couple of years ago. Here's a couple of older pics . . . the begonia shots are taken from the bathtub.

 

Nice one Gwen
What a lovely mixed border

 

Agree - beautiful !

We need a « virtual backyard garden tour 2020 spring » thread don’t we ?

PS - balconies and public plantings included.

I initially thought the items in the bistro seats were bags of garden soil —- I know they are pretty cushions now ;)

Clearly my garden has potting soil and other ambitious “work in progress” materials scattered about.

 

Hilarious! The same! Right now the corner of my path has hose looped-de-looped down it for temporary new-lawn-watering. When I looked for previous year photos there was a large stack of cardboard in the same place. Another year, a motley selection of pots. . . newly emptied or for potting up. . . don't recall. Maybe we'll just overlook those bits in others' photos.