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Rose recommendation - single/small-flowered climber

MolamolaMolamola Posts: 105
in Plants
After being inspired by the rose thread on this forum, I've decided I'd like to plant a rose to cover my south-facing wall. 

I've never grown a rose, so would appreciate advice on which to choose.  I'd prefer single or small flowered roses, to create a woodland/wild rose feeling, in pale white/cream/yellow shades. My next priorities are fragrance, plus shapely lighter-coloured foliage. I'm also wondering if I might have space for two roses.  

- Malvern hills (this is top of my list at the moment as it seems to tick all my boxes and many have commented on its foliage, but I wonder how much scent it has and how long it really flowers for)
- Bobbie James (this is reputed to be a monster, but I haven't found similar roses on a smaller scale. Even though it is once-flowering, I love the elegance of its simple blooms, plus there are some rave reviews about its scent (on this site, in German so you'll have to use the browser translate software,  https://www.rosen.de/gartenrosen/rosentypen/kletterrosen/bobbie-james?c=189) 
- Goldfinch (once-flowering, but rated highly to slightly scented on different sites)
- R. Moschata (a wild rose descendant that is late-blooming and rated strongly scented, but I'm not sure what musk smells like!)

The wall dimensions are 310cm at the highest point and about 7m across - measured from the top of a 30 cm high raised bed I will create in front of it (about 1m wide, and open to the ground). This is to improve the soil, as it's a bit rocky/stony with the wall foundations. 


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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Malvern Hills seems like a good choice. Also Moonlight - loved by bees.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    Have a look at Rosa Francis E. Lester ... its gorgeous ... we’ve got one on our Shady Bank ... it was a bit slow to start with in the dense shade but since reducing the shade by pollarding the ash tree it is romping away and is covered with buds. It is the prettiest single rose I know with a gorgeous scent. 



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • lpayres3lpayres3 Posts: 5
    Perhaps Sally Holmes would be a good fit.  I don't have first-hand experience, as I am waiting for her to arrive by mail, so I'm relying on descriptions.  She is listed as moderately fragrant, and can climg to 10+ feet. https://www.davidaustinroses.com/products/sally-holmes
  • lpayres3lpayres3 Posts: 5
    ...so sorry for the typo, "climb"
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited June 2021
    I guess it partly depends if you want once flowering, repeat flowering or more continuous flowering roses. There are repeat ramblers like Malvern Hills and once flowering like Lester. There are those given to acting more like high, energetic shrub roses like Moonlight or regular climbers
  • ImprevuImprevu Posts: 173
    I would suggest also to look at the dentelle family of lens roses. ( in Belgium btw) Just browse their website they have a wonderful choice . You can select on colour, preferred location, sun..
    The dentelles  are once blooming .
    But they are on my wishlist .. 😉
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    One of my all-time favourites is 'Snow Goose'. It is modestly sized, with small white flowers with quilled petals and a bit of the yellow centres visible. Its leaves are wonderfully shiny, long and healthy-looking. It has quite a 'wild' look to it. 'Francis E. Lester' is another good one in this respect, as it has bunches of little hips in autumn. But it does have a mainly pink effect. 
  • MolamolaMolamola Posts: 105
    Thanks everyone for your replies! I'd prefer a repeat-flowering rose, but don't mind once-flowering if it's sufficiently long, like a month, or has good foliage the rest of the time.  

    @Fire, Moonlight is beautiful - I had discounted shrub roses (like the wonderful Kew Gardens), but I see now it possibly grows to 2.5m.  If you grow it, could you describe its scent?

    @Dovefromabove FE Lester would go very well with the apple tree from next door since David Austin says it resembles apple blossom, but I'm not sure about the pink margins.

    @lpayres3 Sally Holmes is pretty too but also seems like it could have pink edges.  

    @Imprevu Hello - so nice to "meet" someone else in Belgium! Thanks for the tip - I have spent far too much time browsing the Lens website, and might even order my roses from there (: 

    @Cambridgerose12 Snow Goose is actually on my list (: I did not mention it because it's not a tall climber, but it's a rose I've always wanted to grow, and will have in addition to a "proper" climber to cover as much of the wall as I can. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited June 2021
    I had a Frances E Lester on my pergola.
    A wonderful rose as Dove says and very pretty.
    You don't notice the edges on the flowers and they turn white by the time they're open.
    A grand show of autumn hips too




    PS - sadly it had to go, but I replaced it with The Garland -




    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited June 2021
    My Moonlight" the scent is very light. In it's first year of proper growth, about head height npw and scrambling happily up the fence. I got it on @Pete.8 's recommendation and I think he said flowers pretty continuously.

    I

    n it
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