| With limited sun and that far north, I think you should look at hardy roses that will be able to make a big spring flush, rather than tender modern bush roses that will have to be severely pruned in spring and may not recover well with limited light. Gallicas are great for deep colors in part shade. They are once-blooming and not the longest-blooming (maybe a month), but iron-hardy and generally disease resistant, and needing little irrigation or fertilizing, once established. Some of them will get powdery mildew, but it is the easiest rose disease to control with organic methods. They grow about 4 x 4. A couple of modern climbers in dark red that are considered hardy and disease resistant are Quadra and Illusion. They repeat, but maybe not as much in 4 hours of sun. You might want to post your requirements on the Antique Roses Forum, where there are a number of expert New England & upstate NY growers who could give better advice than I can. |
