"jennie" wrote in message
...
Hello!

I am interested in advise about growing a rambler into a tree. I have a
treed-up ligustrum, about 14 feet high, and would like to plant a rambler,
specifically, an Albéric Barbier, to grow up into it. How far away from
the
trunk should the rose be planted? How do I train it before it reaches the
first branches?

(I'm in zone 9 if this is helpful.)

Thanks so much!




The 30 feet of Alberic Barbier will be a bit of overkill to a 14 foot
ligustrum. You're better off sticking with one of the traditional climbers,
like maybe Fourth Of July, which itself can go 15' easily. Most ramblers
have house eating proportions. My Cl. Mlle.Cecile Brunner is 20' up a
crappy dying ash tree and cascading back down. To plant a rambler up a
large tree, plant just inside the drip edge of the tree on the side the
prevailing wind comes from. The large canes will get swept up into the
branches of the tree where they will hook themselves with their thorns. No
real training needed except for the first couple of years until the canes
start being long enough. I used bamboo poles as vertical supports until the
rose was established enough to start making nice long canes. I like the
effect enough that I now have Trier, Paul's Himalayan Musk, Treasure Trove,
Senateur Amic, Veilchenblau, Queen of the Praries, Amadis, De la Grifferae,
American Pillar, Golden Glow, Leontine Gervais, and Tausendshon all growing
up their own respective trees.

Sunflower
MS 7b