By Mrsmop
Surrey,
United Kingdom 
Can anyone recommend a climbing or rambling rose to grow over a metal pergola. It is about 12 feet high and fifteen feet long and is positioned over the patio table and chairs. I want a fragrant, disease free rose, I can plant 2 so a couple of different ones would be nice. I a, thinking of growing something like gourds over it in summer, or maybe a clematis. As you can tell I am looking for inspiration, but whatever it is must be really fragrant.
15 Jul, 2010
I'd be inclined to use a Jasmine instead, probably J. stephanense, which only gets 15 feet rather than 30 feet. Very fragrant, and you could have a viticella group Clematis (which needs cutting down by mid Feb every year) to scramble in amongst it for its later flowers - they won't be fragrant, but something like a Jackmanii will provide a floral display from end of June onwards. Alternatively, Trachleospermum jasminoides, which is a fragrant climber and evergreen (but best planted in Spring)
15 Jul, 2010