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Suitable climbing rose
Hello all,
I would like to cover 3 fence panels with roses and wondered if anyone had any suggestions? The panels are north facing and I'm looking for a long flowering period and lots of fragrance. A gentleman at David Austin suggested Wollerton Old Hall, The Generous Gardener, A Shropshire Lad, Claire Austin and James Galway. I prefer pinks and whites to yellow. And I try to buy roses with dark, glossy leaves as they seem less prone to black spot. But I wondered if anyone had any better suggestions or had grown any of the above and had any advice? Many thanks. jandh
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Hi there - i have experience of Shropshire Lad and Claire Austin ....both of which are lovely
. In a previous house we had success with New Dawn on a north facing wall - very pretty, but not as strong a scent as some. Ticks the healthy, glossy foliage boxes though
Hi chicky and pansy, we too have grown New Dawn in a previous garden, lots of flowers but virtually no scent though. I'm looking for something that is really old-fashioned in scent, you know when it reminds you of soap? The stronger the better. The Alibaba rose is a bit dark I think pansy, but thanks for the suggestion.
Sounds like I'm going to struggle for scent. Wollerton Old Hall looks beautiful from what I've seen online but obviously when I find it in garden centres now I'm looking at 3 or 4 'sticks' so I can't judge the glossiness of the leaves or the flower perfume. Ho hum
Don't want to get this too wrong (or wrong at all really if I'm honest!) as they're going to take a while to train across the fences and they won't come cheap.
The Generous Gardener is pink, Wollerton Old Hall is apricot and cream, they are both supposed to be strongly scented and healthy but The Generous Gardener has got an AGM, both beautiful roses.
I grow 'Wollerton Old Hall' and 2 others that you may like, 'St Swithun' and 'Royal Jubilee'.
WOH has the strongest scent, what they call myrrh, but to me it's a sweet heather honey. 'St Swithun' is similar and almost as strong. 'Royal Jubilee' is very sweet too but different.
Like most Austin roses, they need a year or so to settle down, and you can be disappointed in the first season with few flowers. WOH should climb to 6 foot in its first year, the other two 5 foot but taller from the 2nd year with light pruning, and obviously some training upwards and horizontally will be required. All mine grow north or north west facing.
'Wollerton Old Hall', a few early blooms...
'St Swithun' showing dark foliage.
'Royal Jubilee'
I also grow 'The Generous Gardener'. I find the blooms shatter rather too quickly, and the scent not as fine - just my opinion.
None of my roses are sprayed. I hope you find something you like.
I've got Claire Austin and Madam Alfred Carrier. The latter has grown very successfully of an arch. It has a strong perfume and is white. Lots of blooms. A bit of black spot though. The Madam Alfred is growing over the arch and this was its second year, while the Claire is the smaller slower growing one to the right of the arch in its first year....
....and this is two years in (with my mum underneath!) just after flowering..
Plenty to think about - you've all been so helpful. Thanks to everyone for the advice and suggestions it's been extremely helpful. jandh