Summer is going way too fast. I am having a hard time keeping up with the gardens, let alone finding the time to write blog posts. As I have mentioned before however, I still grab my camera often and snap pictures outside…usually in the evening after supper.
My climbing roses were absolutely stunning this year. I have four William Baffin climbing roses: two climbing up the porch and two on an arbor by the vegetable garden.
I planted these two roses by the porch the summer after we completed constructing our home, in 2001. They are 12 years old and still going strong. They are zone 2 or 3, depending on what you read, and are a perfect match for our frigid Minnesota winters.
The plants were so loaded down with buds this year that the branches were drooping under their weight.
I absolutely love the color of these pink beauties and the blooms just keep unfolding over a couple of weeks. Even after the initial heavy blooming period there are still scattered flowers to enjoy all summer long.
My only wish is that these roses were more fragrant. Surprisingly, they have very little smell, even though they are often described as having “fragrant deep-pink blossoms.”
In the spirit of full disclosure, these climbing roses do not come without a fair amount of work. I battle the thorny growth each spring to thin it out, cut out dead canes, and to tie it up and keep it focused. I usually have to deal with it at least one other time during the summer to continually train the new canes to grow in the right direction.
From my porch I can look out and see more climbing roses by the vegetable garden. I planted these roses later than the porch ones, some time after we built the fence.
They are finally getting close to the top of the arbor. I am hoping they eventually will reach over the top.
If you are looking for a prolific climbing rose, give the William Baffin rose a try. You will not regret it!
-Lynell
Just Two Farm Kids 
Lynell, I love your roses and am so jealous. We have green thumbs, my wife and I and have an innumerable amount of different flowers, but roses are something we cannot grow. I am setting up a multi-part series about all the flowers and vegetables we grow. My best estimate is about 50-60 different varieties. I am excited to count them and share the photos. Some have already bloomed, some are blooming now and a few have yet to bloom, so it should last at least a month (the series).
I love your William Baffin roses! I used to have a gorgeous New Dawn climbing rose in that soft baby pink color on my trellis but after about five years it died. I was so sad! Right now that arbor has a golden hops plant on it but man! you wouldn’t believe how prolific that plant is… it’s a monster! I will be trying to move that plant to a better location (if it doesn’t make it oh well!) and I’ve purchased a couple of Jeanne Lajoie climbers to put on it this fall. Wish I had read your post before purchasing them! Would love to try the William Baffins – I’m sure I can find a spot for them somewhere on our land!