Climber or rambler? Discovering the difference between roses

The world of roses, while colourful, glamorous and romantic, can also be perplexing. What’s the difference between an old rose and a patio rose? What distinguishes a floribunda from a hybrid tea? And how do you tell a climber from a rambler? Climbers and ramblers are often, and understandably, confused. But the distinctions between them are important when considering where to plant and how to care for them.

Size and placement

Climbing roses are generally smaller than ramblers, growing to between 2.5 and 6m, and their stems are thicker and stiffer. Climbers are best suited to growing on walls, strong trellises, obelisks and archways. Larger specimens also work well on pergolas.

Ramblers are more vigorous and generally bigger, some spreading to up to 10m, but compact varieties are available from around 3m in height and spread. They have longer, more flexible stems and a looser form than climbers. They’re stunning scrambling up trees, across pergolas or over walls but aren’t suitable for obelisks.

Neither are self-clinging so need support and tying in to strong wires or other frameworks, although the upper growth of mature ramblers can be left to find its own way.

Smaller climbers and compact ramblers can both be grown in pots. Choose plants that will grow only to around 3-4m. They’ll need containers with a minimum depth and width of 40-60cm to accommodate their large root systems. Use peat-free, loam-based compost such as John Innes no. 3, perhaps adding a couple of handfuls of grit to help ensure good drainage. They need care and attention to thrive and as they grow larger may not flower as well as they would in the ground.

Flowers

Climbers usually repeat flower, often from early summer to autumn, whereas ramblers usually have a single, but spectacular, flush of flowers in early summer. The blooms of climbing roses are often larger and held singly, while those of ramblers form clusters of small flowers.

However, clever breeders have given us a few English Ramblers too, hybrids of climbers and ramblers, which flower at least twice over summer with clusters of smallish blooms. English Ramblers usually grow to no more than 4m which makes them versatile, at home on obelisks and arches but also winding through shrubs and up small trees. Like many climbers and ramblers they also seem to be remarkably resilient. A pale pink one grew through the goat willow in the garden next door to mine, where it flowered abundantly, twice each summer, for several weeks at a time, until my neighbour was overtaken by an incomprehensible urge to be rid of it, going on the rampage with her secateurs a few weeks ago and reducing it to a sad-looking, multi-stemmed dwarf. But in the intervening month or so it has bounced back from a mere 40cm above ground level to around 1m tall, looking defiantly chipper and pleased with itself. As it should.

Deadheading and Pruning

Pruning advice can be complicated and sometimes varies slightly from expert to expert. Like so many aspects of gardening, it’s an art as well as a science. But it doesn’t need to be difficult unless perfection is required. The pruning time for climbers and ramblers does differ however.

Climbers:

Deadheading over summer encourages new flowers, so cut spent blooms off just above the next strong leaf joint. As autumn approaches, leave some in place to be followed by glowing hips.

Late winter, at the peak of dormancy, is the best time to prune them. First address the three ‘d’s’, removing dead, diseased and dying stems. Leave healthy main stems unpruned but cut sideshoots back by around two thirds or to about four healthy buds. Try to cut just above a bud that’s pointing in the direction you want the new stem to grow. Tie in any loose stems.

Don’t worry too much if you miss a year but try to keep on top of it if possible. Climbing roses fairly quickly get out of shape, flowering may be reduced and damaged stems can result in disease. Once it becomes a tangle it can be time-consuming and tricky to get it back under control. Red how to prune a climbing rose here

Ramblers:

Unlike climbers, ramblers should be pruned in late summer after flowering, although they can be left until early autumn, allowing hips to be displayed for a while in all their glory.

Although eventually finding their own way through branches and across pergolas, they need support and guidance until they reach this stage. After planting, prune the stems back to 40cm, fan them out and tie them in to supports horizontally.

After this, they’ll manage quite happily for the first couple years without intervention. But once established, it’s as well to give them some annual maintenance. Dead, diseased and dying wood should be cut out and a few stems can also be removed at the base. New, strong ones will grow in their place, keeping flowering going lower down the plant. Depending on how much growth needs to be controlled you may also want to shorten side shoots by around a third. Ramblers flower on the previous season’s wood so bear this in mind when pruning. Cutting the new growth on main stems may reduce flowering the following year.

You’ll find a video guide here

Of course, the larger rambling roses become the harder they are to access, particularly if clambering up through a tree. If climbing a ladder isn’t for you, don’t worry. Rambling roses that aren’t pruned high up will still flower well and blooms lower down can be encouraged by maintaining stems that are within reach.

Most rambling roses don’t need to be deadheaded as they only flower once a year.

English ramblers:

Treat these as climbers, deadheading as needed and pruning back lateral stems in late winter. Again, no harm will come to stems that have grown beyond reach. They should still flower prolifically.

Choosing roses carefully makes all the difference between plants that thrive and plants that end up being disappointing because they aren’t suitable for the space they’ve been allocated. But armed with a few basic facts and given the right growing conditions, you should be able to find a climber or a rambler that will bring many years of enjoyment.