Choosing a rose!

In October I had a back garden makeover, but I wanted to choose the plants myself and put them in the ground.  At the moment it's a blank canvas, so I thought I would start by getting a bareroot rose for the wooden pergola.  It has to be a repeat flowering English climbing rose with a strong scent, producing a number of basal stems and putting on quite a bit of growth in its first season.  If anyone has any experience of growing the following roses, I would welcome your comments: A Shropshire Lad, The Generous Gardener, Wollerton Old Hall, Claire Austin.  Thank you, in hopes of a reply!

I have a climbing Shropshire Lad in a large pot. It made quite a lot of growth in it's first season and, depending how you prune it, has quite a lot of lower stems. After all it can be grown as a shrub rose too. The flowers are exquisite and perfumed, pale peachy pink and it was pretty disease resistant. However, I had one once before in the garden and it was destroyed by deer, but that shouldn't be a common problem! My daughter has the Generous Gardener growing over an arch. It has grown well to and she is pleased with it. I love David Austin roses. I also have The Pilgrim in a pot, pale yellow, no disease at all, love it.

I have just planted up new roses this year. I also looked at Peter Beales http://www.classicroses.co.uk/. I think you are only looking at David Austin roses,   I opted for one called Dixieland Linda by Peter Beales which is supposed to be very scented, other climbers I have are Lady Hillingdon, an older rose called Veilcehbrau, and others. I looked at Wollerton old Hall but was unsure about the colour and I have grown The Generous Gardener at a previous house which has a talcum powder type, gentle scent.

There is an adage for roses and shrubs that goes 1st year sleep, 2nd year creep, 3rd year leaps so you will ahve to be patient.

I have bought from both the firms and found both OK , Look at Peter Beales as well, they have David Austin as well and there plant guides are a bit more succint in describing strength of scent

Thanks Busy-Lizzie, that's very helpful.  I was interested to hear you have a Climbing Shropshire Lad and The Pilgrim in a pot.  Can you tell me the approximate size of the pots (height and diameter), also, whether they are terracotta or plastic?  I can plant one rose in a bed, but if I want to have one growing up the other side of the pergola (so they hopefully meet in the middle one day!) it will have to go in a pot on the patio.  I've no idea what size pot to get.

Rosa carrriola, that's a good tip to also look at the Peter Beales website.  Thanks!

If you want something a bit more unusual, I am delighted with "Summer Wine" - once established it has made good growth on a pergola frame, flowers prolifically from early summmer till....well it still has the odd flower on it right now!  It has a modest scent and is truly wonderful colour - a deep wine pink with glowing golden stamens.  I found it at a gardenning fair having read about it in a gardening book.  I have it growing alongside Buff Beauty, another old rose which flowers prolifically and has made lots of growth.  Only downside to both of these is pruning back in the autumn as they both have vicious thorns!

I also have a couple of Shropshire Lads that I am really pleased with.  Flower all season (thru til Oct this year) and lots of glossy green leaves - no black spots in sight.  They are planted on the same pergola as two Climbing Icebergs - which have been a disaster in comparison ! (ie black spot, most leaves fall prematurely and only one flower in 2 summers.  This year might well be their last chance.)

Two others that do really well for me in different parts of the garden are Gertrude Jekyll (more of a bright pink than Shropshire Lad) and Winchester Cathedral (white).

This is "The Pilgrim" in it's 2nd year. The pots are 20" wide at the top and 18" high. They are made of a sort of plastic resin, as I couldn't cope with heavy and I wanted frostproof. I filled half the pot with earth mixed with a lot of rotted manure and topped up with potting compost. They need regular feeding and watering.

Busy-Lizzie you are a gem - not only supplying all the information I asked for, and more, but a great photo as well!  I can't cope with heavy either and need frostproof as I am in North Yorkshire.