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Shrub rose as a climber?

debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
in Plants
Hi hi all, maybe a stupid question but bear with me please, I have a Gertrude Jekyll rose bought as a shrub that I want to train up a 7 foot obelisk. Can it be done? I know they are sold as either shrub or climbing roses but is there any difference? 
Thanks in advance 

Posts

  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    I have four Gertrude Jekyll rose bushes and I train mine as mini climbers. They produce long strong shoots, I find by training them relatively horizontally I get lots of flowering side shoots. They are such strong growers I can't see why it wouldn't work growing them onto an obelisk maybe not quite 7 feet, and perhaps fewer flowers.  
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I think it would work too.
    I have 3 in my front garden that I neglected and some shoots reached up to about 8ft or more through a big acer I have, and bloomed which looked unusual.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    David Austin advertises it as a climbing rose. 

    See the source image
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Thanks I wasn’t sure if there was any difference between those sold as climbers and those sold as shrub roses. 
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    @debs64
    ...no difference at all.. it's just the way it's trained...  it can look nice both ways, it depends how much you are prepared to wrestle with those thorns... the bigger the rose, the more protection you will need come pruning time...  enjoy your roses Debs ...
    East Anglia, England
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    @Marlorena thanks for that I will nurture Gertrude this summer then plant her in the autumn to grow up my obelisk. 
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