Cass wrote:

You have a several choices, including growing JC as a shrub. The best
I've ever seen it is espaliered on a chain link fence.

I love chain link fences for climbers, they make it so easy! This is what
Don Juan and Sombrueil are on, and New Dawn. I don't really have them
attached, just hooked here and there on their thorns, or stuck through the
fence when the cane was new.

I'll take a
picture later so you get the idea.

Saw it, love it. Just what I want in this spot.


JC is not that large, produces about
7 basals, needs only about 3 feet at the base and fans out to about 5
or 6 feet at the top. It is not a really horizontal climber like you'd
put on a 3 ft. split rail fence. Picture a fan, and that's the idea of
the angle of the canes.

My next question was going to be size, thanks! It may actually be too
short for what I wanted it to do--I wanted it to mound over the top of the
fence and hang over the other side. But it could still be pretty fanning
on one side.

In my experience, you will get those basals
while the rose is relatively young, say within the first 5 years. Don't
cut off those basals. JC will produce new long continuing laterals from
the base of those basals.

OMG, do people actually CUT OFF basals? And why?

about trellises
Hang it horizontally on the fence so it is 4 ft. high and 8 ft. long.
You need to attach
the trellis to the fence, but you also want space behind it for air
circulation.

Perfect, as I planted the rose farther away from the fence than I thought
I should. Intuitionis an amazing thing.


If you have the rough side of the fence on your side, i.e.
with the 4 x 4's and 2 x 4's exposed, you might get lucky and have
proper spacing of vertical lumber to screw that trellis into.

No such luck. Both sides are actually on this property--I used the
term "privacy fence" more to give an idea of the size and material--it is
actually one of those redwood divider things you see at the side of
patios. I think the former owner sat out there and wanted privacy from the
neighbors. Here is the thing--there is a steep hill on the side where I
planted JC. Picture divider/JC/downslope/long rectangular bed
perpendicular to the divider. I planted JC sort of to one side, thinking
to plant Climbing Rainbow's end on the other side. Still not sure how that
would look, but want to try it.



But that
kind of luck is hard to come by. You might need to nail two 2 x 4's
vertically into the fence, at the right spacing, so you can then screw
the trellis into the 2 x 4's. That's going to look like a lot for such
a young rose, but now's the time to do it. The wood will age and
disappear. BTW, you should drill pilot holes in the trellis with a very
fine drill bit because the 1 x will split easily.

Cass, this sounds great but I think I had better call Lowes and get
someone to do it for me. I am all thumbs. I appreciate your taking the
time to give me some good details, though.


Then I'd tie with either clear plastic tree tie or plain ole plain ole
twine. You'll probably be tying and retying a lot. Once the canes get
more stout and stiff, you can buy enough of that 12 gauge green plastic
coated stranded wire that Allegra mentioned to use to tie with. It's
reusable, it blends with the rose, and it lasts forever. I *love* it.
Takes a little learning how to use, but it is fabulous. Looks like this
but 12 gauge is coated in dark green:
http://www.towingtown.com/Merchant2/...ight/bluewire.
jpg

Great ideas! And--I actually already have a roll of the 12 gauge stuff!