15 Climbing Roses That Are Absolutely Stunning
Climbing roses, also known as ramblers, are proof that nature is an incomparable architect and perfumer. These woody perennial flowering plants are the acrobats of the rosa family, well-known for contorting around arbors, walls, pillars, trellises, gazebos, and pergolas. They typically bear large, stunning foliage that intensifies the vibrancy, beauty, and design of a home. Apart from the cosmetic advantages, there are functional reasons for planting ramblers. Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co. explains that since they have stiff, upright, extra-long canes, you can manipulate the stems to act as screens and doorway frames.
As you're getting ready to embark on your climbing rose journey, we recommend that you purchase disease-resistant varieties and repeat-bloomers. They tend to be easy to work with and profusely bloom when planted horizontally instead of vertically. So without further ado, let's get into the ramblers that can transform your home into an enchanting cottage in no time.
1. Rosa 'Pippin'
To fully appreciate the beauty and delicate, sweet fragrance of Rosa 'Pippin' (Rosa 'Pippin'), plant them around your garden seating area, experts at the National Gardening Association suggest. Your guests will enjoy its colorful blooms and glossy foliage throughout the seasons.
Bloom Season: Spring, summer, fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun, dappled shade
Soil Type: Moist, well-draining; tolerate most soil types
Size: 7 to 8 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide
2. Highwire flyer
The highwire flyer (Rosa 'Highwire Flyer') deserves a spot in your garden for its vibrant, hot pink blooms alone. The celebrated breeder, Will Radler, introduced this climber in 2018, and it has since become one of the most stunning climbing roses in the U.S., notes Star Roses and Plants. Highwire flyer is easy to grow and highly resistant to mildew, rust, and black spot.
Bloom Season: Spring, summer, fall
USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 11
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Rich loam, well-draining
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide
3. Altissimo
Make a bold statement in your front yard landscaping with Altissimo (Rosa 'Altissimo'), the dazzling red climbing rose with yellow stamens. Altissimo flowers freely and repeatedly, complimenting landscapes, walls, fences, and pergolas, via Gardenia. We appreciate how it tolerates poor soils and attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees.
Bloom Season: Summer through late fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 10
Growing Conditions: Full sun, regular waterings
Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
Size: 7 to 20 feet tall, 5 to 8 feet wide
4. New dawn
New dawn (Rosa 'New Dawn') is so fast-growing that it reaches maturity within two seasons. If you're looking to start pergola training or refresh your landscape with a splash of large pink blooms, this is one of the best climbing roses to purchase. It quickly stretches across fences and trellises, and gives off a fruity apple fragrance, per Great Garden Plants.
Bloom Season: Summer to late fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Acidic, moist, well-draining
Size: 10 to 15 inches high, 6 to 10 inches wide
5. Iceberg
The award-winning iceberg (Rosa 'Iceberg') is quite the vigorous climber, reaching 15 feet. It's a remontant rose that produces glossy leaves and medium-sized, double white flowers that occasionally have pink or green tints, per Gardeners' World. As a medium climber, iceberg roses are perfect for pillars, arches, walls, fences, and the front of a house.
Bloom Season: Late spring, summer, and fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Moist, well-draining soil
Size: 3 to 12 inches high, 2 to 3 inches wide
6. Parkdirektor riggers
Parkdirektor riggers (Rosa 'Parkdirektor Riggers') were hybridized by Kordes in 1957, according to Dave's Garden. As one of the prettiest climbing roses, they are slightly fragrant and highly tolerant of shade, preferring the northern side of buildings. Parkdirektor riggers bears stunning foliage, which includes dark red blooms and glossy, dark green leaves.
Bloom Season: Late spring, early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Well-draining; normal or moist; sandy loam, clay loam
Size: 12 to 18 inches high, 6 to 9 inches wide
7. Tangerine skies arborose
Tangerine skies arborose (Rosa 'KORtangenu') has an unusual trait that makes it unique from other roses. Reports have it, per Nature Hills Nursery, that this striking rose flashes from peach to tangerine when sunlight directly shines on it. Opinions may differ, but we can all agree that it's still stunning on a typical day. Tangerine skies arborose is a tall, climbing plant that produces bright, aromatic, orange flowers.
