Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:34 pm
Climbing roses need not only a sturdy trellis (support to climb up and tendrils), but also a suitable location. Most roses want a sheltered place in the sun in well-drained soil. However, there are also cultivars that are content with less light. We have listed a few:
First our favorite: rose ‘Lykkefund’. It is extremely well suited for partial shade places and has no thorns. It is strong growing, up to 7 m high, single flowering (belongs to the rambler roses, see below) and has creamy white flowers with yellow centers. It also has a strong fragrance and is extremely hardy.
Important: Basically roses need some light. Really dark corners are not for roses. Many grow in real full shade, but then do not get flowers.
Climbing roses
Climbing roses are usually repeat bloomers, meaning they start out with a profuse flush of flowers, and as the summer progresses, individual blooms are added. Suitable for partial shade are:
- Rose ‘Climbing Mme Caroline Testout’, silvery pink, large with light sweet fragrance, blooming more often, vigorous, winter hardy, gray-green foliage, tolerant of partial shade, 3-4 m tall, unfortunately prone to fungal diseases, so plant in a windy, light corner
- Rose ‘Leverkusen’, semi-double, lemon yellow flowers with fringed petals when open; blooms more often with lovely fragrance, vigorous growth, healthy with shiny, light green foliage; suitable for partial shade; to 3 m tall.
- Rose ‘Mme Alfred Carrière’, large, loosely formed, white flower, intense fragrance, perennial, vigorous grower with few spikes, tolerates partial shade; to 3.50 m tall.
- Rose ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’, lavender-pink, small double; very rich blooming in July, long, flexible shoots; well suited for trees, tolerates partial shade; glossy dark green foliage, to 6 m tall.
Rambler roses
Very vigorous rambler roses (single flowering) for partial shade are:
- ‘Bobby James’, white, semi-double, 3-5 m height
- ‘Flammentanz’, red, double, 3-5 m height
- ‘Paul Noel’, pink double, 3-5 m height
- ‘Venusta Pendula’ pink/white, semi-double, 3-5 m height
- ‘Himmelsauge’, late blooming, dark purple rambler rose with good fragrance; densely double medium sized flowers that do well in partial shade or shade. Rosehips in autumn, vigorous growth, for arches and fences; robust; 4 – 5 m height.
Design tip: In the shade, bright flower colors come out better than dark red or purple. White, lemon yellow and pink blooms shine even at dusk and brighten even the darkest corners. BUT: If you put the rose in front of a bright house wall or wall, you’d better pay attention to contrasts. White flowers on white walls are simply not so easy to recognize…
Where can I get the roses I want?
There are many rose nurseries with shipping options and online purchasing. So far, we have only had good experiences with ordering via the Internet: The plant goods come home well packed and in the best condition. It is important that you put the roses in a bucket of water for one day and dig the grafting site 5 cm below the surface when planting. The grafting point is above the roots, where the first shoot grows out to the side.