Selecting climbing roses for zone 4 can have some challenges, but nevertheless, it is entirely possible to grow beautiful, lush roses in a hardiness zone as low as 4.
We’ve compiled this list of 13 amazing climbing roses that you can grow for your zone 4 garden.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Climbing Roses For Zone 4 Gardens
Some of the hallmark characteristics of zone 4 include:
- A shorter growing season compared to higher zones.
- Dry climates
- Sharp temperature variations in a small period of time
- Heavy snowfall
These are all very important factors to consider when planning on growing climbing roses in a zone 4 garden.
In order to have a successful, productive rose garden it is important to choose roses that are hardy and capable of withstanding the variable conditions of zone 4.
General Factors To Consider
In addition to zone-specific growing requirements, there are general factors to consider when it comes to growing climbing roses.
Factors include sun exposure requirements, soil amendments, and available space to grow a climbing rose plant.
Top 13 Climbing Roses For Zone 4 Gardens
1. Gerbe Rose
Gerbe rose was bred by Frédéric Fauque in France, in 1904.
| COLOR: Light Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 10ft – 13ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The flowers of the Gerbe rose tend to bloom in solitary.
Their bloom form can e described as cupped and quartered.
While these roses tend to only bloom once, they will occasionally bloom once again later on in the season.
Gerbe Roses are tolerable of shady light conditions and are very resistant to disease.
2. Nahema Rose
Nahema rose was bred by G. Delbard in France, in 1991.
| COLOR: Light Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Apricot, Citrus, Rose Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft – 12ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The bloom form of the Nahema rose can be described as cupped and old-fashioned.
The petals open up fully to reveal the yellow center that contrasts with the baby-pink petals.
Nahema roses have a very full bloom count (at least 40 petals between each rose).
It is one of the most fragrant climbing roses.
The plant itself grows thick and produces dense amounts of dark green foliage.
3. Bredon Rose
Bredon rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 1984.
| COLOR: Apricot Blend | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Fruity Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Bredon roses have a globular, ruffled appearance and a rosette bloom form.
These flowers have double petals (17 to 25 per flower).
They tend to bloom only once per season with an occasional re-bloom later on in the season.
Bredon roses tend to be susceptible to rust and mildew.
Related post: How To Prevent Powdery Mildew On Roses
For this reason, we strongly encourage gardeners to water their plants as close to the base, as well as to maintain a regular pruning schedule.
Doing so will help reduce moisture and promote air circulation: two keys to reducing the risk of disease.
4. Janet Rose
Janet rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, before 2003.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium To Large | FRAGRANCE Strong, Tea Rose Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The pointed buds of the Janet rose open up to reveal very full roses with a high-centered to cupped bloom form.
These roses mostly bloom alone in solitary, though may occasionally blossom in clusters.
Janet roses are repeat bloomers and you can expect that these roses will bloom throughout the whole season.
These David Austin climbing roses are well-branched.
It grows vigorous and bushy with an abundance of green, semi-glossy foliage.
5. Emily Gray Rose
Emily Gray rose was bred by Dr. A.H. Williams in United Kingdom, before 1916.
| COLOR: Golden-Yellow To Buff | BLOOM SIZE: Medium To Large | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Tea Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 14ft – 17ft | FLOWERING: Once-Blooming | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Emily Gray roses have a cupped-to-flat, open bloom form.
These golden roses grow large with a double petal count (about 25 petals per rose).
The plant is tall and well-branched, adorned with large, glossy, green-bronze foliage.
Emily Gray roses only bloom once either during the spring or summer.
To ensure a strong bloom, we suggest giving your roses a dosage of fertilizer in order to supply the nutrients needed for a successful yield.
Select a balanced fertilizer specially designed for roses and apply this just before the blooming season begins.
6. Dublin Bay Rose
Dublin Bay rose was bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV, in 1969.
| COLOR: Dark Red | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Mild, Fruity Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 8ft – 12ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The red roses of the Dublin Bay plant are large with a double bloom form.
Each Dublin Bay rose has a petal count of roughly 25 petals each.
The branches of the Dublin Bay rose are adorned with glossy, dark green foliage and thorns.
This particular rose variety is conveniently resistant to disease.
7. Lavinia Rose
Lavinia rose was bred by Mathias Tantau, Jr. in Germany, in 1980.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 8ft – 10ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Lavinia rose has a cupped bloom form that full open into a bowl-like shape.
Lavinia roses bloom together in small clusters of 3 to 7 roses at a time.
The plant itself has long and slender branches that are covered in large, glossy green leaves with a jagged edge.
The Lavinia plant is very hardy and tolerant of frost, making this ideal for zone 4 climates.
8. Sombreuil Rose
Sombreuil rose was introduced in the United States by Roses of Yesterday and Today, in 1951, as ‘Sombreuil’.
| COLOR: Cream To White | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 8ft – 13ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Sombreuil rose has a flat, old-fashioned rosette bloom form.
These roses are very full and contain a lot of petals.
Each rose can have anywhere between 40 to 60 petals each.
Sombreuil roses are tolerable of dry weather conditions as well as shade.
Related post: Best Climbing Roses For Shade
9. Pirouette Rose
Pirouette rose was bred by L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens Nyegaard Olesen in Denmark, in 1991.
| COLOR: Pink, Apricot Center | BLOOM SIZE: Small | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft – 6ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Pirouette roses are small in size, but they are packed with petals.
These roses have a very full, cupped, rosette bloom form.
Each rose contains at least 40 petals.
Pirouette roses bloom together in small clusters.
They are repeat bloomers with re-blooms occurring throughout the season.
10. Wenlock Rose
Wenlock rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 1984.
| COLOR: Crimson, Ages To Cerise | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Old Rose Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 5ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The beautifully ruffled flowers of the Wenlock rose plant have a very full bloom form.
Each rose contains about 40 petals.
Wenlock is a repeat blooming variety. They will bloom in flushes for the duration of the growing season.
The plant itself is large and grows vigorously. The foliage of the Wenlock rose is large and semi-glossy with a dark green hue.
11. Night Light Rose
Night Light rose was bred by Niels Dines Poulsen in Denmark, in 1980.
| COLOR: Yellow, Red Edges | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft – 7ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Night Light roses have a high-centered, double-bloom form.
Each flower has an average of 27 petals.
When these roses blossom, they often do so in small clusters.
Night Light roses usually bloom once per season, but with an occasional repeat later on.
The Night Light rose grows tall and bushy with an abundance of large, glossy green foliage.
12. Pink Above All Rose
Pink Above All rose was bred by Chris Warner in 1998, in Great Britain.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Small | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Pink Above All is a miniature climbing rose, making this an excellent choice for smaller walls and fences.
Pink Above All roses high-centeredntered bloom form with a double petal count.
13. High Flier Rose
High Flier rose ws bred by Gareth Fryer in United Kingdom, in 2004.
| COLOR: Red | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Slightly Fragrant |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft – 10ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
High Flier roses have a high-centered bloom form and a full petal count (26 to 40 petals in each rose).
These large-sized roses rebloom frequently throughout the growing season.
While the plant itself does not have a wide spread, they do climb tall (up to 10 feet high).
Their branches are armed with some thorns.
Conclusion
While some may feel discouraged by growing climbing roses in zone 4 due to its shortened growing season and prolonged frosts, you’ll find that that is certainly not the case.
With a careful selection of rose varieties, you can have a thriving rose garden in zone 4!
