Trellises, Arbors, Pergolas, and Your Rose
Picking Your Trellis
Now, let’s begin with the structure. One the one hand you can drop by the plant store and buy a three foot high wire trellis for very little money. On the other hand you can build (or have someone build) a 10 x 15 foot Pergola, which is much more involved, but which can be awesome. Then there’s everything in-between (and, of course, you have to be thinking about what you’re going to grow on these things. )
A trellis is simply a two dimensional frame that will need some form of support.The support can be either posts, wall supports, or stakes. An Arbor is an arch with enough room to walk under and it might be 2 to 3 feet deep. That pergola might be built with 6×8 posts, 2×10 joists, and be held together with heavy bolts. You can have your dinner party under one. Halfway between these two are deep arbors with seating. Imagine sitting beneath an arbor or pergola that’s completely covered with fragrant roses. .
What to grow on That Structure
Now you have to pick something to grow onto your structure, whatever it is. Let’s begin with the tiny trellis you grabbed from the store. You’re not going to grow a large climbing vine on that wire, it would eat it like a small snack. A good choice for that small trellis might be a rose like Life lines. (This is a beautiful miniature climber that might get to six feet.) Not exactly pergola material, but perfect for a small structure in a small place.
As for the pergola, take a look at the rose, May Queen. This energetic climbing rose can hit 30′ (or more) under the right growing conditions. wrap it around the posts and let it “climb” all over the top. In time you’ll have an astonishing, flower covered, nicely scented pergola.
(Note: All the roses mentioned can be found listed at HelpMeFind.com.) Once you have some idea of what you want go and check with your grower/nursery and/or the local group, like the Spokane Rose Society, and get their recommendations.
Also keep in mind how the plant actually climbs. So let’s look at roses, clematis’, and that wisteria. A clematis wraps tendrils around branches or wires. It can handle a plastic lattice, but it’ll have a tough time with a 6×8 post unless you cover that post with a mesh of some kind. A wisteria, which would be perfect for that pergola, twines around things on its way up to devour whatever it’s growing on. It’ll twine its way up those posts and drape itself all over that pergola. It may well do the same to any attached structure, such as your house. Don’t grow this plant on any structure that isn’t very solidly built.
A rose doesn’t twine and it doesn’t grab (well, maybe a bit with the thorns.) so it will need to be tied to whatever support you provide. Cimbing rose vary greatly in size and some can match that wisteria. Rose canes vary greatly, too. Some have rather thick canes which don’t bend well, others can comfortably be wrapped around a structure. Shoot for a rose that will grow to twice the height of your structure. By the way, rose growing is easy, so don’t be intimidated by negative comments or by what area you may live in. Remember, you can also get great advice from your local rose society or experts.
Climbers need to be Trained
Why should your rose be twice the height of your trellis? A rose tends to flower only at the ends of the canes, but if you train the cane to be more or less horizontal you will get blooms all along that cane. So you’re going to train that rose by wrapping it around your structure. Obviously, if you do this with a 6′ rose on a 6′ trellis you’ll have some space left over. Even with little Lifelines, weave it through that small trellis and it will reward you with an amazing number of blooms. If you have a rose with long, flexible canes try wrapping it around a pillar or post. Wrap your big climbers around the posts of that pergola and then let them reach across the top. You’ll have flower covered posts and a flower covered roof.
Do you want a wall of flowers? Train your rose canes to crisscross along whatever lattice or trellis you have them growing on. They’ll bloom all along the main cane and be dazzling. Do the same with your arbors. Wind some canes around the posts and let the others reach over the tops. Do that with fragrant roses and you’ll have an awesome arbor. If the rose is too short then you won’t be able to properly train it that way.
Once you’ve picked out some climbing plants that you like go and talk to your local gardeners and they will help you with your structures. Your local rose club or gardening grop will also be a big help Good luck!
