New dawn rose for arbor in zone 5

by Bob
(Montreal)

Hi Doug,

We live in Montreal, zone 5.

My wife had a dream of having a rose covered arbor all her life. 2 years ago on an impulse we bought a cast iron arbor 50" w. x 19" d. x 100" h.

We were confronted with the difficult choice to find a rose, which is a real climber and not the one?s which can be trained to climb.

We loved the New Dawn but that year we couldn?t find any so we had to settle for a White Dawn.

My first question is can we ever hope to have a rose covered arbor with either White Dawn or New Dawn roses?

The White Dawn is in its second year and this year it?s growth was stunted. I assume it was rooting.

This spring, I found a New Dawn.

I was tempted to dig the White Dawn out and plant the New Dawn instead.
It?s a pity I didn?t do it, as the New Dawn managed to grow above our 5 feet fence in it?s first year.

I pruned both this autumn, following your diagrams and wrapped their branches in jute.

My 2nd Question is shall I dig out the White Dawn & plant the New Dawn in it?s place? If yes, when is the right time to do so, now or in the Spring?


Thank you,

Bob

PS. This photo was taken this May. The White Dawn is at the left side of the arbor, behind the day lily. As you can see our arbor is naked.
On the right side we planted 2 years ago a ?Ville de Lyon? clematis and it managed to scramble to the top of the arbor, though it?s 5 flowers, were beheaded by the squirrels!

Doug says - assuming this is full sunshine in there - hard to see from the pic - then the deal is to plant what you like. There's little room in my garden for a plant I don't want to grow.

So in my gardening world - I'd move the plant you don't want now before it freezes of just wait till spring and do it all then with new plants. You're getting on in Montreal right now (end Nov) so while woody plants are usually good to move now and roses are fine to be moved in the fall, you are pushing your zone.

Six of one - half dozen of the other. You're going to have to protect the rose in any case so if you feel like doing it - go ahead. But if you're unsure about overwinter - do it in the spring as soon as frost is out of the ground. I guess if it were mine - I'd wait to make sure it got through the winter on the old roots and then move it in the spring.