Can anyone recommend a rose?

I have Mary Delaney which used to be called Mortimer Sackler. It is disease resistant, thornless and has what was described as a fruity scent similar to old roses. It can be grown either as a shrub or small climber. I have had it for 3 years now and have had no problems of any kind. I just give it the occasional feed but have never needed to spray it. I love it.

Arthur Bell from David Austin is beautiful with a lovely scent if you like yellow roses ! Available as climber or shrub .

I hadn’t thought of it like that (cost) cc but you’re right. I still feel a bit bad about ‘murdering’ a reasonably healthy plant, though. But our garden is very small, so I do want plants that earn their keep.

Witzend

After a lot of browsing on the David Austin site, I’ve now decided (very guiltily) to ditch a rose that’s in a pot, climbing half heartedly up the back of the house. A friend gave it to me years ago but TBH I’d never have chosen it - clusters of very small, single white flowers, nice enough - but just one flush of flowers in June, and that’s it.
I’m afraid it’s going to have to go.

I’ve found a suitable replacement on the DA site, but will need a bigger pot, since I’d like an obelisk/pillar this time, rather than trellis.

It's funny isn't it, we feel guilty about throwing out a rose plant costing £30 at the most, but think nothing of throwing out a bunch of flowers which might have cost just as much and only lasts for a week or so.
I agree with you about the roses that only flower once though, unless you have a really big garden.
I have a lovely one called "Lady of the Lake" from David Austin, I just leave it to itself and cut out any exhausted branches when they die. Sadly it's too big for Witzend's fence though.

Whiff

Witzend Gertrude Jekyll it's a David Austin rose either shrub or climber. It has lovely pink flowers and the fragrance is lovely. Starts to bloom in June until October/November. Also Thomas a Becket also David Austin which is red. Flowers same length of time . Unscented.

To all lovers of roses don't use Roseclear organic bug killer it comes in a white spray bottle but it leaves white spots all over your rose leaves and buds and will not wash off. All my rose leaves are green with white spots. Luckily the flowers are fine once open. I complained to them they said it's shows the product is working. I soon told them they couldn't have tested it before putting it on the market. And there research team needs to find a solution. They sent me a garden centre voucher for £18.50. I noticed on reviews after I used it other people had the same problem.

I agree, this is a lovely rose. However I also used to grow a small rambler called "Ghislaine de Felingonde" which is very pretty, healthy, isn't too vigorous and has bunches of small flowers in various shades of peach, depending on the weather:

www.classicroses.co.uk/roses/ghislaine-de-feligonde-rambling-rose.html.
and
www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/products/ghislaine-de-feligonde

The reason that I suggest it is that you can space out the branches on ramblers to cover the whole space more easily that with a climber. The flowers are small and spread all over the plant and it grows new shoots from the base. You prune by taking out whole old branches to make room for the new.

Thanks Midgey - I missed out the important bit about location!

Witzend if you can organise a visit to David Austin in Shropshire it is an amazing place, all the roses they have bred are growing in the gardens so you can see habit and flowers etc. Even if you don’t want a rose it’s a glorious place to visit, a good cafe too!

Not sure where you are in the country Witzend but a rose-fan friend of mine enjoys visiting both David Austin's nursery in and Peter Beale's in Norfolk.
You can get a really good idea of what a plant will look like and talk to the experts there before you make a final decision. No pressure to buy on the day.

travelnan

Another David Austin fan. I have several but my favourite is William Morris, it has lovely big pink blooms and smells beautiful. A very prolific flower too.

My William Morris is more apricot than pink🤔

May I suggest The Churchill Rose by Peter Beale. It has a lovely scent and flowers from June to October. It is a descendant of the famous Peace rose.

In my experience browsing the DA website is fatal witzend😁

We have a climbing rose more or less covering a fence in our back garden.
It's a good grower, doesn't need lots of special care, and has beautiful blooms, seriously gorgeous!
I can't remember which grower it came from, but the name is 'Handel'.
Have a look, it's really lovely!

After a lot of browsing on the David Austin site, I’ve now decided (very guiltily) to ditch a rose that’s in a pot, climbing half heartedly up the back of the house. A friend gave it to me years ago but TBH I’d never have chosen it - clusters of very small, single white flowers, nice enough - but just one flush of flowers in June, and that’s it.
I’m afraid it’s going to have to go.

I’ve found a suitable replacement on the DA site, but will need a bigger pot, since I’d like an obelisk/pillar this time, rather than trellis.

David Austin roses tick all the boxes for me too, and I have two Gertrude Jekyll, with a little love, care, feeding and a prune in March (or not) they will richly reward you with masses of gloriously scented blooms over a long period.

Another Austin favourite, well my absolute is Lady Emma Hamilton, she performs on all fronts, foliage, bud colour, loose cup of peachy pink cream flowers. However I think this has been discontinued by Austin’s.

I’ve heard one called ‘New Dawn’ is a lovely climber. Witzendenjoy your lovely bit of freed up garden, and make sure you pick some for your home!

Also please post us roseaholics some pics when in bloom!

Another David Austin fan. I have several but my favourite is William Morris, it has lovely big pink blooms and smells beautiful. A very prolific flower too.

Peter Beales roses are also very good and at the end of the season they often have sales.

If you are not buying until the Autumn you can go for a bare root rose rather than a potted one which will be cheaper. If you’re only wanting it to go 6ft high on the fence then most climbers will be unsuitable as they will go much taller so do check for a shorter climber.

If you are near a main rose grower such as David Austin, Peter Beales, Harkness, perhaps you could visit to check perfume etc.

I love Shropshire Lad , large scented blooms . flowerlots of them and late in the year. Creamy/peachy.
Also David Austin.I have had mine a long time.

Another Gertrude Jekyll fan, I have one growing beside my front door. The scent is glorious. Many visitors to the house, from friends to delivery people, comment on how gorgeous it is.

Another Gertrude Jekyll fan. Wonderful scent, free flowering well into the Autumn and fairly disease resistant to boot.
Only downside being the thorns, she attacks me the moment she sees secateurs ! Yet to find gloves she cannot pierce.
Small price to pay though.

Ooh,,thank you all! Decisions,,decisions….

Actually I could do with a climber for the front of the house, too - so you’ve given me lots of options. There’s an ancient one, there when we bought the house in 1977, but it never does well any more so I think def. needs to be gently PTS - if dh can dig it up, that is….

A good thornless rose is Kew Gardens by David Austin. White and a prolific flowerer.

Let the birds clear your bugs - they do a brilliant job - my roses are bug free without a spray in sight.

My mum has this and it's doing really well.

www.davidaustinroses.com/products/eden

I've got a G Jekyll, currently covered in blooms and would recommend that as well (better for scent).

This what has happened to my rose leaves using Rose Clear organic bug spray . Even 3 storms haven't washed it off

David Austin, Gertrude Jekyll, I have two on obelisks. The scent is outstanding, the rose is very pretty and there are not many thorns. It remains a nice pink in the heat

I have many roses and dug out three last weekend as I was being scratched and poked to kingdom come. Some of those with thorns have stems like very sharp bottle brushes. I ended up wearing suede arm length gauntlets for these roses

My easiest, healthiest and a very lovely rose is olivia from DA, a shrub

Another climber that I have is a David Autin called strawberry hill. I am liking that it has not many thorns and that the long stems are very flexible, bendy and easy to tie down. The flower is paler than gertrude j. GJ is also an easy rose