New Dawn Climbing Rose – Everything You Need To Know

With its elegant blooms and vigorous growth habit, the New Dawn climbing rose has captured the attention of millions of gardeners around the world.

Whether they’re adorning a trellis, climbing a wall, or draping along a fence, the New Dawn rose creates a picturesque scene of beauty.

In this article, we’ll explore the origins of the New Dawn rose, its defining characteristics, and how to care for it.

Table Of Contents

Origins And Breeders Of New Dawn Climbing Rose
Unique Characteristics And Features
New Dawn Climbing Rose Zone
How To Plant New Dawn Climbing Roses
Conditions Of Growing The New Dawn Climbing Rose
How To Train A New Dawn Climbing Rose
How To Prune The New Dawn Climbing Rose
How To Grow The New Dawn Rose In A Container
Varieties Of New Dawn Climbing Rose
Conclusion
FAQs

Origins And Breeders Of New Dawn Climbing Rose

The Rosa ‘New Dawn’ was not intentionally cultivated, but rather, it was discovered.

In 1930, the breeders at the Somerset Rose Nursery in New Jersey discovered a genetic mutation of the Rosa ‘Dr. W. Van Fleet’.

A year after its discovery, the New Dawn was patented by H.F. Rosenberg in 1931.

Since its discovery, the New Dawn climbing rose has shot up in popularity and is one of the best known climbing roses.

This rose variety has been the recipient of multiple accolades, including the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Additionally, in 1997, the New Dawn earned the honor of being named the most popular rose in the world at the 11th World Convention of Rose Societies.

Unique Characteristics And Features

Growth Habit And Size

The New Dawn climbing rose has a vigorous growth pattern and can reach impressive heights.

Its maximum height is between 10 to 15 feet tall with a spread of 6 to 10 feet across.

It has long branches with glossy, dark green leaves that provide a lovely contrast to its light pink blooms.

The canes are flexible and have a tendency to arching, giving the New Dawn rose a cascading effect as it spreads across trellises, fences, and walls.

Additionally, the New Dawn rose can also be trimmed and trained to live as a container rose.

Foliage And Disease Resistance

Aside from its physical beauty, the New Dawn rose is also very disease resistant.

This is perfect for gardeners who are looking for a low-maintenance rose variety.

New Dawn climbing roses are resistant to common rose diseases, namely black spots and powdery mildew.

This resilience decreases the need for chemical pesticides and fungicides.

Flower Characteristics

Color

New Dawn roses are light pink in color, although some variations have flowers that come in white or red.

They have a full, cupped-to-flat bloom form.

When the rose fully opens, you can view the yellow center which contrasts beautifully with the pink petals.

These roses are rather large, reaching a diameter between 3 and 4 inches.

Fragrance

New Dawn climbing roses have a moderate fragrance.

The aroma is described to be sweet, with some comparing the scent to that of apples.

Flowering Season

You can expect your New Dawn roses to begin blooming in the late spring to early summer.

They will continue to produce flushes of blossoms throughout the growing season.

New Dawn roses mostly bloom in solitary, with a few small clusters of flowers here and there.

When the roses begin to wilt in the autumn/winter, do not deadhead them. Instead, wait for the roses to drop naturally and enjoy the beautiful red rose hips that will appear in their place.

New Dawn Climbing Rose Zone

The New Dawn climbing rose is tolerable in a wide range of USDA growing zones, ranging from zones 5 through 11.

How To Plant New Dawn Climbing Roses

When choosing the right time to plant your New Dawn climbing rose, consider your local weather and frost dates first.

Generally, roses should be planted in the early spring when the ground is warm enough to be worked and all threats of hard spring frost have passed.

Choose a garden spot with ample sunlight and protection from strong winds that may harm plant branches.

Then, dig a hole deep enough to comfortably fit the root ball of your rose.

Gently place the juvenile roses into the ground, the base of the plant should be level with the ground.

Start filling in the rest of the hole with garden soil and give your new rose a deep, thorough watering.

Continue to keep the soil uniformly moist for the first few weeks while your rose establishes itself.

Conditions Of Growing The New Dawn Climbing Rose

Soil And Sunlight Preferences

Providing your New Dawn with well-draining, fertile soil is a necessary building block to achieving a flourishing plant.

Prepare your soil by amending it with organic compost or manure.

We suggest amending the soil around 2 to 3 weeks prior to planting your roses.

Doing this ahead of time will allow the compost to naturally blend with the existing garden soil.

In addition, your soil’s pH level should be between slightly acidic to neutral in order to maintain a healthy plant.

While the New Dawn climbing rose thrives in full sun, it can also tolerate some shade.

However, to ensure optimal growth and abundant blooms, we highly recommend providing at least six hours of direct sunlight.

Watering And Fertilization

As part of their appeal, New Dawn roses are fairly low-maintenance and do not require a strict watering schedule.

On average, you will find yourself only needing to water your New Dawn roses once or twice a week.

