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American Pillar climbing rose
I have a large old American Pillar climbing rose that was very severely cut back 3 years ago, it gets very badly infected by mildew, which discolors the flowers and they then fall of. I have been spraying it with a fungicide which controls the disease but this operation has to be done every 2 weeks during the summer. Is the American pillar prone to disease? I would like to have a climbing rose on the cottage wall, if I planted a disease resistant climbing rose would I be wasting my time?
The wall is south facing, exposed, heavy clay.
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I've never seen an American Pillar rose which didn't have mildew and in my experience it has much worse mildew than any other rose - I know it's supposed to have average disease resistance but that's my experience.
I also believe AP is a rambler rather than a true climber.
I don't see why you shouldn't successfully grow a climbing rose on the cottage wall - I'd prepare the soil well digging plenty of moisture-retentive material into the clay which will help prevent mildew. Lots of choice on this website - there's a helpful rose selecting guide down the left hand side. http://www.classicroses.co.uk/products/roses/
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
An excellent site from Dove, but I love David Austin roses as well. I have a pale yellow climber called "The Pilgrim" and it didn't have a trace of disease this year, not even black spot. http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/advanced.asp
Thank you for your advice, I look forward to not having to spray the side of the cottage next year.
I love David Austin roses too and have several lovely roses from him. However, I do think the selection guide on the PB site is really helpful - the best I've come across - which is why I recommend it
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.