I'd think you'd want a limber-caned climber for something like that, so right away I'd take 'Westerland' off the list. Then I noticed the height -- six feet -- and wondered how you could fit a giant like 'Cl. Cecile Brunner' on it. And from what I read about 'Ghislaine de Feligonde' in this thread, it's probably too big as well. I don't know the other roses to make a comment, but the trellises that shape I've seen used for climbers were MUCH bigger -- think two stories tall -- and made STUNNING displays of ramblers.

If it was me, I'd do sweet peas for Spring, and put a fragrant Type-3 clematis (like Clematis 'Triternata Rubromarginata') in as well for blooms later in the season. Or maybe honeysuckle. Of course, that's because I'm a fragrance snob. Most other people would be pleased with a duet of large-flowered clematis -- one Type-2, and one Type-3. Figure out a way to label them at the base so you know which to prune back hard, and you'll have clematis blooms from May through September or October.

:-)

~Christopher

I agree with Christopher. I don't think this trellis will support a large climbing rose. I don't have any of the roses you mentioned but a friend has Ghislaine De Feligonde and it's huge. Of course, that is not in your zone, so maybe your plant would be smaller.

I had a much larger Umbrella trellis and had Teasing Georgia on it. It was the best display of that rose. However, it became very top heavy and during a storm with very strong winds it was broken off at the base. I've been struggling since then to find a proper support for TG. I now have one I think will be good.

I think you are better off with clematis or another thinner vine for your trellis.

Yeah that's what I was afraid of! Do you think I could put Golden Celebration or Graham Thomas at the base and put a few canes on the trellis and fill the rest in with Clematis or something? Of course my GT looks like poo after last winter, at the rate it's going it won't be big enough to flop up against a trellis!

Thanks!

Julie

Buford, I made two of these with 2x4 posts and old bicycles wheels. You could go with even larger posts and you can make them any height you want. Once the rose has covered them, which doesn't take long here in Florida, you can't really tell what's underneath.

Julie, since you are in a colder zone, you could probably get away with that since th roses will not get that large. Give it a shot and see what happens.

Either of those two Austins should be OK but even so you'll have to make sure it's well anchored to the ground or it will tip in the wind. I found that once you get a fully leafed out rose on something like that it can act like a sail and tip in the wind.

I don't know where my brain was in my above post. I meant 4x4 post.