My climbing roses are dead!

[Rusty]

Breaks my heart but my 2 climbing Peace roses do not appear to have survived this rotten winter we've had. Too much cold and too much rain, I'm thinking. They anchored the 2 ends of the bed across the front of my house, where there is going to be a very pronounced vacancy once I take them out.

The Buford Holly hedge across there is now 5 years old and close to 5 feet tall. I'd like to anchor it with something that flowers, grows at least 7' tall, and likes full sun. Anybody got any suggestions?

My soil is heavy clay and I am in zone 7b. Color-wise I tend toward the pinkish/peachy shades, and the dead roses I'm replacing were yellow Peace.

Thanks for any ideas!

Rusty
:watering

 

[vfem]

Oh I'm so sorry! That is such a downer... I just got my first climber and I truly hope it survives ME, let alone some cold weather.

I wish I had suggestions for you, but I do not. Are you looking for something perennial, specifically a rose, or do you want to test an annual, or want anything but a rose? How do you feel about replacing them with the same thing?

 

[Rusty]

It pains me to admit it, but I was getting tired of the battle with the black spot. So, no more roses. At least not right there. I'm thinking of some kind of perennial bush that really likes sun. The front of the house faces south so the Alabama summer sun is pretty harsh. But I am drawing a blank as to what large flowering bushes like that much sun and tolerate clay. LOL I originally went for the Burford Holly because it seems to be practically indestructible--which is what this site needs--and it does seem to be flourishing.

Eventually I am gonna put in a bed devoted to the Knock-Out roses, but they don't get tall enough for this spot. It really needs something taller than the Burford to balance out those row ends.

I just can't think of what!

:weight

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

You may want to try a clematis vine, there are several types of cultivars and many are hardy to zone 5 or 6 so that shouldn't be too much of an issue. They also come a huge variety of colors.

There are some other options but look around or ask your local Ag Ext office maybe?

 

[Rusty]

Clemantis....hmmm...that's one I'd never thought of! Are they hard to grow?

See? I knew folks would think of stuff I never do!

Gee, I love this site!


:rose

 

[lesa]

Not hard to grow at all- and tons of different types and sizes. I know you can find one you love. I agree with you on the roses- sorry you lost them, but I am tired of planting things that you have to pray over, when so many beautiful flowers and plants want to grow! One of my clematis is huge and climbs up over my front porch...Let us know what you decide...

 

[ducks4you]

In MHO--which isn't as experienced as yours, Rusty--you may need to do two things:
1) replace them with more cold-hardy types, like would be for MY zone, zone 5b/zone 6
2) prune down in the fall and mulch/cover with cones

Hope this helps!

BTW, I believe that this last winter was a precursor of our future winters--colder and snowier than we've gotten used to.

 

[vfem]

It pains me to admit it, but I was getting tired of the battle with the black spot. So, no more roses. At least not right there. I'm thinking of some kind of perennial bush that really likes sun. The front of the house faces south so the Alabama summer sun is pretty harsh. But I am drawing a blank as to what large flowering bushes like that much sun and tolerate clay. LOL I originally went for the Burford Holly because it seems to be practically indestructible--which is what this site needs--and it does seem to be flourishing.

Eventually I am gonna put in a bed devoted to the Knock-Out roses, but they don't get tall enough for this spot. It really needs something taller than the Burford to balance out those row ends.

I just can't think of what!

:weight

I just bought and planted a climbing Don Juan rose with is supposed to be resistant to black spot. Its an heirloom variety... but it is red! Sorry, I don't know much about roses so I wanted something hardy, classic and fragrant.

As for large 'bush' that tolerates clay, sun and heat.... I have hibuscus for that I have a White with pink throat dwarf, I have a full size Yellow, and Full size pink with maroon throat. I grew them from seed and I LOVE them But you are only getting 2 rounds of flowers in the summer, early summer and late summer. They also need a good trim between blooming to get a full show the second time around. And I have to fight off japanese beetles.

This is just a sample of what I've done... but other then that, my next suggestion is a tree. CREPE MYRTLE

My fave! Very hardy.... and the flowers come in many shades of pink, red, purple and white.

 

[Rusty]

This is just a sample of what I've done... but other then that, my next suggestion is a tree. CREPE MYRTLE

My fave! Very hardy.... and the flowers come in many shades of pink, red, purple and white.

I LOVE crepe myrtles! In fact I have 2 in my yard already. I planted them 2 years ago as very small bare root "sticks". They are now about 3-4' tall, but last year I still had no blooms. I'm not sure if I'm not treating them right or if they are still too young to bloom. If (when?) they do bloom, they are supposed to be the dark purple ones.

The clematis idea intrigues me. I'll have to research to see if I can find one that blooms a lot, likes the sun and heat, AND tolerates the clay.

I used to live in Florida and had a whole row of gorgeous yellow hibiscus, but those were exceedingly tender. Slightest bit of cold and they were black. Is there another kind?

:mow

 

[vfem]

This is just a sample of what I've done... but other then that, my next suggestion is a tree. CREPE MYRTLE

My fave! Very hardy.... and the flowers come in many shades of pink, red, purple and white.

I LOVE crepe myrtles! In fact I have 2 in my yard already. I planted them 2 years ago as very small bare root "sticks". They are now about 3-4' tall, but last year I still had no blooms. I'm not sure if I'm not treating them right or if they are still too young to bloom. If (when?) they do bloom, they are supposed to be the dark purple ones.

The clematis idea intrigues me. I'll have to research to see if I can find one that blooms a lot, likes the sun and heat, AND tolerates the clay.

I used to live in Florida and had a whole row of gorgeous yellow hibiscus, but those were exceedingly tender. Slightest bit of cold and they were black. Is there another kind?

:mow

I am not sure about types of hibiscus and how they work. I stole my seeds from a marsh exhibit at the NC Zoo a couple of years ago! I just got what I got, and they do well.

As for the crepe myrtles, you gotta wait a couple seasons when you start them from sticks. My mom got her first flowers after 2 seasons I do believe. I have the pink and I saw them on the side of the road and hubby dug them up and brought them home to me. They are both between 6'-8' tall already. One is more bush then tree, but I'm going to start training into a tree shape.