How to Grow Climbing Roses in a Small Space Garden
Climbing roses bring together the best of two horticultural worlds, combining the color and scent of a beloved flower with the space-saving nature of a vine. “People tend to have smaller gardens these days, so they’re thinking vertically,” says Christine Pellett, co-owner of Newflora, an Oregon farm that researches hundreds of flowers for German rose breeder Kordes Rosen. “Climbing roses give you this huge burst of color from spring to fall, while taking up a small footprint in the garden.” Adaptability is one of the climbing rose’s selling points: It can grow in a container on a patio, cover a fence or wall, or be trained into an arch over a trellis. They’re also hardy—blooming year after year once they’re established—and have been bred to resist the disease and mildew that once plagued traditional roses. No wonder they’re quickly becoming an “It” plant. Here’s how to pick and care for your own climbing rose.