Training Climbing Roses: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Are you ready to transform your garden into a fairy-tale paradise filled with color and fragrance? One of the best ways to achieve this is by training climbing roses to grow on structures in your garden. While the idea of training these beautiful plants may seem intimidating, it’s actually quite simple once you understand the basics. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to successfully train your climbing roses and create a stunning display in your outdoor space.

What You’ll Learn

Before we dive into the specifics of training climbing roses, let’s take a look at what we’ll cover in this guide:

• What are Climbing Roses?
• Cultivars to Select
• When to Start Training
• The Basics of Training
• Establishing Your Support
• Pruning
• Securing Your Roses

If you’re worried about dealing with thorns while training your roses, don’t fret! There are plenty of thornless cultivars available that are not only beautiful but also easy to work with.

What Are Climbing Roses?

While roses are not technically climbing plants, they have long stems that can be trained to grow up structures with a little help. Climbing roses are classified as ramblers or climbers, with climbers being less vigorous and more suitable for smaller spaces. They typically have larger flowers that grow singly and are repeat-flowering plants with stiffer canes.

On the other hand, ramblers are more vigorous, have smaller flowers that grow in groups, and usually only flower once during the season. Understanding the difference between climbers and ramblers can help you choose the right type of rose for your garden.

Cultivars to Select

When selecting climbing roses for your garden, it’s essential to choose cultivars that are well-suited to your climate and growing conditions. Here are some popular choices that work well in most regions:

• Don Juan: A hardy, disease-resistant climber with bright red blossoms and a classic rose fragrance.
• Joseph’s Coat: Known for its multicolored blossoms and fruity scent, this cultivar is a repeat bloomer that thrives in various climates.
• Strawberry Hill: A David Austin rose with classic pink flowers that smell like myrrh and honey, perfect for container gardening.
• Westerland: Featuring bright apricot flowers in large clusters, this vigorous climber is disease-resistant and blooms throughout the summer.
• Zephrine Drouhin: A thornless Bourbon rose with deep pink flowers and a strong damask fragrance, perfect for shady areas.

These cultivars offer a range of colors, fragrances, and growth habits, making them ideal choices for adding beauty to your garden.

When to Start Training

It’s essential to wait until the second or third year to start training your climbing roses. Allow the plant to establish itself in its new environment before bending and twisting the stems. Look for young, pliable canes to train, as older woody canes are difficult to work with.

The Basics of Training

To encourage your climbing roses to grow up a structure, you’ll need to provide support for the canes to attach to. Whether it’s an arbor, trellis, fence, or pillar, make sure the structure is strong enough to support the weight of the plant. Train young, green canes each year to maintain the desired shape and encourage upward growth.

Establishing Your Support

When planting your climbing rose, be sure to install the support structure at the same time. Avoid adding a trellis or obelisk after the plant is in place, as it can damage the roots and canes. Use sturdy materials like wood or metal that are anchored into the ground to prevent the plant from toppling over in strong winds.

For wall climbers, install trellises or training wires before planting to provide support for the canes. Remember that roses do not have suckers to attach themselves to surfaces, so they need something to climb on.

Pruning

Before you start training the canes, prune away any dead, misshapen, or diseased stems. Remove short or thin canes to maintain five to seven of the longest, thickest canes for training. Each year, repeat the pruning process to keep the plant healthy and prevent overcrowding.

Securing Your Roses

To secure your climbing roses to the support structure, use twine or garden tie wire to tie the canes in place. Wrap the ties around the structure and knot them around the stem, leaving space between the tie and the stem. Maintain an open layout with ample space between canes to allow for airflow and prevent fungal diseases.

Continue training new growth each year, tying in offshoots at a 45- to 90-degree angle to create an open shape. Monitor the plant’s growth and prune back any canes that outgrow the support structure. By following these steps, you can successfully train your climbing roses to create a stunning display in your garden.

Climbing to Greater Heights

Training climbing roses is a rewarding and straightforward process that can transform your garden into a beautiful sanctuary. With the right support, cultivars, and training techniques, you can create a stunning display of color and fragrance that will delight your senses. If you’re ready to take your rose garden to the next level, follow these tips and watch your climbing roses flourish.

Share your experiences with training climbing roses and let us know which cultivars you’re growing in the comments below! If you’re looking for more rose-growing tips, be sure to check out our guides on tree roses, Griffith Buck roses, transplanting rose bushes, and the best-smelling roses for your garden.

Remember, with a little time and effort, you can train your climbing roses to reach greater heights and create a magical garden retreat that will be the envy of your neighbors. Happy gardening!