Rose arch
A rose arch by the entrance to the garden
Garden gate combined with rose arch Ida’s garden should be closed so Ida cannot find her way out to the road, while she is too small to mind the cars. Therefore it has been necessary to put up a fence and a garden gate towards the driveway. The garden architect recommended that we added a rose arch to the gate.
The entry before the rose arch
A tailor-made rose arch
We tried to find a readymade solution that combined a rose arch with a garden gate, but that was not possible. If you have time and the skill, it is recommendable to make the rose arch and gate from scratch. However, we ended up buying a standard rose arch of iron in the local garden centre. We bought the garden gate separate and put this up behind the rose arch.
Find a solid rose arch in the garden centre
It is important to get a solid rose arch because in time the rose can become quite heavy. Furthermore, it should be large enough to walk through unscathed even if it is completely covered in roses and thorns. We have chosen a simple robust iron rose arch, without any frills – it is the rose that is the centre of attention, not the rose arch.
The iron rose arch is concreted into the ground in front of the garden gate
A rose arch must be concreted into the ground
This rose arch should be drilled about 40 cm into the ground and preferable concreted, since fully grown climbing roses can be very heavy. If the free standing rose arch is not drilled solidly into the ground, it can start to lean or even be knocked over in a storm. We put plastic boards under the rose arch, so it stood firm, while the cement would dry. The day after, it was time for the fun part – planting the rose.
The cement is about to dry, so the rose arch can stand its ground
The finished rose arch by the entry to the garden
Plants by the new rose arch
To the right, west of the rose arch, we have planted a New Dawn climbing rose. It looked very small, but it quickly grew to a meters height. It is important to help it climb tying upward, strong-looking branches gently to the rose arch and by cutting wayward branches off. New Dawn will also benefit from deadheading.
To the left, east of the rose arch, we planted a piece of ivy, which is supposed to cover the left side for a few years until the rose reaches all the way to the other side. It is not necessary to plant roses by the rose arch – there are many different kinds of beautiful climbing plants, such as clematis or evergreen ivy.
The climbing plants are planted on both sides of the rose arch
Clematis climbing af willow fence
Ivy climbing an old apple tree
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