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CLIMBING ROSE
Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with a rose called Constance Spry. I have seen a few photos and it looks superb. I am looking for a free flowering rose in pinks/whites/creams for a South facing wall that is not sheltered. I did try a wisteria but for some reason it just failed one year.
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Do you want a repeat flowerer Jacqui? Constance spry flowers just once. How tall do you want it to go? Before you decide it might be worth looking into why the wisteria failed first.
Hi Dave, thank you, I didn't realise that Constance Spry only flowered once, shame as it looks gorgeous in the photos that I have seen. Ideally I would like a repeat flowerer around 12ft plus to grow along the front of my cottage and over the porch. Even better if it is fragrant. With regard to the wisteria, would you suggest a soil test? I haven't a clue why it suddenly died. Although the wall is south facing, we do get those icey cold winds at times, I wonder if that is the reason it failed.
I have Constance Spry, it smells divine, but it does only flower once. It was bred by David Austin. In fact he's used it to breed some of his other roses. Here is a selection of climbers.
http://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/english-roses/english-rose-climbers-light-pink-or-mid-pink
Hi Busy-Lizzie, thank you for the link. How beautiful are those roses, just stunning!! Exactly the sort of roses I am looking for. I keep coming back to Constance Spry after seeing a photograph of it above a white painted garden bench. So I might just treat myself to a CS to put somewhere else and use the link you provided for a more suitable climbing rose for the front of our cottage. Thank you again. I adore roses.
There is a lovely climbing pink rose, not a David Austin one but he sells it, called Compassion. http://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/compassion
I bought one in a garden centre last year, having admired one belonging to a friend.
I am looking to plant climbing roses in a more shady part of the garden, where a number of trees have been felled and tallish stumps left, so want to train climbers up the stumps. Thought repeat climbing roses would suit. There is still a leafy canopy but sunshine for part of each day. Any suggestions as to which might be more suitable. Busy I really like the look of Compassion - anyone know how it will fare?anyt.
Hi Novice23 I have a Madame Alfred Carrière climbing rose in the more shady aspect of my garden and it does really well - very pretty. Also had this rose in a previous garden in similar conditions and it worked well.
Hi Busy-Lizze, I have a Compassion rose too and have to agree with you, it is rather a lovely rose. I have since ordered my first rose for a long while, called Giardina. But I think I may well get hooked on the DA roses.
The best photo I've seen of 'Constance Spry' roses is this one, courtesy of the David Austin Rose Gallery.... although the original photo was taken at the headquarters of Apple in California, as the late Steve Jobs loved roses, and this was his idea.... the hedge was 100 yards long... it's gone now due to redevelopment... it was a lot of hedge for a brief blooming season, but goes to show how much he must have loved this rose...
What a stunning example of Constance Spry - just beautiful! I must get a couple for my garden. What a shame it was taken down due to redevelopment.
I have Constance Spry - she is my favourite rose
. No matter that she only flowers once a season, when she does she is unforgettable 
She was my Mum's favourite rose - we have a lovely photo of her sitting under her namesake at Mottisfont Abbey

