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question about rambling rose on a shed

murasakimurasaki Posts: 76
in Plants
Hello, i am new to roses and it is my first post here, even if i have read (and learned!) a lot already, even old threads, very informative and helpful.

I would like to cover an old shed with a rambling rose, having seen so many wonderful examples on the net. But there is something i can't figure out, what happens to the old blooms, after they dry? The roof being horizontal, they will remain there and rot, won't they? The rose would grow basically like a groundcover, which wouldn't be a problem in the garden, on a slope etc... But on the roof? How could one clean that? i am sure i sound naïve but i have no experience with roses yet:) 
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Hi and welcome to the forum.

    I have several rambling roses.
    Once the flowering is over, the petals drop.
    Then hips begin to form.
    On some, the hips stay on the plant over winter and provide food for the birds.
    On others after flowering, the hips and stems slowly rot and disintegrate.
    Mine are either on a fence or covering my pergola, so there's no build-up of detritus.

    I'm not sure that a rambling rose is suitable for your intended use on a flat shed roof for the reasons you give.
    Even if you used an evergreen climber of some sort, there will still be a build-up of 'stuff' under all the stems on the roof.
    Neither would be good for the roof of your old shed.

    There are some climbers that may work - e.g. a hop (humulus lupulus) there is a gold variety too. They'll grow up to 8m in a season and are then cut back to the ground in late autumn - at which point you can sweep the roof :)



    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    edited August 2021
    Ive got albertine and wedding day (may- june flowering) over my flat shed, plus a summer clematis. I deadhead them with telescopic snips and cut back the most rampant growth and any dead/damaged branches after flowering, you can sweep out in winter when defoliated. Id certainly make sure you take out some branches in the middle to help airflow as powdery mildew is a pain otherwise! The birds absolutley love mine, they eat the sawfly larvae and aphids too ;)

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited August 2021
    I have a summer house/studio type thing with a slight pitched roof and guttering. I wouldn't grow plants over the roof because I don't want to risk a roof leak from plant material build up. It's also important that the gutters take rain water away from the wooden walls. I am training roses along the front facade on wires, away from the gutters.

    I have virginia creeper covering the roof of the tool shed. The shed leaks anyway and is ancient so I don't much care. The creeper hides an ugly wall behind and is an improvement.

    @JessicaS 's gorgeous, rosy shed always makes me want to be more adventurous.
  • murasakimurasaki Posts: 76
    thank you all for your replies! it seems i was right to imagine that could be a problem...

    but virtually every site i 've read says ramblers are perfect for covering "ugly buidlings", sheds etc. that's why i had started dreaming about it... 

    and Jessica's gorgeous image looks exactly like those that have sparked my imagination :-) what a dream! so this is proof that it is doable, but i don't know if i have the courage to try it... 
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    @murasaki go for it! Honestly, If it dosent look how you wanted it to you can always take it out and try something else there instead :) ive got clematis montana on my other shed for a wall of flowers and green.
    My climbers I planted not long after we moved in so its about 7years old, the wedding day I planted in memory of a pet so its a lovely reminder. They really are vigorous! 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I would love to have space for a montana.
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    They will eat your shed @Fire! :wink:
    Thats the shed side under that! I love it though...




  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Montanas are esp good if they don't border other people's gardens as they look so bare in winter and can turn into such a bird's nest. I guess the key is to manage them properly (mental note to self :D)
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    My neighbour used to have one on her side of the fence.
    She'd get a great display of flowers then all the new growth came over the top of the fence, through my shrubs and perennials and at some points was growing over the lawn. I'd have to chop it back every few weeks.
    Not my favourite clematis.
    Eventually she took it out

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • EustaceEustace Posts: 2,290
    My next door neighbour has a huge Montana that spans the entire fence along the back garden. It flowers only for about 2 weeks in spring and is a mass of weedy growth which needs constant pruning on our side. In spite of that,  the entire fence is now tilted by almost 30 degrees off vertical and needs replacing.
    Oxford. The City of Dreaming Spires.
    And then my heart with pleasure fills,
    And dances with the daffodils (roses). Taking a bit of liberty with Wordsworth :)

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