I only have experience with Golden Showers in my slightly colder zone and it did not make it here unprotected. After 3-4 struggling years, I finally ditched it. I'm not willing to go to those lengths...Especially for a flower that only lasted about 2 days

How that converts to your zone, not sure.

Basically Wendy has given the real-life low-down on climbers in cold zones. Don't bother with winter protection, they aren't worth the effort, and if they don't produce, replace it with something that does.

In an eastern transitional zone, the smother-love type of winter protection produces fungal problems in either a warm winter, or a warm spell during a cold winter. Since one or the other are extremely common, having to cut canes almost back to the ground because of canker or some other problem related to winter protection is actually more common than cutting them back that hard because of cold damage. But if the rose just isn't hardy enough, then you're stuck.

The idea of winter protecting Blaze in a world that contains Quadra is just unnecessary. The yellows are problematic because yellow climbers are tender. A Shropshire Lad will be a nice shrub.

Wendy and Kay - I'm convinced, though it sure was fun to try.. Off to the CT Swap Thread for the 'Golden Showers'. Think I'll keep the Blaze one more year. Thanks for the Quadra lead. It's on next year's list.

Martie

Martie, would you like to have this very vigorous and definitely hardy no-name red climber (that suppose to be a Don Juan, but it'sn't)? It does have a repeat, but very sparse and it's not fragrant, though first flash is good. I have another one growing on an arbor in open to all winds location and it never had a dieback for the last 3 years.

George -- How generous!! If you feel the need to have it out by all means, I would love to give it a try. Sometimes the "unnamed" do better for me.

Martie

Martie, I'll dig it out the day or two before the swap.
Hope you understand that it has to be pruned severly for the transportation purpose, but it will regrow a lot if not all branches the very next season.

Hi Martie, I only tie down huge branches of my MAC, Madame Alfred,not to protect it from wind but to protect hapless passersby. Some canes get to 20' in a season. I have a Don Juan with your name on it. I'll bring it to the swap. As for winterizing, I only spread the oak and maple leaves, that drop into my yard from the neighbors, to a depth of 8 - 10 inches. "sheer laziness". You will like Golden Showers. Very dependable, just shatters a bit too fast. /Abi

Martie,

I don't generally provide any special protection in my zone 6 (Danbury) garden with climbers (pile up leaves around some that aren't around the house and therefore less protected) and it's amazing they survive because my grafts always end up 2 inches above the soil (yes, I know they're supposed to be 2 inches beneath but....).
George, my Blaze looks like the one you're digging--not a true red but a pinky-red; perhaps mine's mislabeled?? I wish it was a true red, like my front door--the pinky Blaze and true red front door make quite a sight....

Hmmm...I just check images of Blaze and they are pretty close to mine. So, I'll not call it anymore 'UNNAMED', it's Blaze.
Martie, do you still want it?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1090416}}

Martie,

I was just reading a book called 'The Grand Masters of Maine Gardening' and there was a chapter on roses. They profile a nursery called 'Old Sheep Meadows Nursery'. The owner talks about climbing roses that don't need to be taken down in winter.

Here is a link that might be useful: Old Sheep Meadows Nursery

Mad Gallica is a real expert on roses and I've learned lots from her posts, but I'm going to disagree with her today a bit. I have an Autumn Sunset climbing rose, bred by Mike Lowe in southern NH. It has double, yellow to apricot, medium scented roses. It repeats on and off for me all summer (my only repeating rose) and has overwintered for me with no protection other than its usual mulch, a deeply planted bud union, and nearness to a large builing. It grows to well over my head in an arching form (I haven't gotten a trellis up yet as I thought it would take several years to get big enough to need one) and has made it through either 1 or 2 central NH winters (last winter was a bit warmer than usual, maybe to only -15, but had little snow cover to serve as protection) with virtually no damage. I really like this one, and my husband has noticed it, and he doesn't necessarily notice everything in the garden.

I do agree that most climbers aren't worth the garden space in colder areas of New England, but this one is a gem.

Interesting reading, and I'm sorry I missed the chance to see George at the CT Swap.

The quandry continues as the Climbing Peace is now 2' taller but has thrown only one bloom all season. Do they take awhile? It is a stunning plant in a perfect design spot but no flowers. Hmmm. Perhaps Autumn Sunset could take it's place?

Thanks for everyone's interest!

Martie

I too have Autumn Sunset. I only got it last year though and have not had repeat blooming on it. I keep looking for September buds, but not yet. Maybe its just getting settled in its new home.

Here's a pic with Clematis Jackmanii earlier this year

{{gwi:1090418}}

I don't live in the interior, but right on the coast, 10 mi. north of Boston, so I don't know if my info. would be helpful. Having said that, Climbing Peace is still a sport of Peace, and so is a climbing hybrid tea. It may take more time to get well established, but depending on your winter may be more tender than your other climbers. I'm not sure that it would be any hardier than Peace would be for you.

I live in a condo. complex and take care of a couple of climbers on the property. One appears to be Dr. Van Fleet (since it has yet to really repeat in the last couple of years), and I think the other is a rose called Purity, but I'm not certain of that yet. Both are very vigorous and have no hardiness problems here, despite open, southern exposures with no protection from the (essentially constant) wind.

(Aren't there some newer climbing roses available now that were fairly recently bred in Canada? I would imagine they'll work for you.)

I propose a whole new species of scarlet climbers to be
called "Supposed-To-Be-Don Juan"