Bloom Season: Summer to mid-fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 10
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Medium moisture, well-draining
Size: Up to 8 feet high, up to 4 feet wide
8. American beauty
As one of the most stunning climbing roses to thrive in cold climates, American beauty (Rosa 'American Beauty') couldn't have been more aptly named. It's a cultivar bred in France by Henri Lédéchaux in 1875, and it is adored for its deep, cupped pink blooms. American beauty is not only shade-tolerant, but also features long canes that make training easy, via The Spruce.
Bloom Season: Spring to fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Well-draining, moderately moist
Size: 12 to 15 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide
9. Claire Austin
Claire Austin (Rosa 'Claire Austin') is a short climbing rose that homeowners adore for its stunning foliage. It has creamy-white flowers, rich-green leaves, and a heavenly fragrance. According to Gardenia, Claire Austin is deciduous, repeat-flowering, disease-resistant, and smells like myrrh and vanilla. You'll love how it can upgrade your garden when you train it against a pergola, wall, or large arch.
Bloom Season: Summer to fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Fertile, moist, well-draining
Size: Up to 4 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide
10. Zephirine drouhin
Zephirine drouhin (Rosa 'Zephirine Drouhin') is one of the few climbing roses that's nearly thornless and low-maintenance. Although it's an old-fashioned rose, it outperforms most modern climbers with its long bloom, tolerance, and stunning beauty. And according to Jackson & Perkins, zephirine drouhin also bears raspberry scented, double-pink flowers, which will add fragrance to your yard. Pro tip: Train it against fences or trellis to improve air circulation.
Bloom Season: Late spring to summer
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun, part shade; north-facing walls
Soil Type: moist, well-drained, loamy soil
Size: 15 to 20 feet high, 4 to 6 feet wide
11. Don Juan
Known as the rose of lovers, Don Juan (Rosa 'Don Juan') is a climbing, hybrid tea rose introduced by Malandrone in 1958, as noted by Dave's Garden. It produces scores of large, dark-crimson flowers and has about 40 perfumed petals per bloom. Don Juan is vigorous and conspicuous, painting walls, fences, and other structures with romance and life. It also makes excellent cut flowers.
Bloom Season: Summer through fall
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Rich, well-draining, fertile, moist
Size: 12 to 14 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide
12. Compassion
If you plant compassion (Rosa 'Compassion') when the ground is not frozen or wet, you will enjoy a magnificent floral display throughout the summer. It was bred by Harkness in 1972 and known to work well with hybridized dahlias, per Gardeners' World. Compassion is one of the most striking climbing roses, offering highly fragrant, double coral-pink blooms.
Bloom Season: Late spring to late summer
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 10
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Well draining, rich, fertile, adequately moist
Size: 5 to 15 feet tall, 5 to 8 feet wide
13. Cécile brunner
If you meet the needs of Cécile brunner (Rosa 'Cécile Brunner'), she'll become an impressive 10-foot giant in one season, Monrovia says. As a homeowner, you'll want this thornless climber in your country garden, which you can train over trellises, arches, fences, or north-facing walls. Cécile brunner bears sweet-scented, light pink flowers.
Bloom Season: Late spring, early summer
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Well-draining, moist, fertile, humus-rich
Size: 10 to 20 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide
14. A shropshire lad
For the perfect floral arrangement, introduce a Shropshire lad rose (Rosa 'A Shropshire Lad') to your landscape. It's an excellent repeat bloomer that produces large blossoms and up to 100 peach-pink rosettes. According to David Austin, the breeder, the rose was introduced in 1996 and had a tea-like scent. Austin is known best for combining the perfumes of old roses and other flower forms to create exquisite modern roses.
Bloom Season: Late spring to winter
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Well-draining, rich, fertile, moist
Size: Up to 8 feet tall, up to 5 feet wide
15. Dublin Bay
Here we have Dublin Bay (Rosa 'Dublin Bay'), the sun-loving rose that bears medium to large foliage. It's best known for producing dark, glossy green leaves and fully-double, red flowers. There's a mild, fruity fragrance to this rose that's just so captivating. For repeat-flowering Dublin Bays, choose an area that receives full sun, says Peter Beales Roses.
Bloom Season: Summer, fall
USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 9
Growing Conditions: Full sun
Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
Size: 8 to 20 feet tall, 4 to 5 feet wide