Climbing roses are an excellent addition to any garden, adding a touch of luxury and height. In order to grow properly, climbing roses require a structure such as a wall, trellis, tree, or pergola to climb on. There is a wide variation in the size, form, fragrance, color, and hardiness of different types of climbing roses, making them an exciting and versatile choice for your garden. These roses come in every bloom shape, from flat 5-petal flowers to pompom and quartered blooms with layers of petals. Climbing roses can reach heights anywhere from 3 to 20 feet tall, making them perfect for a variety of garden styles, including cottage-themed gardens, rose gardens, or as a standout feature in any type of garden.
While climbing roses do not have self-clinging plant parts, some types have thorns that provide a small amount of support. To ensure they grow where you want them, it’s necessary to train and secure climbing roses to a structure. Climbing roses are available in almost every region, with some types being hardy even in USDA zone 2. One stunning example of a climbing rose is the Honeymoon Arborose Climbing Rose (Rosa ‘Arborose Honeymoon’), which is sure to raise your garden to new heights.
The Honeymoon Arborose Climbing Rose is a beautiful and romantic flower that blooms repeatedly, filling your garden with a delicate and lovely fragrance all summer. The clusters of large cup-shaped flowers are a creamy white color with blushing centers, boasting over 50 petals per bloom. This rose is easy to care for, with glossy dark green foliage, and is highly resistant to disease. As it grows, this rose will get bigger and better with each passing year, and may even surprise you with blooms in its first year. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, growing up to 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
Another amazing climbing rose is the Laguna Arborose Climbing Rose (Rosa ‘Arborose Laguna’).
Vazgen Waka deserves credit for the image used in this article. The Laguna Arborose Climbing Rose showcases stunning deep pink flowers that are quartered and very full, growing in clusters of 6 to 8 with repeat blooms from late spring to late fall. Its highly fragrant scent is a combination of old-world rose and lemongrass, making it a delightful addition to any garden or outdoor space. This rose variety was developed by Kordes of Germany, and is known for its exceptional disease resistance, having received awards such as the Baden-Baden Silver Medal in 2007 and the Geneva Silver Medal in 2007. The Laguna Arborose Climbing Rose is a medium-height climbing rose that can reach up to 8 to 10 feet tall, making it perfect for an arbor or fence. It has soft canes and dark green foliage that grow healthy and dense in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. Another beautiful climbing rose to consider is the Eden Climbing Rose, also known as Rosa Eden.
The Eden Climbing rose, also known as the Pierre-de-Ronsard rose, is a popular and widely sold climbing rose across the globe. Its origin can be traced back to France, where it was bred by the respected House of Meilland. The Eden Climbing rose is highly regarded in the world of roses and enjoys a place in the rose hall of fame. This climbing rose produces large, double, cupped, and old-fashioned blooms, with 60 to 100 petals, during the early season, followed by repeat blooms throughout the fall. Its lightly scented blossoms come in captivating shades of pastel pinks, creams, and yellows. This climbing rose grows up to 10 feet tall, is very resilient to diseases, and has dense, glossy green leaves. It can thrive in USDA zones 5 to 10, and its training ability makes it awe-inspiring when featured on a pillar or obelisk. Additionally, it is a beautiful sight when trained on a fence, trellis, or gazebo.
Madame Alfred Carriére is another type of climbing rose that deserves recognition.
The Madame Alfred Carriére Climbing Rose is known for its strong fruity fragrance and has been a beloved addition to gardens for over a century. Its large, cupped roses have soft pearl-pink petals that age to a creamy color. The canes of this Noisette rose type are tolerant of shade and drought and nearly thornless. With its bushy, upright growth and attractive foliage, this fast-growing heirloom rose can climb up to 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide, and even reach 25 feet in height under perfect conditions. Keep in mind that this climbing rose prefers USDA hardiness zones 6 to 11 and may not be exceptionally cold-tolerant.
Another climbing rose variety to consider is the “Ghislaine de Féligonde” (Rosa “Ghislaine de Féligonde”), which boasts stunning clusters of fragrant, apricot-yellow blooms that fade to cream as they age. This rose is also heat-tolerant, disease-resistant, and can bloom throughout the summer. It can reach up to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide, making it a great choice for covering walls or garden structures. Plus, it’s hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9.
