Hello my dear,

Guess what? I think I have finally arrived to the Shangri-La
of the climbers and scramblers support area. While looking
for better brackets for one of the window boxes that took
a dive the other day I found some U shaped doo-dads
covered with a soft spongy fabric which is actually used to
hold tools to the wall.

Straight up with a "supergrip protective coating, holds up to
50 lb." The Campsis radican that has terrorized the neighborhood
since last summer ate the original pipe holders faster than you
can say it. So I guess this will have to do the job. I figure that
screwing them to the supports of the climbers (that is the ones
that are not on the metal arbors) it would be easy to tie the canes
across without having to worry about ever girdling the rose.
Placed at several heights they will support the canes and stop
any kind of wind whipping as well as I suspect they can be
painted the same color as the walls to make them disappear.
Here are a couple of shots including one with a penny for perspective.
The opening of the U is 2-inch inside and 3-inch from side to side.

We got these at the Despot, where the roses were dying inside
little plastic bags and I had to move fast. My days as a rose social
worker are over. Did I tell you that Robin is holding a baby Nigresse
for me? When we go visiting her in Tacoma it will be waiting, and if
you are interested I will save a couple of cuttings next Spring to send
down. I have been looking for that rose for a real long time. I had it
many a moon ago and I loved it.

I still do.

Allegra

http://www.theoldrosarian.org/photos/climberhook.jpg

http://www.theoldrosarian.org/photos/climberhook1.jpg