Rambling roses are, without a doubt, a must-have for any gardener that secretly dreams of romantic rose gardens and being able to ‘stop and smell the roses’.
Having many flowering plants around is very rewarding. And oh my! These spectacular plants have plenty of flowers to show off with, making them an excellent choice if you want to add a dash of colour to your surroundings. They are very easy to grow and care for, so you will have a friendly and independent companion for a long time!
Rambling roses are very popular ornamental houseplants and many people appreciate them for their mesmerizing overall appearance when in full bloom. They can be seen very often in various landscape decorations as ground covers, rambling on walls or fences, and along wall-side borders. Also, some gardeners with an architectural interest prefer to grow their rambling roses on lovely garden structures, such as trellises, arbours, or pergolas.
About Rambling Roses
- The most popular cultivars of Rambling roses include R. filipes ‘Kiftsgate’, R. ‘Wedding Day’, R. ‘The Albrighton Rambler’, R, ‘Super Fairy’, R. banksiae ‘Lutea’, R. ‘Ghislaine de Feligonde’, and R. ‘Lady of the Lake’.
- The flowers of most Rambling roses are highly fragrant. They are known to be very attractive to bees and other pollinator insects and birds.
- These shrubbies prefer sunny and warm locations where they can receive at least six hours of bright and direct light daily.
- It is best to protect them from harsh afternoon sunlight.
- To grow healthy and happy, rambling roses need regular fertilizing and pruning. The feedings must be made during their growing season, while pruning can only be done after their blooming period.
- These plants can be bothered occasionally by aphids and are prone to several fungal infections. Clean their environment regularly and take some extra time to inspect them for any suspect sign of infection.
- Rambling roses can be grown safely anywhere, even around curious cats, dogs, and children because there are no toxic effects known. Some species can present a few spines, but they are not as stingy as those of other roses.
- Their lovely flowers are great visual companions for climbing roses and other species of plants like lavender, sage, rosemary, artemisia, purple clematis, and catmint.
Rambling Roses Features: An Overview
- Rambling roses belong to the well-known Rosa genus that contains over 300 species of perennial flowering plants and tens of thousands of cultivars.
- These flowering plants are vigorous shrubs that grow at a pretty fast pace. Depending on the species, they can reach up to 30 feet (9 m) in both height and width.
- They produce many long and arching stems that appear from the base of the plants. Their stems are more pliable than those of Climbing roses and can be trained to grow easily on various garden structures and supports.
- In general, Rambling roses feature relatively thorn-free foliage. However, some species can present a few spikes but they are less painful than those of regular roses.
- Many varieties of these flowering plants come along with crops of decorative hips after their blooming period in autumn. They persist in winter and glow in the sun.
- Their leaves look very similar on all species but can vary in density. They are shiny, ovate, medium-sized, and come in different shades of green.
- Unlike climbing roses, most species of rambling roses usually bloom only once in late spring or early summer. This process can last for several weeks.
- Their attractive flowers can be distinguished through their various number of petals and also a large colour palette. They exhibit hypnotic mixes of white, yellow, orange, light to dark pink, red, and purple.
Growing Rambling Roses
Most species of shrubs prefer to grow in full sunlight and rambling roses are probably the most sun-loving ones! Whether you grow them indoors or outdoors, look for a spot where your plants can receive plenty of bright and direct light. However, in regions with hot and dry summers, Rambling roses will benefit from some light shade in the afternoon.
When it comes to temperatures, there is nothing to worry about! Rambling roses can withstand temperatures that range from -4 to 100 °F (-20 to 38 °C) all year round. Still, keep in mind that these plants bloom better when they are exposed to slightly warmer temperatures.
Rambling roses can be trained to grow against walls by using strong iron wires. They bloom well in their early years without any extra effort on your part. Once your plants are settled in their new environment, they will require annual pruning right after their flowering period.
- Own Root - All of our rose bushes at Heirloom Roses are own root, which means they will produce more blooms, be more hardy, and stay true to variety throughout their lifetimes, contrary to grafted roses.
- One Gallon - All of our rose plants are 12-16 months old and delivered in one gallon containers with rich soil.
- Hardiness Zones: 6-10
- Lightly Fragrant & Once Blooming - Will bloom in one beautiful flush during the growing season.
- Approximate Size: 10' - 11'+ x 9' - 10' - This is the indefinite size of the rose plant when it reaches full maturity. Upon delivery, roses will be around 12-15 inches tall and may be partially defoliated to ensure plant health during shipping.
- Own Root - All of our fragrant white rose bushes at Heirloom Roses are own root, which means they will produce more blooms, be more hardy, and stay true to variety throughout their lifetimes, contrary to grafted roses.
- One Gallon - All of our Climber rose plants are 12-16 months old and delivered in one gallon containers with rich soil.
- Hardiness Zones: 4-10
- Very Fragrant & Continual Blooming - Will bloom continually throughout the growing season.