The Ghislaine de Féligonde Climbing Rose is a charming addition to any garden, with its recurring orange blooms that transition into various shades of apricot, peach, pink, and white. The petals are delicately frilly and emit a sweet musky scent. This rose can be trained to climb upright supports or pruned to be a tall shrub, and it can even spread up to 12 feet in length. It is almost thornless and grows moderately slowly, producing an abundance of small blooms. This plant is hardy in USDA zones 5-10. Another great choice is the Dorothy Perkins Climbing Rose (Rosa “Dorothy Perkins”).
Dorothy Perkins Rambling Rose is known for its abundance of small, double matt pink flowers that bloom all at once in early summer. This rambler rose was introduced in 1861 and can climb up to 15-18 feet, making it perfect for growing on large arches, walls or fences, or even shaping into a tree form. Its clustered double flowers give off a subtle rose scent and are hardy in USDA zones 5 to 10. However, it is prone to mildew, which can be problematic. A newer version, Super Dorothy, was developed in 1986 and has improved disease resistance with repeat blooms from late spring through fall. Paul’s Scarlet Climber is another beautiful rose variety known for its stunning red blooms.
Have you ever seen a red rose so perfect that it seems like it came from a fairy tale? Imagine a climbing rose with pliable stems that allow for the perfect display of beautiful red blooms. Enter Paul’s Scarlet Climber, an old-fashioned rose that dates back to 1876. This medium-sized rose is the perfect addition to any wall, fence, doorway, or rose arch. Its semi-double flowers bloom in large clusters and are accompanied by glossy green foliage. However, if powdery mildew is a concern, it may be best to consider other options as Paul’s Scarlet Climber is susceptible. Nevertheless, this rose is a vigorous grower that can withstand USDA zones 6 to 9. Another great option for a red climbing rose is the Amadeus (Rosa “Amadeus”).
The Climbing Rose “Amadeus” is a spectacular gold medal winner that boasts large, dark red blooms in impressive clusters of 5 to 7 blooms each. This variety of climbing rose has excellent disease resistance and can thrive in USDA zones 5 to 9. It has a smaller stature, growing up to 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide, making it perfect for growing on fences or training into a privacy screen. If you’re looking for a rose that can resist diseases such as black spot and powdery mildew, then the Climbing Rose “Amadeus” is the way to go. Its dark green glossy foliage adds to its healthy appeal.
Another popular climbing rose variety is the Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksiae).
The Lady Banks Rose is a breathtaking variety that has the potential to reach up to 20 feet in height. This climbing rose is perfect for any sturdy support structure and is almost thornless, making it easy to cultivate. Dating back to 1824, this heirloom rose has been recognized with the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, thanks to its stunning display of hundreds of miniature yellow flowers each spring. The Lady Banks Rose is a fast-growing, drought-resistant plant that can thrive in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9. Its blooms are so numerous that they outshine all other flowers at once, making it an exceptional addition to any garden. Another excellent climbing rose variety is the Rosa “Zepherine Drohin,” which boasts unique features.
Climbing Rose “Zepherine Drohin” is a beloved rose due to its almost continuous deep rose pink blooms and fruity scent. This bourbon rose was introduced in 1868 and has large 4-inch flowers that bloom throughout the season. Once established, it can grow up to 10 to 15 feet with long thornless canes. Although slightly more susceptible to diseases, this rose is tolerant of most soil types and thrives in full sun to part shade. It prefers warmer climates and is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10.
Climbing roses repeat flower throughout the growing season while rambling roses usually have one big blooming period in midsummer. Climbing roses tend to have larger blooms, while rambling roses have clusters of smaller blooms and pliable growth.
The world’s favorite rose, Eden Climbing Rose, is a best-seller with double large sumptuous light pink blooms that repeat bloom reliably until frost. Climbing Rose “Zepherine Drohin” also tops many popularity lists with its consistent flushes of large, deep rose-pink, extremely fragrant blooms.
Climbing roses need help to climb onto structures such as walls, fences, arches, and gazebos. They can be trained through pruning, tying, and training.
There are many hardy climbing rose varieties, including “John Davis” and Long John Silver, which can thrive in USDA zones 2 to 9. Some of the best-smelling climbing roses include Climbing Rose “Zéphirine Drouhin,” The Pilgrim, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, and Climbing Rose Kiss Me Kate from the Arborose collection.