The main disadvantages of climbing roses are thorns, training demands, disease pressure, and a slow start. These plants need more hands-on work than most people expect. Knowing these downsides before you plant saves you from frustration and wasted money down the road. None of these problems are deal-breakers, but you should go in with your eyes open.
Thorns are the first thing that will test your patience. I learned this during my second year of growing climbers. I reached bare-handed into a tangle of canes to tie one down. The thorns on most climbing roses are curved like fish hooks and they grab skin, clothing, and hair without mercy. Now I never touch my climbers without thick leather gauntlet gloves and a long-sleeved shirt. Even with protection, you'll collect scratches through the growing season like badges of honor.
Training takes real effort because climbing roses don't attach to surfaces on their own. Ivy grips walls with aerial roots. Clematis wraps with tendrils. Climbing roses do neither. They just produce long flexible canes that flop to the ground. You have to tie every single cane to a trellis, wire, or fence by hand. New canes grow each season, so this job never ends. Plan on spending 2 to 3 hours every spring tying and positioning new growth where you want it.
Disease ranks high among common climbing rose problems, especially in humid regions. Black spot thrives on wet leaves and can strip a climbing rose bare by midsummer if you don't catch it early. Powdery mildew coats new growth in white fuzz during hot, dry spells. Both diseases weaken the plant over time and reduce bloom production. You'll need to scout for symptoms weekly and decide whether to spray fungicides or accept some leaf loss.
The waiting period frustrates most new growers. Climbing roses need 1 to 2 full years to establish roots before they cover a structure. During that time, you see a few bare canes leaning on a trellis with scattered blooms at best. You also need your support installed before planting day. That adds $50 to $300 in costs for materials alone. A simple wire system runs cheap, but a decorative arbor can eat a chunk of your garden budget fast.
I spent my first winter after planting a climber questioning if it was even alive. The canes sat there bare and lifeless for months. But by the second spring, new shoots broke out everywhere and covered half the trellis by July. That patience test is real, and you need to plan for it before you buy your first plant.
You can work around each of these climbing rose drawbacks with smart choices. Pick a thornless variety like Zephirine Drouhin and scratches stop being a problem. Go with disease-resistant cultivars like New Dawn or William Baffin and you'll cut spraying to almost nothing. Set up your trellis or wire system before planting day so you don't disturb the roots later.
Climbing roses reward you with a show that no other plant can match. They earn that beauty through your sweat. Pick the right variety for your climate and budget time for regular training through the season. The extra work pays off once those canes cover your structure with hundreds of blooms each summer. A little planning on the front end makes these disadvantages feel small next to the payoff you get from a mature climbing rose in full flower.
Read the full article: Best Climbing Roses for Your Garden