- Approximate Size: 10' - 11'+ x 10' - This is the indefinite size of the Rambler rose plant when it reaches full maturity. Upon delivery, roses will be around 12-15 inches tall and may be partially defoliated to ensure plant health during shipping.
- Own Root - All of our rose bushes at Heirloom Roses are own root, which means they will produce more blooms, be more hardy, and stay true to variety throughout their lifetimes, contrary to grafted roses.
- One Gallon - All of our rose plants are 12-16 months old and delivered in one gallon containers with rich soil.
- Hardiness Zones: 4-9
- Lightly Fragrant & Continual Blooming - Will bloom continually throughout the growing season.
- Approximate Size: 3' - 4' x 2' - 3' - This is the indefinite size of the rose plant when it reaches full maturity. Upon delivery, roses will be around 12-15 inches tall and may be partially defoliated to ensure plant health during shipping.
Last update on 2024-09-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
During this process, you have to remove any diseased, damaged, or dead stems down to the base. You should also cut all the side shoots to encourage new growth and try not to prune the current year’s growth because this must bear the flowers of next year.
Like most species of roses, rambling roses are prone to aphids, powdery mildew, black spot, and dieback. If you maintain a clean environment around your plants, the risk of infestation will be considerably reduced. For infested plants, remove the unhealthy parts and apply suitable insecticides, fungicides, or pesticides.
Planting Rambling Roses
Finding the perfect spot to plant your Rambling roses can be a real challenge, but not impossible! These beauties require plenty of room to grow at their best, so you must ensure that there is plenty of room for them to grow. If you do not want your rambling roses to bend while growing, make sure you plant them in a location with enough space above.
Rambling roses can be found in nurseries as bare-root specimens and should be purchased in autumn or winter. If you want to grow these flowers indoors in pots, you can plant them at any time of the year, but keep them well-watered when planting in summer.
For outdoor growing, choose a dry day without frost to plant your rambling rose in the garden. Take a shovel and dig a hole of at least twice the width and depth of your plant’s root ball and fill it with well-rotted organic matter. When growing rambling roses inside, make sure you plant them in containers with drainage holes and provide them with a nice and deep watering.
Rambling roses do well in well-draining soil that is rich in nutrients and organic matter. They will have the time of their life when planted in substrates like loam, clay, sand, or chalk. To prevent the spread of fungal diseases, such as black spots, mulch around your plants with compost, well-rotted manure, or leaf mould in fall.
Rambling roses will grow healthy and bloom sporadically if they are fertilized regularly. Feed your plants with an all-purpose fertilizer or one that is designed for flowering plants at least twice every year in spring.
Watering Rambling Roses
As long as you pay attention to a few details, watering rambling roses can be a fun and easy process. In general, these plants need more watering than usual only during their active growing season. When grown outdoors, your beauties will be happy if you provide them with a deep watering once every week. During this process, the soil must become damp to a depth of a minimum of 18 inches (46 cm).
Depending on various environmental conditions, the frequency of watering Rambling roses may vary. If you live in a region with warm and dry climates, you should water your plants twice a week. During weather with a lot of moisture or frequent rainfalls, Rambling roses will do just fine without any extra irrigation. Either way, make sure you water your plants in the morning to allow the foliage to dry out before the afternoon sunlight.
Propagating Rambling Roses
Rambling roses look absolutely stunning and deserve a place in as many gardens and houses as possible. Their eye-catching flowers will surely steal your loved ones’ hearts in just a second, so why not gift them a baby Rambling rose? These plants can be easily propagated through softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings, no matter how experienced are you in the gardening world. And luckily, with their fast-growing habit, you will have more than enough stems to choose from.
For optimal results, the semi-hardwood stem cuttings must be taken in late summer or early autumn once the blooming period has ended. Softwood cuttings, however, show the best outcome when they are taken in late spring or summer. Look for healthy and thick stems from the current year’s growth and cut about 12 inches (30 cm) off them. Make sure you take the cuttings just beneath a faded flower at an angle to prevent future root rot.
Once you have the cuttings, plant them in a sunny and sheltered location in your garden. Rambling rose cuttings must be grown in sandy horticultural soil that has excellent drainage. When planting your cuttings, let about two-thirds of them below the surface then provide them with water. With proper care, you will have newborn and healthy rambling roses in the next spring.
In Conclusion
Due to their alluring appearance and low-maintenance nature, rambling roses are one of a kind! They can grow fast in a sunny and warm location without any extra effort on your part and can be also propagated by any type of gardener. And with so many species and varieties around the corner, you have all the time to find the perfect one!
What type of rambling roses are you growing? Let us know in the comments below!
2 Comments
I would like advice on planting out anemones. Mine always wilt and they don’t look nice at all
Noted! Will write an article about anemones soon 🙂
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Have an awesome week!