Some Climbers For Show

By Robert B. Martin, Jr.

Fourth of July Photo by Cliff Orent

The dates of introduction of the roses in this chart are also interesting. Fifteen of the top climbers were introduced prior to 1977 and there is only one, ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ (sold often as “Eden”, or “Eden Rose 88″), introduced in the 15 years following. Then, in the 1990’s, there was a resurgence in the introduction of good climbers including, ‘Dynamite’ (1992), ‘Lace Cascade’ (1992) ‘Dream Weaver’ (1996), ‘Berries ‘n’ Cream’ (1997), ‘Fourth of July’ (1999), ‘Pearly Gates’ (1999), and ‘Shadow Dancer’ (1999).

Returning to the top of the list, ‘Altissimo’ has been for many years my favorite climber. Its large deep red single blooms of seven petals seem made of velvet, and the large yellow stamens and abundant pollen create a bright eye that is irresistible in the garden. Its growth habit is strongly upright, with thick sturdy canes, and it grows well espaliered against a strong support. I have also seen it grown to good effect as a pillar.

But certainly the most important new climber is ‘Fourth of July’, the first climber to win the AARS award since ‘America’ in 1976. This spectacular red, white and yellow striped beauty hybridized by Tom Carruth is a bloom machine and, unlike most climbers, will bloom profusely in its first season. Tom Carruth has told me that of all of his introductions, this is he one of which he is most proud. There is no need to argue with that and I have no hesitation in recommending it for the gardener who wants just one.

Dublin Bay Photo by Cliff Orent

I am less familiar with ‘America’, not having grown it in my own garden, but I have on many occasions admired its orange-pink blooms with hybrid tea form. I have also seen ‘Pearly Gates’ a pure pastel pink sport of ‘America’, discovered by exhibitors Larry and Doris Meyers of Missouri. It was also introduced by Weeks Roses in 1999 and Tom Carruth has opined that is superior to ‘America’.

Most of the remaining older climbers on this list are well-known, including the delightful ‘Handel’ and the very old favorite, ‘New Dawn’. I like ‘Don Juan’ for its deep, red velvet blooms of distinct fragrance, but it has been a mildewer for me and I am not fond of climbers with disease issues, since spraying large bushes with good coverage is always chancy at best. So it, like ‘Blaze’, have been long gone from my garden. I have also admired the multi-colored blooms of ‘Joseph’s Coat’, but I prefer to do so in the gardens of others since I have seen too much mildew on it to be tolerated in my own garden.

Of the recent climbers, I have also admired at the shows ‘Berries ‘n’ Cream’, an old rose pink and creamy-white striped climber from Olesen. Introduced in 1997 by Weeks, it has already moved into the number nine position on the charts

Ralph Moore, the Dean of Miniature Roses, has also added a beautiful climber, ‘Shadow Dancer’, a swirled two tone striped pink climber bred from ‘Dortmund’, itself a superb climbing rose shown as a classic shrub. It is a more moderately sized climber than average and appropriate for a smaller space.

Jackson &amp Perkins has contributed both ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Dream Weaver’ to the newcomers, both of which have been making appearances on the show tables. The best of the two appears to be ‘Dream Weaver’,now classified technically as a Climbing Floribunda. It displays generous clusters of large coral pink blooms with a mild fragrance on a moderate size bush.

Pearly Gates Photo by Cliff Orent

America Photo by Cliff Orent