Blog: Trio of early climbers that will perform until autumn
The first roses are a great joy to me, meaning that summer has arrived. Here are the top three early-flowering roses in my garden.
They’re all from David Austin Roses and, for some reason, are all climbers. In these days of price rises, roses have become investment pieces. If you fancy a new rose, buy bare-root specimens and plant them in winter when dormant. They’re much cheaper and are available from October. They become established more successfully, too.
As long as you keep tying new shoots gently into horizontal supports as they grow, this will encourage new flowers right through the season. Keep deadheading, feeding and watering when necessary, and they’ll reward you.
Early flowering roses – James Galway
Named after the flautist, this vigorous climber is always first out in my garden, fully in flower by May 28. It has few thorns and will reach 10ft if you let it. It also copes with some shade – I have a pair growing on a sturdy 6ft trellis fence that extends about 20ft. This gets the early morning sun in summer and the afternoon/evening sun. However, this is limited at one end to a couple of hours in spring and autumn.
The mid-pink domed blooms are packed with petals, becoming lighter towards the edges. Oddly, the colours seem to change year by year, sometimes deeper, sometimes paler. It has a light-medium old rose fragrance.
Crown Princess Margareta
A newish apricot climber for me (planted in 2020), it was a very slow starter in the tropical bed. It sits in there next to two other peachy types, the deeper Leah Tutu and Rose of the Year 2020, Sweet Honey. However, it is picking up pace, and the first bloom appeared on June 2.
It’s slightly bigger than James Galway at a maximum of 12ft. The large, many-petalled rosette flowers in apricot-orange have a quite strong Tea fragrance, set off by glossy foliage. This rose will take partial shade, and it’s also available as a shrub if you don’t have room for a climber.
Early flowering roses – Claire Austin
Last but by no means least, Claire Austin not only flowers early but also doesn’t seem to stop! I remember cutting off the last blooms to actually prune the plant in December last year. It reaches 12ft and is robustly healthy, clambering through my old apple tree. After the frosts, the flowers take on a pretty pink hue.
The cupped, pale lemon buds open to large, creamy white flowers with a strong myrrh fragrance. Attractive matt green foliage sets off the flowers well and provides a good background for other plants. I’m not usually one for cutting flowers, but you could take armfuls of Claire Austin without denting the display! If you want a focal point, Claire Austin also comes as that 1970s classic, the English Standard Tree Rose.
For more information and current prices, visit www.davidaustinroses.co.uk.
