Bonica is one I would recommend. It's a fast grower; alas not much fragrance. Sweet Honey is another thorny and vigorous rose.

Bonica does indeed sound as though it would be a winner for me, and I don't require that every rose be fragrant. There's not much info on Sweet Honey, but "thorny and vigorous" is definitely what I'm looking for.

"Thorny and vigorous" describes many of the old mosses. Waldtraut Nielsen is one of the most wickedly prickly monsters I've ever encountered. Perpetual White Moss ( Quatre Saisons Blanc Mousseux ) and its sport parent, Autumn Damask; Gabriel Noyelle.... literally go to Burlington Roses, Rogue Valley Roses, High Country Roses and any other sources you prefer and order any mosses which appeal to you. There are repeaters as well as once-flowering and they are all prickly as all get out. MUCH more prickly than many other classes of roses, no matter what they are. You get the added benefit of the moss scent. And, many of them are fragrant. Unfortunately, from experience, prickles will NOT prevent vermin from eating the roses. You can eat a light bulb if you take small enough bites. Rabbits, squirrels, deer even horses and cows will eat them if given the chance. But give it a try.

O, Ingrid, I SO wish you good luck! Critters are so hard to deal with. Nothing in particular comes to my mind right now, though if it does, I'll get back to you. It's a shame you can't "do" ramblers. They are so vigorous and could get so big that maybe even the rats couldn't defeat them, though true ramblers are once-bloomers with small flowers and I think you're after repeat bloomers and are a sucker for large flowers, lol. Yeah, I know, they call things like Perennial Blue, Supers Dorothy and Excelsa, etc, etc, etc "repeat-flowering ramblers",but to me that's misleading. Sure, they have rambler-like canes, but to me they are just climbing roses with ...rambler-like canes and small flowers. But ,o, Ingrid, what a sight they can be when in flower! Some have a very brief bloom time, and these don't interest me. (I have the same issue with peonies. Since my garden is far away, I can't get out there every day, so a thing that only blooms for a wek or so just isn't worthwhile for me). But some have a long flowering period, and what a spectacular sight they are! My favourite is the Mannington Mauve rambler. I guess I'm sort of trying to picture your property, with a giant rambler covering some stuff far away from the house, but well in view from your windows. If your gardener could plant it out and take care of it until it took off...well, you wouldn't be picking the flowers for any bouquets, but you'd have a glorious view out of your windows for several weeks! But that's probably just my deluded mind acting up again. I used to dream of having these giants growing up every tree in my garden...O, well. As Tom Waits put it "you're innocent when you dream".

roseseek, you are so right, I've also found that wicked thorns a la Wild Edric don't really deter the munchers much. That's why I'm now concentrating on the fast growers. I had one moss rose, Alfred de Dalmas, and what an enchanting thing it was, and it did repeat.

bart, your lovely post feels like a warm hug. As you say, there are some repeat ramblers but the exigencies of distance, heat and lack of water forbid that. The area behind my back door is what I have now and it's quite enough for my needs. Bonica is firmly in my mind for a new rose, but I have room for another one or two.

Speed of growth is more a function of good soil, plenty of water, appropriate temperatures (not too cold and not blisteringly hot) and steady nutrition. If you want any of them to grow as fast as they genetically can, give them the best culture possible and don't allow them to flower. As buds form, pinch them off. The plant will use the resources it would have used to flower, to push new growth in an effort to flower again. Concentrate on the taller plants. They will push many more inches of growth, faster than shorter ones. They grow in a rush to flower (ovulate) in an effort to form hips and seed to reproduce before they die. We dead head to prevent seed set (pregnancy) to encourage faster repeat. We do it for flowers. They do it for reproduction. So, don't let them ovulate and they will grow faster in an effort to do that again. Do it with taller plants and you get longer shoots, faster.

I agree about Bonica and its sport, too, Royal Bonica. RB grows much larger, though, so you might not have space for it. I've grown both roses. I like my grafted roses, and most grow fast. Other fast growers are Ascot, Julia Child, Augusta Luise, Abbaye de Cluny, Morden Sunrise, Rouge Royale, Evelyn, Eglantyne, and others. Once it gets started, Golden Celebration grows like a rocket, but initially, it needs some time. All these roses are grafted. I grow an own root Julia Child which can't compare to the grafted JC. Boscobel is a thorny monster for me, but I can't remember how fast it grew initially. I know I've left out many, but good luck on finding the right rose for your garden. Maybe more than one, in fact. Diane

Royal Bonica. This photo doesn't begin to show how large this rose is.

