I've had to tie all of mine to the trellis. Unfortunately, I've never had much luck with them really getting past the training stage. Every other rose I have grows fine. But, they don't have the 'tendrils' like clematis and sweet peas do.

Someone who's roses have done better can probably answer better. Good luck!

Cheryl, scully931 is right. They dont develop tendrils for climbing on their own. My New Dawn, I have growing inside a teuter type thing,and my other climbers I have going over a trellis. I just needed to tie these and start them over the trellis. Once they hung over the top, I just make sure to keep flipping wayward branches on over, and prune those that dont behave.I am not sure if New Dawn is considered a climber or rambler come to think of it. I would say all you have to do it get the branches fastened to your support, then just take care of stray branches as needed.Thats how I have handled mine.
Tammy

Thanks for the replies. I did a bit of research about climbing roses and found similar answers. The climbing rose I got is called 'White Dawn' which I believe is a "child" of 'New Dawn'. From what I read it's a climber not a rambler.. but I don't know for sure.

I'm hoping that what I read online is true about this variety in that they're easy to grow and bloom for quite a long time... only time will tell.

Thanks again!
ttfn
Cheryl.

New Dawn is a climber and grows to be a monster in size. Whatever you grow it on, be certain it can withstand the weight. The trunk of my oldest ND is approximately 6 or more inches in diameter now. Looks like something from the story of Sleeping Beauty. It is only about ten years old. Cuttings taken root easily. Climbers spread in girth of plant canes and trunk(s). The canes are sturdy and larger than most other roses and armed with large thorns.
They must be tied to vertical supports, but once they reach the top, they grow over and no longer need tying. Their weight holds them on the top of arbors and trellises (or houses).

Climbers can be trimmed back and kept as a large bush rose.
However, you must diligent in trimming them back to keep them in that form.
They WANT to grow UPward and O U T W A R D.

Ramblers, however, grow easily up and over trellises, arches, fences, & etc., pretty much on their own, once you get them started. They need tying up the side to prevent the wind from blowing them down. They can be trimmed back and kept as a shrub as well. They are the easiest to train up onto supports, in my opinion. They have smaller, more delicate canes, smaller and like shrub roses, except that they send out long branched leaders. It has tiny more prickly thorns. Some have few if any thorns at all. Most Ramblers spread by underground runners, the clump growing larger and larger unless contained. They are also great for growing down banks so you don't have to mow those difficult areas. They hold the soil from eroding. My Ramblers are OGR - they bloom only in Spring, but what a SHOW! and their fragrance is superb!

Both Climbers and Ramblers root easily form cuttings.

Cheryl,
No question is EVER stupid.
No need to apologize. That is what the Discussion part of the forum is for: specifically...to ask questions, discuss ideas, plans, plants, problems, & etc.

~Annie

Cheryl, it's not so hard to train climbers and ramblers. Just make sure you have those thick long sleeved coats or shirts so you don't hurt yourself. I had a new dawn trained up a square post and I had it coil around the post all the way to the top and then I let it splay out like an umbrella. It looked spectacular. When you do tie these around posts - get penny nails to anchor your twine to so it doesn't slide up or down.

Annie- What ramblers do you have?

Hmm... not getting notifications of replies to this one... so if I don't answer then please don't feel ignored!

I guess the 'White Dawn' that I have is assumed to be close in growth habit to 'New Dawn' then? I just asked that because a lot of you have kept referring back to the 'New Dawn'... instead of 'White Dawn'. Guess if the latter is a "child" of the former then it is safe to assume the growth habits will be similar. I did notice that the one I have doesn't have the giant thorns that the 'New Dawn' has... I compared them both at the garden center. DH almost bought ND actually but he was absolutely certain he wanted a WHITE climber so... anyways, we are planning on letting it grow up the front of our house which has brick veneer BUT we're not allowed to put ANY holes into the bricks!! DH was thinking of using chicken wire and attaching it up inside the soffit... I guess that's not a good idea as I really don't feel like having this rose growing under our roof in the attic space!! If it's that aggressive at climbing perhaps we should find something different? Any suggestions?

Thanks to everyone for your help. I guess the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked. ;-))
ttfn
Cheryl.

Cheryl- there are a few things about climbers you need to know. First, as everyone stated above, they don't 'cling' on their own. I tie mine with cut up panty hose. Cheap and it doesn't hurt the canes.

Second, the thing that makes climbing roses bloom is to train their canes horizontally. That's why you see those 'v' shaped trellises or you see climbers growing along a fence. Sometimes when you see climbers on a pergola, they only bloom at the top - where they grow horizontally.

So, if you are going to grow your rose up the side of your house, yes, you need wire or something to tie it to, and then you need to tie the canes as horizontal as possible. That may not be as horizontal 90 degrees, like on a fence, but try to bend the canes at least 45 degrees or so. That will make the canes put out blooms.

I am linking some information about 'white dawn'. I don't grow this rose, but from what I gather, this rose should be fine for you. It says 14' tall, and the winter will kill some every year. We don't have to worry about winter kill back in the south, so our climbers get much bigger than those in the north.

Good luck with your rose!

Here is a link that might be useful: White Dawn rose information from HMF