If it was mine, I would get it a structure to climb on. You can buy one, or you can build one. BTW, bush forms of modern roses like hybrid teas and floribundas can mutate to the climbing form all by themselves - that is how they get the climbing form of these roses - someone notices a mutation, and registers it.

Jackie

I have several pretty metal trellises around here. Think I will put one behind Leo and see what happens. If he spends the year wanting to be a climber - I will move him next winter. Maybe this is why I have had problems with him and his gawky growth last year!

Do you have pictures?

No photos - it is pruned back now, so just some canes. I can get some when the rain quits.

My poor guy is planted in a sorta shady spot, so he doesn't bloom or grow as much as I'd like. But then, I haven't fertilized for many yrs in that area. I did however shoot some food on them in the fall, and some of the roses are just now sending up some nice new growth, so maybe he will too. Mine has not done the climber-type growth that's for sure. He's still only about 2½ft tall. I got him from Hortico, so he's on Multiflora rootstock.

Leonardo da Vinci is a very vigorous rose and if not pruned, in a fairly warm climate, will easily become a climber. In my PNW garden, he went to 6 feet in two years and wanted to go higher ,until he got whacked back.

Wow, I sure have Leo in the wrong place! He is in front of my pink bed and doesn't not have "sprawl room". It is probably too late to move him, he is just now starting to leaf out. Guess I will just let him stay until I can transplant next winter. I love the rose......and have a great spot along my front fence where he can grow to his heart's content. Thank you for your comment - I really haven't found much useful knowledge about his growth habits until now!

Judith

Alameda: if you’re still on here, will you please share updated photos of your Leonardo Di Vinci. I’m planning out my rose beds and trying to figure out the best place to plant this rose and how much space it needs. How has this rose done for you? Is it a prolific bloomer all season? I’m in Southern California along the coast, zone 10b.

Leo is listed as both a climber and a bush rose. I think he's gorgeous, and I hope flowersaremusic shares her beautiful photos of Leo on this thread. Diane

I could kill for your rose, Erasmus. Of course, I'm just joking. But such beauty should not be allowed. Diane

Oh Erasmus , I’m so glad you mentioned yours is happy in a pot . Mine is also in too much shade and only blooms in the spring . I am so unsure if I wanted to dig it up to move to a pot or not . And now I think I will . Your photos are beautiful.

I don’t know what I’ll replace this spot with tho . I really liked the look by my statue .

Erasmus: WOW! I can’t believe that’s Leo growing in a pot. It’s stunning!!! I adore this shade of pink in a rose.

If you don't mind canes that you can work up that lattice you might try the hybrid musk Belinda. It is a very similar color, blooms a lot for me and can take some shade.

Your photo is beautiful, too, Lily. I love the setting. It's such a shame Leo doesn't bloom after spring. Diane

Thank you. Yours is beautiful Lilyfinch and that's a pretty statue. My Leonardo repeats well. It had a really nice fall flush.

Ann......first I will have to find my Leo photos.....then figure out how to post them here. After my computer got Windows upgraded, I dont know how. I think I have the climber as it has arching canes. Mine isnt a large one - never did have to trim it back. If I remember correctly from last spring - it bloomed again but not like the huge flush in the spring. I am going to pay more attention this year. It is a gorgeous thing - a real stunner on that first bloom flush. Healthy too but I do spray. Whether it survived the polar vortex last week remains to be seen though........I searched it out and bought it from a photo in Flower & Garden magazine - the photo was so striking. Fortunately, the name was on the photo so I looked around and found it, dont recall where I got it, maybe Hortico - that was years ago. It didnt do well out on my front fence - perhaps too hot and wasnt in a rich enough bed, but it loves where it is and though it probably should be more in back of the bed, its at the entrance of a patio in front of an ornate scrolled archway. Its not getting too big so am leaving it there. I keep a metal fan shaped arbor behind it to tie canes up with. Think I would like to get the bush - wondering if the bush form blooms all year?

Judith

Hi Almeda!! I bought this rose about 5 months ago and it came in a small pot but since planting it in the ground, it's been taking off. It has these long, long canes that I recently bought an obelisk for. I saw another person who had this rose but hers was in a nice shrub form and was full of blooms. So I went online to find out if this rose had a climbing and shrub type cuz mine is throwing out these really long canes. I also live in Hawaii where it's very warm. I know that could be a factor too. But my plant had only 1 small bloom so far. So I was wondering too. If I cut the canes back, it will bush out and form more buds. I have no idea what I should do. I also am unsure because my bush is still very young. Is it too early to have blooms??? Help!😁🙏 Any info will be so helpful to me! Thank you!!

Luv, there is definitely a climbing type of Leo. Have you checked HMF where the climber is listed separately from the bush type? If you cut back the canes, it probably will get more bushy in your climate, but if it is a climber, it will keep trying to climb by throwing out those long canes. I've posted the photos below a couple of times on other threads, but can't resist one more time. The photos show a Leo covered cottage on Long Island, NY. The article appeared in the March 2015 issue of Better Homes & Gardens. Diane

Hi Diane! Thank you so much for that, I do appreciate it!! I actually reached out to the seller of this bush and she says it is a shrub type. I can't help the temptation of having the bush turn out like the beautiful pics you sent. But yet, I haven't had much blooms yet so I was also considering cutting it back and possibly getting more blooms...??? Ugggh, I feel like it's such a big decision I have to make😅 . Do you know if this rose blooms during its first year? But thank you Diane for all your help!! 😁🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🤙

You're welcome. And all will be well--don't worry too much about cutting Leo back. If he is a climbing rose, he may take longer to get started blooming while concentrating on growing the long canes. Climbers are often that way. Every rose I have ever grown, except maybe bare roots of Brother Cadfael and Jude the Obscure, which were badly planted by our landscapers back in 2005, have bloomed the first year. The bare roots catch up fast to the 5 gallon plants I have gotten locally. But these are big plants. Bare roots are two years old, so they are ready to go. Diane

OMG, thank you so much for that bit of info! I totally understand now. I will be patient with him and let him grow as big as he likes since I have the space. Thank you for taking the time to help me!! Much love and Aloha!!!!!😁🌈🌈🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🤙

Luv, my son/new bride just got back from Maui on their honeymoon. They loved it! My Leo was bought a long time ago - had it on my front fence line where it didnt get watered as much so moved it several years ago to a flowerbed and planted it in front of an arbor where I thought it would be a bush. It threw long canes.......but they arent all over the place so I left it. When it flushes in the spring, it is beyond beautiful! So I am just leaving it there - it doesnt seem to take over and after it blooms, I cut it back. Mine seems to bloom all at the same time - rest - then bloom again. It is really beautiful! I dont tie the canes up - they just seem to hold themselves up in the air and I do cut it back after it blooms. Have no idea if I have the climbing or bush form but would say its a climber. I will not prune in spring and let it bloom then prune. Whatever its form, its a beautiful rose with shiny leaves not much affected by blackspot.

Hi Almeda! I'm so happy to hear your son and bride had a nice time here in Hawaii!!! Thank you so much for that bit of info on your bush, I will definitely do the same and hopefully I get that same beautiful flush in spring. But I was wondering, do you get any blooms throughout the year? And after the spring flush, how much do you cut the long canes?way back to short?? Lol, just making sure I don't do the wrong thing to my baby!😅 I just started gardening and raising roses since Covid so I really appreciate all your help! I am so happy I could talk to a live person about it! Google wasn't much help!🤣 Lots of Love and Aloha to you and your Ohana! Hope to talk to you again!!!😁🌈🌟🌟🌟🤙