How To Care Climbing Roses In Your Garden | Planting,Training & Caring Tips For Beginners 2025

Climbing Rose Plant Overview

A climbing rose is any rose variety that produces canes long enough to be trained on a support for vertical growth. Some climbers are sports or spontaneous genetic mutations of regular hybrid tea or floribunda roses. Others were specifically bred for the climbing trait. Climbers can be relatively short or soar to great heights.

The individual blooms on climbing roses can be of a finer quality and larger than those of the bush form. Climbing roses can provide a brilliantly colored, fragrant garden backdrop and repeat bloomers can set the scene all summer long, with some varieties blooming until late fall. 

A few seedling Climbing roses bloom only once and are so noted. Some climbers will not bloom the first year as they need time to establish and develop height. Climbers bloom on old wood so many times, they will not bloom until the second year and beyond. Climbing roses are a diverse group with many different heritages, which makes this a wonderfully useful collection of roses. Large flowered climbing roses differ from Ramblers in that they have fewer, yet larger blooms (4-6 inches in size) and are not quite as vigorous. Being so diverse, they vary in winter hardiness, generally climbing roses are hardy zones 5 or 6 through 10 except as unless noted.  

Popular Types of Climbing Roses

There are large and small-flowered varieties, shorter and taller varieties, single and repeat-blooming varieties, hybrid teas, old garden and modern types. Some varieties will climb only in warmer climates where they have a longer growing season, and will grow to be large shrubs in colder zones. There are also ramblers, with canes that are less rigid, allowing them to climb higher or to spread out along the ground. Check the specifics of the variety you are choosing to make sure it is well-suited for your zone and planting site.

Eden

If you want a vigorous, scented pink climber, consider Eden.  Eden (also known as Pierre de Ronsard) is one of the best-known nostalgic roses nowadays. The large, old-rose type blooms are carmine-pink on the inside and cream or ivory on the outside, reaching an average diameter of 3" (10 cm). The large flowers are very full with 55 to 60 petals. Due to their weight the cupped, globular flowers bow their heads. Eden blooms more or less continuously throughout the season, but strongest during the first flush.

Peace

The Peace rose, formally Rosa 'Madame A. Meilland', is a well-known and successful garden rose. Believed to be the most widely grown rose in the world, Peace roses have canes that can reach 20 feet or more. This climber works really well on a fence or large wall. It has full, ruffled blossoms and is a rampant, far-reaching climber with extra-large flowers. The cultivar has large flowers of a light yellow to cream color, slightly flushed at the petal edges with crimson-pink.

New Dawn

A fragrant climbing classic that is the forerunner of the modern climbing rose. Blush pink, double flowers cover this large climbing rose. Glossy dark green foliage and abundant rose hips in autumn add to the show for months of show stopping curb appeal. Repeat flowering roses New Dawn bloom on second year canes for the spring flush and then repeat flower on new wood. Great choice for the trellis or arbor of cottage or country gardens. 

Fourth of July

Fourth of July is a large-flowered climber that produces profuse clusters of large, semi-double blooms that are red and white striped. It has a sweet scent and is a repeat bloomer. Although hybridized in 1997, this French repeat bloomer more closely resembles an antique rose, due to its fully double and cupped blooms. Pastel pink, cream, and yellow blooms appear throughout the season, even in partially shaded gardens. The American Rose Society awarded 'Eden' a score of 9.1, which places it in the top one percent category of outstanding roses.

Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay is a sun lover that produces medium to large-sized rich, velvety red flowers that are fully double and have dark, glossy green leaves. The semi-double flowers are lightly fragrant. It grow this eight-foot climber in a sunny spot. Blooming on both new and old wood, flowers will fill the canes from top to bottom. 

Alchymist

A very high petal count and a medley of sunrise hues make 'Alchymist' worth seeking out larger gardens. Give this 20-foot climber plenty of room, perhaps on a pergola or trained across a long fence. The 1956 German introduction will only bloom once in your garden, but its strong fragrance will linger in your memory. Hardier than many climbing roses, this variety will survive winter temperatures down to -30 F. 

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How to Care for a  Climbing Rose Plant? (Tips)

Climbing roses are less fussy than their bush-form rose cousins; you simply need to have a handle on the basics.

Geography

Varieties available for zones 3 through 10. Above all, determine whether the variety you want is suited for your growing zone - if you're not already familiar with the importance of growing things suited to your hardiness zone.

Planting Season

Bareroot planting should be done in late winter or early spring, allowing the roots enough time to establish before hot summer weather.  

Where to plant

Climbing roses will grow and bloom best in a location with full sun, although they will tolerate light shade. A location with eastern exposure is best to protect the leaves from hot afternoon sun. Make sure the mature size and height of the plant is suitable for the location. Most varieties will require the support of a structure, whether it is an arbor, fence, trellis, or wall. However, if the goal is to get the climbing rose to cover a wall, it is recommended to use a trellis placed a few inches away from the wall to allow good air circulation. 

Sunlight

Roses do best in full sun, certain types will tolerate shade better than others. While they tolerate some shade, they will bloom more and grow more dense and full when they receive at least 4-6 hours of direct sun each day. Also, pick a site that will accommodate the climber's growth habit. Climbers can grow from 6-12 feet tall and spread almost as wide.

Water

Climbing roses prefer consistent, regular watering; water deeply in the first year to establish roots. Mornings are best. Water at the base of the plant. Be careful not to overwater your roses, as they are more susceptible to fungal diseases if their feet are wet.

Soil

Roses are quite adaptable to many types of soil, but they do their best in rich, fertile, loamy soil with good drainage. No matter what soil is in your garden it can be improved with the addition of organic matter such as compost, mulch or peat moss. This will improve drainage in heavy clay soils and improve water retention in sandy soils.

Fertilizing

It takes a lot of energy to produce all those large, magnificent blooms. Fertilize regularly with a balanced fertilizer that provides ample amounts of all the necessary nutrients. Avoid fertilizers meant for lawns. These tend to be quite high in nitrogen. This will produce a very lush, dark green plant, but fewer blooms.

Training

For the first year or two, climbers should be trained in the direction you want them to grow; pruning only to remove dead or diseased branches. Climbing roses do not twine or have tendrils to attach themselves to a structure. They need something sturdy that they can be loosely secured to or woven through. One trick to make climbing roses produce more bloom is to train them more laterally than vertically. When trained more horizontally, climbers will produce short spurs along their main stems or canes and these will produce blooms. When training your climbing rose, keep in mind that the major canes - the structural part of the plant won't produce many flowers. Instead, the canes will throw out shoots full of blooms.

Pruning

When you first plant your climbing rose bush, wait a year or two to let your plant overcome any transplant shock. During this time, your rose bush will put on some bulk, requiring minimal pruning. You can remove unmanageable canes, but otherwise, let the rose go wild with long growth. It will be this long growth that you will train and prune in year two or three. 

The main canes that come directly from the base should never be pruned, as climbers put energy into growing first and flowering second. Therefore, if energy is spent to regrow the main canes, it won't flower. The lateral canes produce the flowers and lightly pruning these will encourage blooming. 

There's no need to prune to outward-facing buds, as climbing roses grow randomly anyway. These lateral canes can be lightly pruned anytime of the year in order to keep the climber in shape. Major pruning is best done after it has finished blooming for the year - this timing will vary depending on the variety. Deadheading (removing spent flowers) will encourage more flowering on repeat-blooming varieties. 

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