Old-Fashioned Climbing Roses

Climbing roses need support.

If you're looking for something other than the ubiquitous rosebush, consider old-fashioned climbing roses. Marked by colorful blossoms and a heady fragrance, old-fashioned climbing roses have a different spread than the classic rose bush.

Identification

Old-fashioned roses refer to rose cultivars that would have been valued in Colonial-era gardens. They are occasionally called heirloom or heritage roses. Climbing roses are roses with long canes that need a strong support system to keep them from trailing on the ground.

Considerations

Most roses considered old-fashioned climbing roses do not date to the Colonial era. The "Lady Banks" rose produces bright yellow blooms only once a season and dates back to 1807, for example. Cultivars called "Old Bush" and "The Fairy" are undated but are two heritage climbing roses that many modern climbers are hybridized from.

Care

Old-fashioned climbing roses thrive in rich, well-drained soil. They prefer full sun and frequent waterings. Old-fashioned climber roses need to be trained to follow a support system, such as a trellis. Blooms occur in spring and/or summer. Prune canes after flowering, leaving only healthy, adult canes.

References

• Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Growing Roses
• "Old Fashioned and David Austen Roses;" Barbara Lee Taylor, Juliet Nicholas; 2004
• "Fifty Easy Old Fashioned Roses, Climbers and Vines;" Anne M. Zeman; 1995
• "Old Roses, Gardens By Design;" Graham Murphy; 2006