Am trying to decide between Climbing wild rose (Rosa setigera) and Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) to replace the grape vine. Any thoughts on the advantages of each are welcome.

The Trumpet honeysuckle would be easier to purchase since they carry it at a nearby nursery, but I'd really would like something that has pink blooms like the Climbing wild rose. We also like the look of the red hips on the wild rose in the winter. Does anyone have experience with the intentional growing of Rosa setigera they can share?

Rosa setigera is available from a nursery called Brushwood Nursery in PA. Has anyone ordered from them before?

Were in Zone 6, Nothern Piedmont. We don't seem to have a Japanese beetle infestation on our land, but do have various wildlife such as deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. Thanks in advance.

A different native rose you might consider if it suits your needs is R. palustris, Marsh Rose. Despite its common name it grows just fine in ordinary garden conditions, making a very large, gracefully arching shrub. It's minimally thorny and the blooms are a very bright, quite lovely pink, showier to my eye than R. setigera. It also will take a little shade with no complaint.

I've grown L. sempervirens, too, both the straight species and quite a few cultivars. Unlike maifleur's experience, I haven't seen it sprout all over (I wonder if maifleur was thinking of trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans). This plant has the advantage of being evergreen, obviously, and it's a constant hummingbird magnet. It's a true twining vine, and certain varieties bloom all summer and are powdery mildew resistant, a disease which can be a scourge of this species. 'Cedar Lane' is a lovely variety with glaucous blue-green foliage, and the new 'Major Wheeler' is said to be highly mildew resistant.

I have seen deer take rose hips in winter, but I've never seen them really damage the plant, although maybe I've just been lucky. They leave my lonicera alone.

However L. sempervirens in this area is not consistantly evergreen. It seems to lose its leaves in my friends gardens when it gets down to about 10-15 F.

So I think we'll go with the Rosa setigera...I have the feeling the rose look more visually appealing in the winter than the Trumpet honeysuckle. I'll look into the Rosa palustris...that rose sounds really great too.

Thanks again!