@lilysilly Yes I have 'Graham Thomas'.. and I've grown it before in another garden.. it's easy, you can keep it as a shrub about 4 x 4, or like you said keep the long canes it will throw up and train across more horizontally as a climber.. it looks marvellous grown up a wall to about 15 foot or so... this is why so many of us love English roses by Austins, because although they are expensive, with so many you get more than one option with them.. In my garden now I prune any length of cane back to the shrub base..
@Lizzie27 Oh that's a shame you have to cut it right back... all I can suggest is, if you are absolutely sure your fence is being replaced in May and not later, then I would have to consider cutting it back now, because I'm not sure I could do it in May when it will have lots of buds on it ready to bloom... ...I might also consider if I could in any way put rope around the whole plant and try bring it forward away from the fence so it wouldn't be in their way, tie it onto something, and put it back in place when they're gone, even if I have to prune off some of it... I've done something like this before, rather than ruin the rose totally for a whole season.. in very cold climates they do this with their wall climbing roses, unattaching and bringing the long canes forward to lay on the ground, so they get covered in thick snow where they will be protected by snow cover, rather than freeze to death on the wall..
Oh gorgeous photo of 'Etoile de Hollande'... a rose I've grown twice in previous gardens.. and great against a light coloured wall in the early years... just a word of caution though.. when it takes off, being a climbing version of a hybrid tea rose, it's habit becomes very gangly with stiff canes, and is capable of growing quite tall.. so it may want to devour your property over the course of time, … it then goes somewhat bare at the base with lots of stiff canes at the top that need tying in..
However, lovely scent, and a beauty - but I think it's fair to say it needs some experience to deal with as it ages and grows... just my tuppence worth on that..
Thanks. I already figured out that it’s difficult to bend the shoots if not done early on, so am now trying to keep up to it. In its 4th year its already by the first floor bedroom Window, so that’s where i am tying it from
I am growing it together with Jasmine officinale but due to feeding rose regularly I am getting more foliage from Jasmine and few flowers. I am hoping that it’s only in the initial years and once established, Jasmine will also flower properly..
Oh it should be alright, I've grown that plant before and thought it did o.k..if somewhat rampant after a while... do show some more photos of your lovely rose later on..
Thanks @Marlorena. It has really struggled in this spot so has only 2 or 3 shoots above the wall height. I think I'll cut it down now as you suggest - it's too stiff to lay down and the chap will have to walk over it and put the fence up that side. It might even do it good and flower later on!
Oh ok, I didn't realise you had so little to work with...so that's ok... but I know what you mean, I had building work done on my property urgently a couple of years ago and I actually had to take out several roses, as they were totally in the way and I didn't have time to mess about with them.. the stumps would have got in the way too... fortunately it was just after the main flush, but even so, I was upset about it..
So an update. I found it impossible to choose a new rose the weekend in which l needed to spend my credit note, even with all your helpful recommendations. I bought a patio apple tree , James Greive instead and a new hardy geranium Bloomtime, like a pink version of Rozanne. However, my lovely son has bought me a climbing Tess of the D'urbavilles bareroot rose for Mothers' day because he noticed me looking at climbing red roses online. A wonderful surprise it was. He's given it to me today to deal with as we are all going down to Dartmoor tomorrow for the day. I'm going to put it in a large pot for now, and was wondering if it would be suitable to be grown as a pillar rose or trained around an obelisk of some sort? Have any of you grown a pillar rose, pros and cons please? Also does anyone grow Tess and hopefully have a good opinion of it? A photo would be fabulous too. I have pulled out a underperforming hebe and have planted my Graham Thomas rose I had dug up last Autumn and put in a huge pot by the front door and am going to train it as a climber.
Yes you can grow 'Tess' on a pillar or obelisk, to 6 or 8 foot... it is best grown as a short climber as that seems to be its preferred habit... I've never grown it so I cannot speak from personal experience, only from what I've seen and others I know who have it... it can be grown in a large pot minimum 18 x 18 inches really..
I hear the colour lasts well, cherry red or crimson and the blooms also last well in a vase... but the canes can be quite stiff and not easy to train, so you need to keep up with that and train them whilst young, in the direction you want them to go..
I've heard nothing but good things about this rose... best of luck with your beautiful red 'Tess Of The d'Urbervilles'...
Posts
Yes I have 'Graham Thomas'.. and I've grown it before in another garden.. it's easy, you can keep it as a shrub about 4 x 4, or like you said keep the long canes it will throw up and train across more horizontally as a climber.. it looks marvellous grown up a wall to about 15 foot or so... this is why so many of us love English roses by Austins, because although they are expensive, with so many you get more than one option with them..
In my garden now I prune any length of cane back to the shrub base..
@Lizzie27
Oh that's a shame you have to cut it right back... all I can suggest is, if you are absolutely sure your fence is being replaced in May and not later, then I would have to
consider cutting it back now, because I'm not sure I could do it in May when it will have lots of buds on it ready to bloom...
...I might also consider if I could in any way put rope around the whole plant and try bring it forward away from the fence so it wouldn't be in their way, tie it onto something, and put it back in place when they're gone, even if I have to prune off some of it... I've done something like this before, rather than ruin the rose totally for a whole season.. in very cold climates they do this with their wall climbing roses, unattaching and bringing the long canes forward to lay on the ground, so they get covered in thick snow where they will be protected by snow cover, rather than freeze to death on the wall..
I am growing it together with Jasmine officinale but due to feeding rose regularly I am getting more foliage from Jasmine and few flowers. I am hoping that it’s only in the initial years and once established, Jasmine will also flower properly..
However, my lovely son has bought me a climbing Tess of the D'urbavilles bareroot rose for Mothers' day because he noticed me looking at climbing red roses online. A wonderful surprise it was. He's given it to me today to deal with as we are all going down to Dartmoor tomorrow for the day.
I'm going to put it in a large pot for now, and was wondering if it would be suitable to be grown as a pillar rose or trained around an obelisk of some sort? Have any of you grown a pillar rose, pros and cons please?
Also does anyone grow Tess and hopefully have a good opinion of it? A photo would be fabulous too.
I have pulled out a underperforming hebe and have planted my Graham Thomas rose I had dug up last Autumn and put in a huge pot by the front door and am going to train it as a climber.
I hear the colour lasts well, cherry red or crimson and the blooms also last well in a vase... but the canes can be quite stiff and not easy to train, so you need to keep up with that and train them whilst young, in the direction you want them to go..
I've heard nothing but good things about this rose... best of luck with your beautiful red 'Tess Of The d'Urbervilles'...