Garden

[Lilysmom]

@JustJazzmom, I am looking for a hardy climbing rose that will eventually help cover a huge granite rock at my lakeside.  I have already planted a climbing hydrangea on one side.  

Do you have any comments about this?  I am looking for hardier than zone 5.  Any other thoughts?  I am not going to do ivy as I have seen it take over a friend's yard and it is an endless battle for them to get rid of it.

I don't have one rose bush on my property.  Strange isn't it?  I think I avoided them because I thought they were thorny and fussy.  Maybe it's time to start.  LM

PS, the boulder is at 20' high.

[Junker2327]

I am in zone 5 or 6. I have grown NEW DAWN and WHITE DAWN climbers for years  and they out grow any other climber that I know of. But...... they are only pale pink or white.

Beckyblu

[ValuSkr]

There are some climbing varieties of the Knock-Out Rose.  But they seem to be hardy only to Zone 5.  On the other hand, Knock-Outs in general are practically indestructible.  I've seen them on fences, not sure if they'd climb on a large rock.

Good thought to avoid English Ivy!

[sweetee2]

If your in a hurry, I'd buy Cottage Farm Rose booster.  They revived my 30 years old roses and they grue like weeds.

[151949]

Climbing roses are my favorite in a cottage garden. I would love to have a trellis with a climbing rose on each side at our camp where you walk down a path to enter our site from the road.

[Lilysmom]

Thank you all for your feedback.  I do have an ulterior motive.  This huge rock causes water to runoff in large volumes during heavy rain.  As a partial solution, I have planted wild irises below that grew in very wet land.  That stops some of the runoff.  The Irises are doing very well there.

There used to be some soil and scrub growth on the top of this rock but it got removed because it was so ugly.  Sadly, that soil had a job which was to absorb some of the water.  Now I am seeking alternate solutions.  My climbing hydrangea took very well and is climbing the trellis that leads to the rock.  

I will try to post some photos but must look for them as my computer is new.  LM 

[Lilysmom]

Here is my rock of Gilbraltor...

Here is my rock of Gilbraltor... @JustJazzmom, @ValuSkr@Junker2327@151949@sweetee2

[pattypeep]

@Lilysmom

[ValuSkr]

@Lilysmom  I love it!  Nice the way you've planted around it.  I see no need to grow a plant on it - rocks in gardens are beautiful.  If the rock has nooks and crannies, you may be able to get some sedum started.

[Lilysmom]

@ValuSkr, I am looking for a way to slow down the waterfall from this rock in a heavy rain.  That is why I want have a climbing plant.  I agree that the granite rock looks lovely on it's own but it is a water issue I am trying to deal with.  We are very fortunate to have a lot of large granite rocks in our area.  I have learned to incorporate them into my garden plan.  Much easier to work with Mother Nature than not!!!  LM