What Zones Do Rambling Roses Do Well In?

Bloom

• Rambling roses bloom just once each year for three to four weeks in early summer. The display is short, but the profusion of blooms more than compensates. With small flowers borne in large, luxuriant clusters, they flow gracefully through the garden. "Goldfinch" rose (Rosa "Goldfinch") is an especially heavy-flowering rambler suitable for USDA zones 5 through 9. Its apricot-colored buds open to fragrant blossoms of deep yellow, an unusual color for rambling roses. Blooms mature to creamy white. Smooth, nearly thornless canes are an added bonus.

Fragrance

• Were ramblers not so beautiful, their fragrance would still be reason to grow them. Unlike many roses, they don't confine their scent to the blossom but release it freely to fill an area with their aroma. Among the most fragrant is "Paul's Himalayan Musk" (Rosa "Paul's Himalayan Musk"). Suitable for USDA zones 4 through 8, this robust rambler can reach 30 feet and abounds with delicate, soft-pink flowers. The strong, musky fragrance is exceptional, even among rambling roses.

Seasonal Interest

• Though ramblers bloom just once a year, that's not all they offer. Many have deep, glossy foliage that takes on tinges of fall color. Colorful rosehips often replace summer's plentiful blooms. The vigorous canes of Mulligan's rose (Rosa mulliganii), suitable for USDA zones 4 through 8, have a purplish cast to complement the bronze and russet tones its foliage gains in autumn. An abundance of fragrant white flowers is replaced with an equally bountiful crop of deep-red rosehips that persist well into winter.

Hardiness

• While bloom, fragrance and other features are significant in deciding on a rambler, your garden's hardiness zone may be the most important factor. Rambling roses produce flowers -- and therefore, fragrance and rosehips -- only on canes grown in previous years. While a plant may survive winter in colder zones, winter damage translates to the loss of flowers for the coming year. Temperate zones mean little damage and long growing seasons. This results in larger ramblers with long canes and numerous blossoms.

Care

• Close descendants of wild roses, ramblers are disease tolerant and require little maintenance. Never deadhead blooms if you desire rosehips and keep pruning to a minimum. If necessary, prune immediately after flowering or you'll remove the wood that produces flowers the next year. Take time in autumn to train the young, slender canes while they're still flexible and easily woven over garden structures. With minimal maintenance and the right zone, rambling roses will provide magnificent beauty for years to come.