New Dawn Climbing Rose
Rosa 'New Dawn'
flowerNew Dawn is regarded as one of the best repeat-blooming climbing roses ever introduced - in fact it was the first plant ever granted a United States plant patent, in 1931. It climbs 8 to 12 ft, clothing a trellis, arch, or fence in glossy dark green leaves and producing fragrant, pale blush-pink double flowers about 3 inches across from late spring to frost. It is exceptionally tough, more shade-tolerant than most roses, cold hardy, and notably disease resistant, and it finishes the year with small red hips. A dependable, low-fuss climber for pillars and walls.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 7 days
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Bloom
~50 days
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Difficulty
easy
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Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
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Spacing
6-8 ft. apart
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Planting Depth
Set the graft union at the soil line, or 1-2 in. below in zones 5-6
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Soil pH
6.0-6.5
Growing Details
Soil Type
Slightly acidic, well-drained loam
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5 – 9
When to Fertilize
In early spring, then again after the first bloom flush
Fertilizer
Balanced rose fertilizer or slow-release
🌱 Growing Guide
Plant New Dawn in full sun for the heaviest bloom, though it tolerates light shade better than most roses, in medium-moisture, slightly acidic, well-drained loam. Give it a sturdy support - a trellis, arch, fence, or pillar - and tie the long canes in place, training the main canes as horizontally as possible to trigger flowering all along their length. Water deeply at the base and keep the foliage dry. Climbers are pruned differently from bush roses: leave the main framework canes in place and instead shorten the side shoots that flowered back to a few buds in late winter, removing only the oldest canes. It is hardy and disease resistant enough to need little spraying.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Planting Calendar
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Direct sow
Apr 15
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Projected first bloom
Jun 4
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Clematis — The classic companion climber - it threads through the rose canes and extends the flowering season on the same support
- Catmint — A billowing underplanting that covers the bare base of the climber and feeds bees
- English Lavender — Shares the sunny, well-drained footing and adds scent and pollinator traffic
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
New Dawn is fairly resistant; keep it in sun with airflow and clear fallen leaves to keep the edge
Train canes openly on the support so air moves through, and avoid late-day overhead water
Rinse colonies off soft new growth and let beneficial insects clean up
Handpick into soapy water in the morning rather than using lure traps
🌸 Blooms & cutting
New Dawn yields armloads of softly fragrant pink roses for cutting - take stems in the cool morning as the buds open. Train and tie the long canes horizontally along the support to get the most flowers, and after the season prune the spent side shoots rather than the main canes. Leave the late flowers to form red hips for fall and winter color and for the birds.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Grown as an ornamental climber. The flowers feed bees, the red hips that follow are a food source for birds into winter, and the dense canes give nesting cover.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.