With nearly 30 antique rose specimens lining her garden in Texas, Rhonda Kaiser clearly has a passion for the plants. But after an inspiring visit to the Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham, Texas, she knew she was missing something: a showstopping entryway to her garden. Here's how she created a soaring, rose-covered arch—and how you can too.
- Rhonda Kaiser is a Master Gardener based in Texas, who documents her projects on Instagram (@southernhomeandfarm).
- Liam Beddall is the Senior Rose Consultant at David Austin Roses.
Best Rose Varieties for Arches
Choose a climbing rose variety that maxes out at 15 feet to prevent a top-heavy archway. Steer clear of types known for stiff branches and instead look for more flexible varieties that can easily weave in and out of a structure. Here are some tried-and-true recommendations:
'Peggy Martin' is the rose Kaiser selected for her arch. It's a scentless, vigorous climbing rose with a backstory of resilience: The plant from which this cultivar was developed survived submersion in salt water for two weeks in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. "That rose is a stunner,” says Kaiser, “and she does well almost anywhere.” It's hardy in Zones 4-10.
'America' climbing rose (shown) features sprays of large, pointed buds that unfurl to many-petaled, coral-pink blooms. The flowers smell pleasantly spicy. The plant is hardy in Zones 6-9.
‘Mary Delany’ English climbing rose is a nearly thornless variety with light pink flowers that open in sprays over a long season. It can handle partial shade and is hardy in Zones 4-11.
‘Claire Austin’ English climbing rose produces a heady myrrh fragrance and is a vigorous grower with pale lemon buds and creamy white flowers. This variety is hardy in Zones 5-11.
‘Strawberry Hill’ English climbing rose is a repeat-blooming climber known for its strong fragrance, arching branches, and pink rosettes. It's best for Zones 4-11.
‘Cécile Brunner’ climbing rose looks great on an arch and is a favorite for lapels because of its long stems, light tea fragrance, and small soft pink buds. Grow it in Zones 4-11.
Rhonda Kaiser
Roses are so hearty, and the history behind each variety is fascinating.
How to Set Up Your Rose Archway
Garden archways come in all kinds of styles and materials, but you'll want to opt for one that's heavy and sturdy enough to support a lot of plant growth. Kaiser used a heavy metal trellis stabilized with rebar stakes.
Once you've chosen your archway, it's time to choose a spot for it. The entrance to your garden or an outdoor seating area is a natural spot, but what's most important is that you pick an area with full sun and well-drained soil (amend as necessary if your soil is less than optimal). Make sure your spot is flat, leveling as needed, and then place your archway with the help of a friend.
After below freezing temperatures have passed in late winter or early spring, plant one bare-root climbing rose on either side of the archway. Amend with more compost and water deeply.
Always water at the base of rose plants or, better yet, set up a drip irrigation system that targets water to the right place. Spraying rose leaves and buds can cause disease and invite pests. Whether you're watering by hand or scheduling an irrigation system, give plants a long, deep soak once or twice a week (during particularly hot spells, water more often).
How to Train and Water Climbing Roses
As plants grow, carefully weave the plant’s largest and sturdiest stems in and out of the frame, affixing them to the structure with garden ties as needed. Liam Beddall, a senior rose consultant for David Austin Roses, recommends doing your best to train the stems horizontally. This encourages stems to send out more shoots, resulting in more flowers.
How to Prune a Rose Arch
Continue to gently weave the stems through the structure as the plants grow. Deadhead and prune lightly after flowering and make bigger cuts in late winter or early spring, removing dead or diseased canes. Don’t be afraid to sacrifice height in your first few seasons for better health of your roses. Allow one or two main stems to reach the top of the structure and stagger the rest. Kaiser applies a preventive fungicide when removing dead canes to fend off black spot and other fungal issues.
Once your plants are well-established, Beddall recommends pruning the main stems to three different heights (e.g., 2, 3, and 5 feet tall) so they grow in a staggered fashion. This encourages flowering throughout the archway, not just at the top.
Now, about five years since Kaiser planted the rose, her 12-foot-tall archway explodes with pink blooms each spring, even under the harsh Texas sun.