Golden Celebration. I can't find a good whole bush shot, but will hunt some more.

Abbaye de Cluny.

Diane! So good to see you here, you can't imagine. I thought I didn't want a yellow rose at this time but Golden Celebration is a whole other thing; it would be lovely among my pink and apricot roses not to mention Plum Perfect. Can you please name some sources for grafted roses on-line? I appreciate all your suggestions, that really helps.

Kim is right, though, so many factors go into producing big and tall roses, and at this time there are not many that I can control.

Thanks, Ingrid. It is good to be back. I think David Austin Roses is still selling Golden Celebration, and it's grafted. If you lived in Boise, you could get a five gallon GC at Edwards. I consider GC to be one of my top three Austin roses. It's a continuous bloomer, and has bloomed through at least two heat waves already. I think I've grown it for about 18 years. I'll check DA to satisfy my own curiosity. Here are a few more GC pics. Diane

Diane, I did live in Boise at one time, but that's so long ago. Your GC looks so perfect that it's almost unreal but I can only aspire to that. Nevertheless, I'd love to give it a try. Evelyn would be another dream rose; I didn't have mine for very long before it was eaten. However, I'd prefer GC since it would be more fun to grow a rose that's new to me. I see David Austin has it, but out of stock.

Flamenco Rosita is extremely tough, vigorous and takes off like a rocket - just like it’s parent Bonica, I found. The latter did not cope well in heat for me. Both can take up a good amount of space because they want to grow wider than tall, but can easily be got back in line.

Shame you have no space for a climber, Ingrid. As most vigorous shrub roses that shoot up fast would probably end up too big anyway, would a pillar rose that takes up little ground space be worth considering?

The fastest-growing rose I ever had, throwing out big, thick canes was, of course, a climber! Noella Nabonnand is thorny with large, fragrant and heat resistant blooms. The canes were strong enough to be more or less self-supporting.

I don't know about Ingrid, but people of my age range don't want climbers. I no longer climb step ladders, and hire a granddaughter to deal with my Colette. I prefer a free standing huge rose which I have no trouble pruning. Diane

Diane is so right, Nollie, and unfortunately I'm getting progressively weaker, and my trying to grow roses at all at this stage is questionable. However, the heart wants what it wants and the interest in roses, and being with the rose forums again, which is a very important part of that experience, is one of the great joys of my life.

I've tried to like Flamenco Rosita, which seems to be a very good rose, but for me the color is just a shade too strong, and I think trying to control its size is more than I can take on.

Ah, that’s totally understandable, Diane and Ingrid. In less than a decade I will doubtless feel the same way. Climate change is already curtailing my rose growing ambitions in any case.

Ingrid....my healthiest and hardiest smaller rose is 'Bliss Parfuma'....it grows like gangbusters but does not get huge. Very bushy, very tough...yet still old fashioned and romantic looking. Maybe you've already tried it, I can't remember.

Rosylady, thank you for that great suggestion. It's even available at ARE, my preferred rose vendor.

Another rose that's robust and large like Bliss Parfuma is Earth Angel, both of which have that fluffy Austin look with none of the fussiness. Grafted Kordes roses like Pink Martini or Red Riding Hood have gotten unbelievably huge in their first years, but they're not a color range you prefer. Sally Holmes is another rose that comes out of the gate running if you like the singles, and her blooms are held high enough the critters can't get to them. i endorse the notion of Bonica as a rock-solid bloomer

You could consider some of the shrubs sold in places like Home Depot, given that they'd already have a running start with a 5 gallon pot. Pinktopia has a wretched name but is constant blooming in a soft medium pink and about 4' tall for me. Sweet Fragrance is a lovely intense soft apricot that blooms all season, and it's one of my top 20 (maybe top 10) roses. Any of the Ping LIm Easy Elegance roses would grow rapidly without getting huge, at least in my zone. Calypso is a soft apricot pink you might like.

When I consider my fastest starting roses, I find myself increasingly moving to the Jalbert roses. They can be found grafted at Sweet Hilltop Farm, and they come in some luscious double blooms like you would appreciate. Dylan or Alaiza or Melissa Darling would all be great candidates that stay modest sized. My winner for taking off running among the Jalberts is Good and Gold/Glowing Inspiration. It blooms all season profusely and it's in a lovely soft gold color like Golden Celebration that's worth considering. Unfortunately being grafted, they only ship spring and fall, but I can vouch for their lovely healthy roses and excellent customer service.

Glad you're still hopeful and looking for the future roses! You are starting to find ways to distract or work around the ground squirrels, and we celebrate your tenacity and positive spirit.

