Climbing roses can transform a garden. They can block a poor view, cover unwanted structures, or become a focal point on a wall, fence, or trellis. Modern climbing roses are especially valuable because unlike old climbers, they bloom more than once. Choose a red modern climber and you have a real eye catcher that will provide a dramatic backdrop for white, blue, lavender, or yellow flowers accompanied by their green or gray foliage.
Here are five reblooming climbing roses with flowers in various shades of red.
‘Demokracie’
Introduced into the US by Jackson and Perkins as ‘Improved Blaze’ it is hardier than most roses so especially popular in central Europe to Scandinavia and in the Midwest, US. The flowrs are intense vermilion red and borne singly or in clusters of up to seven.
Origin: Bohm, Czechoslavakia, 1935
Parentage: ‘Blaze’ x unknown
Flower Size: 3”
Petal Count: Double
Scent: Little or none
Flowering: Once spectacular bloom followed by intermittent blooms
Plant Size: 12-15’ H x 8-10’ W
Hardiness: Zones 3-10
ARS Rating: 8.9
‘Altissimo’
The flowers are uniformly blood red with dark golden stamens and are carried in small clusters or singly. Large orange hips adorn the plant in fall.
Origin: Delbard-Chabert, France, 1966
Parentage: ‘Tenor’ seedling
Flower Size: 4-5”
Petal Count: 7
Scent: Slight, clove
Flowering: Repeats
Plant Size: 7-15’ H x 8’ W
Hardiness: Zone 5
ARS Rating: 8.4
‘Dublin Bay’
The flowers are carried in clusters of three to nine and have dark red petals with crimson markings on the tips to give a velvety look.
Origin: McGreedy, New Zealand, 1974
Parentage: ‘Bantry Bay’ x ‘Altissimo’
Flower Size: 4”
Petal Count: 25
Scent: Slight, fruity
Flowering: Flushes
Plant Size: 8-12’ H x 5’ W
Hardiness: Zone 5
ARS Rating: 8.4
‘Don Juan’
With a hybrid tae form, the flowers are borne singly or in clusters on long stems. They are dark crimson and followed by orange hips complemented by burgundy .
Origin: Malandrone, US, 1958
Parentage: ‘New Dawn’ seedling x ‘New Yorker’
Flower Size: 5”
Petal Count: 30-35
Scent: Strong, sweet
Flowering: Flushes
Plant Size: 12-14’ H x 8’ W
Hardiness: Zone 6
ARS Rating: 8.3
‘Winner’s Circle’
Clusters of dark red flowers are followed by orange hips in the fall complemented by burgundy foliage.
Origin: Radler, US, 1997
Parentage: Not available
Flower Size: 3.75”
Petal Count: Single (4-8)
Scent: None
Flowering: Flushes
Plant Size: 6-8’ H x 3-4’ W
Hardiness: Zone 5
ARS Rating: 8.2