It is important to maintain a balance where the soil is lightly moist, but it is not completely waterlogged.

A rule of thumb we suggest is waiting until the top few inches of soil have dried out before rehydrating your roses.

Carefully fertilizing your New Dawn roses will help encourage abundant, vigorous growth through the growing season.

We suggest fertilizing your roses twice.

The first time will be in the early spring just as new growth begins to set in.

The second round of fertilizer should be applied later in the spring to early summer.

Select a rose-specific fertilizer with a balanced NPK ratio and always remember to follow the package instructions.

Improper or overuse of fertilizer can cause damage to your plant, including burning the roots and over-acidifying the soil.

How To Train A New Dawn Climbing Rose

Training a New Dawn climbing rose may seem like a challenging task, but rest assured it is quite straightforward.

Here are some tips for a successful plant:

Before planting your roses, ensure you have a reliable trellis, fence, or archway in place to provide support for the branches. The structure should be firmly anchored about two feet from the base of the rose and capable of withstanding the weight of the plant as it grows.

Select two or three of the strongest and healthiest canes; they will act as the main framework for the rose. Space these canes out evenly along the climbing structure.

Fasten the main canes to the support structure using plant ties or twine. It is important to ensure the ties are not too tight in order to allow for the canes to grow comfortably.

To encourage lateral growth, train the main canes horizontally along the support structure. This can be done by gently bending and securing the canes in a horizontal position.

How To Prune The New Dawn Climbing Rose

Pruning your New Dawn climbing roses is a necessary step in order to preserve their beauty and health.

Here are some tips to help you get started with pruning:

The best time to prune your New Dawn roses is during the late winter to early spring, just before the new spring growth comes in.

Depending on how intense your winters are, you will want to wait until all threats of hard frost have passed.

Start by cutting off any wood that is dead, diseased, or unproductive.

Removing these branches will help redirect your plant’s energy towards developing new growth.

Proceed to start thinning out branches, and identify areas of the plant where the canes are crossing over or the branches look too “congested”.

This will help increase air circulation between the branches and reduce the likelihood of disease.

If you feel that your rose is too large, you can cut back the main branches to a more manageable size.

Please cut your branches just above a bud or outward-facing node.

How To Grow The New Dawn Rose In A Container

Growing the New Dawn rose in a container is not much different from growing it in-ground.

Although there are a few key adjustments gardeners must make in order to ensure they have a healthy and thriving plant.

First, you must consider the type of soil used in the containers.

In-ground soil is not interchangeable with container soil, and that is because of drainage.

Container soil must contain more well-draining materials, such as sand or perlite.

This prevents the soil from becoming too heavy and compact.

Compacted soil is counterproductive to the development of a healthy root system because it inhibits growth and stifles root production.

Related post:
Compacted Soil: Causes And Solutions

Additionally, because of this increased drainage, you will find yourself needing to water your roses more often.

Keep a close eye on the soil in your container and water when the top few inches of soil have dried.

When selecting a container, we recommend a container that is a few inches larger than the root ball of your rose plant.

Varieties Of New Dawn Climbing Rose

White New Dawn Climbing Rose

The White New Dawn climbing rose is not much different than the original New Dawn rose, aside from its eye-catching bright white blooms.

Red New Dawn Climbing Rose

In addition to the original and the White New Dawn rose, the Red New Dawn climbing rose brings you all the low-maintenance and vigorous growth of its original cultivar, but with a vibrant crimson hue.

Conclusion

From their humble beginnings in the 1930s to their sharp rise as a beloved classic, the New Dawn climbing rose continues to captivate gardeners across the globe.

If you’re looking to spruce up your garden or fill out an empty wall, look no further than the New Dawn climbing rose.

FAQs

Is New Dawn rose easy to grow?

Yes, the New Dawn rose is easy to grow. Its immense popularity stems from its low-maintenance care requirements as well as its undeniable beauty.

How fast do New Dawn roses grow?

The New Dawn rose is a vigorous, fast-growing rose that will guarantee fast results. You can expect your New Dawn rose to reach full maturity within 2 growing seasons as long as they maintain a good care routine.

Will New Dawn climbing rose grow in shade?

Yes, the New Dawn rose will grow in shade. However, their rate of growth will be much slower and the plant will produce smaller yields of roses if they grow in shady conditions. Providing your New Dawn rose with at least six hours of direct sunlight to reach its full growth potential.

Why is my New Dawn rose not blooming?

There are multiple reasons why your New Dawn climbing rose is not bearing flowers. The primary reason for this could be a lack of sufficient sunlight and nutrients.

Please ensure that your roses are receiving at least 6 hours of sunlight per day in order to achieve their maximum growth potential. Additionally, routine fertilizer and frequent watering are essential to providing roses with the nutrients it requires to grow healthy and produce flowers. Furthermore, a healthy plant is less likely to contract disease or become victim to a pest infestation; this is all the more reason to give your roses the care they need!