Climbing Roses

Not only do climbing roses boast strong flower power, but their scent is to die for on a warm summers eve when it wafts through the breeze. Perfect for covering up unsightly walls or fences, they are the quintessential cottage-garden climber and can quite easily be trained to scramble up to 2m tall up structures and frames and the sheer variety of flower colour, shape and size gives you plenty of choice.

Climbing Rose Care information

When planting, it is often best to use a Rose & Shrub Feed instead of Fish Blood & Bone. Although either will do. Climbing roses should be planted slightly away from a wall or fence, to avoid any rain shadow. It is sometimes inevitable that they will dry out more than roses in central beds, so ensure you water regularly in summer. Plant in fertile soil. ideally improved with a mulch of compost or well rotted manure. 

When should I prune my roses?

As general rule, the best time to prune standard roses is between late winter and early spring. This will give them enough time to establish new growth ahead of the main growing season. When pruning, remove any dead, diseased or damaged shoots and train new growth up a trellis or frame, tying in new growth as needed. Prune any side shoots back by two thirds of their length and cut out any old branches when the rose becomes congested, to encourage new growth. 

Aftercare for Climbing Roses

Feed roses twice a year in Spring before flowering and in mid-summer after the first flush of flowers. Ensure the area around the base of the roses is kept weed free, and mulch in spring to deter annual weeds. Deadhead regularly to encourage flowering.