Tree Roses - Overwintering

[ideasguy]

This topic arose on my other forum (ideasforgardens - Delphi) where Pat (MI-USA) bought and planted something she'd always wanted - a rose tree.
The one she bought was 'Santa Claus' a miniature rose tree

Ellen (CT, USA) was told to lay her tree rose on its side over winter for protection.

Ive just done a bit of research, and found this very informative article:
http://www.rosemagazine.com/articles04/tree_roses/

The reason for laying it on its side (into a channel!!!! - you gotta dig a channel!) is to allow you to mulch the graft, at the top of the central cane (or trunk).
You bring the graft down to ground level!

You only partially uproot. I guess you just tease the roots on one side to allow you to bend the whole thing over horizontally, leaving as much of the roots undisturbed as possible.

Interesting! In this business, you learn something every day!

Now, as for the actual tree rose itself - they are really spectacular! 2 photos on above page.

Have any of our members managed to grow these Tree Roses, and more to the point, to grow them to maturity over a number of years? Have you seen any in gardens open to the public? Any photies?

[The Gardener]

When I read "Tree Rose", I got quite excited, thinking they were actually rose trees - a new type of rose!  It seems they are just what we have always called standard roses.  I grew a beautiful standard "Canary Bird" rose years ago.  It thrived for a number of years and was a real picture, with abundant cascading branches full of yellow roses.  Everyone who saw it wanted to know what variety it was.  I never did anything special to it over winter.  Then it just died!  I still don't know why.  It started in to growth after winter as usual, but then all the leaves shrivelled and the whole thing died.  I've never had another standard rose since then.

[ideasguy]

I wonder if the name Rose Trees is only used in the US? If anyone knows or has time to research please post a few links.
I can see why they call them Rose Trees there. Single stem, and in the photos of that original link, they certainly do have the proportions and LOOK like trees. They make a magnificent specimen.

I'm sure your Canary bird was just gorgeous. Did you manage to get photos in the earlier days of your garden?
What a disaster that must have been for it to die, for no perceivable reason.

I had a Standard once. Cost me £10. It didnt even survive the 1st winter!

Has anyone ever known of a "Standard" of small tree proportions in the UK or Europe. I'm hoping other members will join in this thread.