suggestions please for zone 5-6

[Curlygirl27]

Hello!! I am a novice rose grower and planning on purchasing climbing roses to climb the pergola over my deck. Would love suggestions and discussion on different roses. Am intrigued by old or antique roses but anything that fits the bill will be great. I live right on the border of zone 5 and 6a.

Here is what I am looking for:
any color but pink
grows 12+ feet (15+ would be ideal, we have a LOT of pergola to cover)
disease resistant (don't we all want this?)
fragrant
tolerant of cold winter (I would pack with mulch of course but prefer not to go any further)

Other things that would be ideal but not necessary:
good for cut flowers
vigorous climber
own root (I hear these tend to do better in colder climates)

Right now am very interested in Don Juan but I have read reviews that it is too delicate and hard to grow here. I have also read that it climbs very slowly and is better as a shrub here.

I am very interested to hear your thoughts and suggestions! thank you for your time.

[rainbowgardener]

I'm not a rose-grower, but since no one else answered for you, I checked

everyrose.com for you. It's a searchable database of rose varieties.

If you go here:

https://everyrose.com/everyrose/roses/search2.lasso

you can search for roses by color and many other characteristics.

I did a search for roses with climbing growth habit, hardy to zone 5 or below, disease resistant, and fragrant (moderately fragrant or more).

Here's the list I got:

Dortmund mr Medium Red, Kordesii (Shrub) 1955

Goldener Olymp dy Deep Yellow, Large-Flowered Climber 1984

Illusion mr Medium Red, Kordesii (Shrub) 1961

Red Fountain dr Dark Red, Large-Flowered Climber 1975

Rosarium Uetersen dp Deep Pink, Large-Flowered Climber 1977

White Cap w White & White blend, Floribunda 1954

You can play with your own searches!

[rainbowgardener]

PS... then you can google each rose variety that comes up and find out more about it. Here's an article I found by searching on the Goldener Olymp rose:

https://www.gardenvines.com/shop/climbing-roses-2/goldener-olymp-rose-564.html

just as an e.g. It says this one only grows to about 8' tall.

[rainbowgardener]

I wish this were letting me edit, so this wouldn't have been 3 separate posts!

Here's an article on the dortumunder red climber:

https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/roses/703/dortmund

says it gets 15-30' tall!

Anyway, you will want to do your own research; I was just helping you get started.

[Curlygirl27]

Thank you so much!

I just checked the website you linked me to and it is a good one with some rose choices I have not seen before. It was very kind of you to make that effort and I appreciate it.

I have been checking other websites and trying to do my research but I was hoping someone in or near my zone would have some experience they could share with me on what grows well and what's supposed to grow well but doesn't really (or doesn't climb, or whatever) or even just what worked for them. Maybe I phrased my post incorrectly?

Thank you again for your reply though, your webiste gave me some other great ideas!

[rainbowgardener]

No you phrased it just fine. Just nobody like that had come along. By replying, I bump your post up so it is near the top of the list again, so maybe a few more people will see it....

[lorax]

You might also want to look at the rambling type wild (species) roses. Rosa canina and Rosa arkansania can both be trained to climb - I have had pergolas covered with both and they are truly fabulous for it. Rosa canina in particular is very fragrant.

[cynthia_h]

I have been checking other websites and trying to do my research but I was hoping someone in or near my zone would have some experience they could share with me on what grows well and what's supposed to grow well but doesn't really (or doesn't climb, or whatever) or even just what worked for them. Maybe I phrased my post incorrectly?

Thank you again for your reply though, your webiste gave me some other great ideas!

Even though USDA zones allegedly provide nation-wide information, most gardeners are comfortable recommending only for their *own* geographic region. Maybe if you change the title of the thread to something including the word "Michigan" (as well as Zone 5/6), others will respond; I know we have Michiganders (of both varieties) in our membership.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Curlygirl27]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Will definitely look into the rambling roses.