Gifted a Generous Gardener, but need help!

So the good news is I received a lovely birthday gift of a very healthy looking DA Generous Garderner. The only problem is, I now have no walls left on which I can grow anything. Would it be possible to train it as a shrub rose in a very large (half barrel) container, or would it likely be too vigorous/have the wrong growth habit?

Does any one have any creative solutions?

 

I have had one for several years now. It is a big, strong, tall (3 metres?) hard working plant. Like you, I got it as a gift and, like you, I wondered where i could put it. Mine was planted next to a young variegated holly and the two of them have grown up together and through each other. The holly supports it quite well and it gives the holly a bit of oomph in the summer.

 

Not into tree ferns.
I dont know what else a DA is?

 

David Austin (as in roses), or maybe one of these



One for the more mature forum members there

 

I wouldn't try it in a half barrel as I think its roots need more space @AnniD. Maybe somewhere you can put a trellis panel or pergola along a path?

Fabulous rose and worth finding it a good place to grow.

 

Sorry @Obelix-Vendée , but it was @Nickoslesteros who has been gifted the rose .

 

I've got a David Austin rose in a pot.....it is a large pot....and it's growing very happily up an Obelisk.
I would think perhaps the half barrel wouldn't be deep enough.

 

Apologies @AnniD.

@Star gaze Lily David Austin produces and sells small shrub roses, taller shrub roses, spreadig shrub roses, repeat flowering rambling roses, short climbing roses that get to about 2m high and wide and then vigorous climbing roses like Generous Gardener whose height, width and flowering vigour would just not get enoug nutrients in a half barrel.

 

@Obelix-Vendée yes I know they do.
I did mention the half barrel wouldn't be deep enough.

 

Can they.be grown more like a shrub rose, or will I always be fighting it's nature?

 

The generous gardener is quite a tall growing climber. But I have seen some climbers 'structured' around themselves and tied and pruned to form a 'bush'
Looks very effective.

 

I think you'll always be fighting it and it will struggle in a pot, and not flower at its best.

Mine grows up the house wall out front, and is around 3.5 metres tall at the moment. It gets bigger every year and flowers prolifically. I really don't think it would manage well in a pot, even a large one.

 

I’ve seen that too @Star gaze Lily. link below

How to train roses into creative sculptures | Gardens Illustrated


My only hesitation for this approach is that I’m not sure how flexible its stems are. I only got my GG last year and haven’t had to do much training in as yet but the stems don’t feel as if they will be easy to manipulate?

If a half barrel is all you’ve got then it’s worth a try, if only in the short term. David Austin have quite a lot of their roses on display in large pots at their Nursery. Some climbers with a central obelisk. Am trying to visualise what size they are, 60cm minimum diameter and depth, but from memory suspect they are around 80-90?

 

I agree @Butterfly6 when visiting DA nurseries, they have a lot in pots. Also show them in pots on their website and in the beautiful brochure that's available free.
Think the pot mine is in is about 50-60 wide and quite deep too, with an Obelisk in. But my climbing rose is a shorter one.