Cynthia

Dear Cynthia, I've just skimmed over your very helpful post and will be researching the roses you've mentioned at more length. Thank goodness for HMF Roses! Sweet Hilltop Rose Farm is new to me and I'm looking at their offerings right now.

I wonder if anyone has an opinion about Baronne Prevost, a rose that appeals to me and which is available at one of my preferred vendors, the Antique Rose Emporium.

I noticed your comment about ARE as a vendor so I scrolled through their lists to see what else I could endorse as a large robust grower. If Sweet Frances has done well for you I think virtually any of the Shoup roses would have lasting power. They were bred to withstand Texas heat and should be OK in your zone 9.

Roses that are vigorous and get big among the ARE catalog that bloom steadily for me:

Aysha Schomburg (pink very double)

Brazos Belle (apricot very double)

La Vicomtesse (pink very double)

Landmark Rose (pink loosely double)

Mother of Pearl (apricot-pink and constant bloom, loosely double)

Quietness (a Buck rose, Moses' favorite Buck and a reliably robust bush)

Vick's Caprice (lavender pink OGR with slight white striping, subtle and very double)

Wicked Sister (pink and probably my suggestion among the above for huge out of the gate)

Prairieville Prince is stellar and a great bloomer but currently out of stock. Mrs. Anthony Waterer is a heritage rugosa that does very well for me, but too harsh a pink I think for you.

All of the above roses rapidly grew to 4-5' for me, last well in the heat, and hold their blooms high to keep out of the way of critters if given some supports. You'd be caging your roses anyway I think so that would work.

Hope that helps! I could take some pictures of things that are blooming if you need, but I'm sadly behind on cataloging bloom photos over the last few years.

Cynthia

Sorry I missed your reply and I forgot to mention Baronne Prevost. It's a dark pink but not garish and a reliable rebloomer and large bush as long as it gets plenty of sun. Mine was a modest bush and infrequent bloomer in a previous part sun spot, but it's robust and a quick bloomer. Good fragrance too.

Cynthia

Another vigorous rose (it spreads wide rather than get tall) for me is Weg der Sinne aka Pacific Crest. It's never without flowers from May till November. I don't know whether it is available in the US, though. Again not much in the way of fragrance.

https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.69541.0

Ingrid, I have just done a critique of my new ’Chippendale’ rose over on the UK/Europe thread, then thought of you. It’s taken off fast and is super healthy and beautiful. I’m pretty sure Ben has it, so he might be better placed to advise on whether it would get too big for you or not..

I'm so sorry that I haven't replied sooner; my mind was elsewhere with the terrible happenings in Texas and I lost focus with everything else. I do so appreciate your kind help, though.

In spite of using Deer Out my smaller roses are being eaten while taller roses like Aloha, Sweet Frances and Cole's Settlement are hanging in there. I wonder whether the larger, tougher leaves of these are less attractive to the ground squirrels, especially when coated with the Deer Out. Overall my rose experiment has not fared well and I'm not sure now whether I'll even order more roses in the fall. The hot summer months are looming and I'll have to see how the roses do with that added stress.

Dear Lisa, your Baronne Prevost is a thing of beauty, who could resist that? Available at ARE so it would be perfect. I just discovered yesterday that all my roses were bone dry even though I had been watering, but for some reason the water did not penetrate. I'm now watering very slowly and carefully, several times yesterday and today, in the hope that I can save the roses that aren't dead yet.

Comtesse, I can't tell you how happy, no ecstatic, I was to see your name here and on another thread. I'd often wondered about you and hoped for the best. but your name did not appear here to my knowledge. Until today, and what a relief and a pleasure!

Stanwell Perpetual would be in every way ideal for me, except that I don't require another light-colored rose. I will keep it in mind though if all goes as I hope, and there would be room for more than one rose as I seem to excel at killing the ones I have. I'm newly motivated, though, and I dare to hope that ten of the eighteen I began with will pluck up again and forgive me for my trespasses.

Comtesse, I'm glad to hear from you, too! and ,though I don't have eithet Stanwell P or the Baronne, I must admit that I'm getting the impression that lots of the old roses out-do lots of the moderns when it comes to vigour and resiliance.

I second the beauty and resilience of the Baronne in dry heat. He is a champ in my garden: so much so that I take his presence for granted and never expect him to be anything but healthy, big and beautiful.

Madame Anisette is the most vigorous rose I've ever seen (on her own roots too!) She gets quite tall and blooms profusely in my garden. Very fast growth in one year's time. I purchased mine from Heirloom.