History of Garden Roses

Rambling and Climbing roses

Ramblers and Climbers are strong growing roses of lax habit which need to be trained and supported.

A general definition is that Ramblers have slender, graceful stems and small flowers in clusters produced once a year. After flowering they grow long, new canes which bear the best flowers the following summer. The old canes gradually lose vigour and die away. Climbers have larger flowers and leaves than Ramblers and bloom once or repeatedly each year. They make a permanent framework of canes with side shoots on which flowers are borne. Many climbers originated as sports of Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and similar roses.

Rosa wichuriana is a Rambling Rose from Japan . Its outstanding qualities of glossy, disease resistant foliage and late flowering season attracted the rose breeders who used it extensively in developing modern Rambler roses. 'Paul's Scarlet Climber' is a 1916 Climbing rose reaching about 4.5m high.

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