FOURTH OF JULY™ – red-and-white climbing rose - Carruth
If You dream of a lively, “girly” cottage feel in a small Irish garden, FOURTH OF JULY™ brings cheerful colour and fragrance to walls, fences and terraces while coping well with damp air and generous rainfall near the coast. Its semi-double blooms open freely to show bee-tempting stamens, so this rose adds subtly wildlife-friendly charm as well as bold stripes. Large, cup-shaped flowers repeat in generous flushes, giving a long season of bright red and white marbling from early summer onwards. As an own-root, pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL plant, it settles steadily, with roots in year one, stronger shoots in year two and full ornamental impact by year three, supporting a long, reliable lifespan. Glossy dark foliage makes a handsome backdrop, and the All-America Rose Selections and RHS garden awards confirm its garden merit for beginners and hobby gardeners alike.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Sunny cottage-style house wall |
Ideal for training on a warm, south- or west-facing wall where its long, repeat-flowering season keeps colour at eye level for months, while the own-root habit underpins a dependable long-term framework for beginners. |
| Dublin terraced-house front garden fence |
Works beautifully on modest front fences, lifting a small space with striking red-and-white stripes and glossy foliage; the medium maintenance level suits busy urban schedules for city-dwellers. |
| Archway over a narrow garden path |
Its climbing habit and 7–10 cm semi-double blooms create a cheerful tunnel of colour and scent, with accessible stamens offering partial support to visiting bees for nature-lovers. |
| Pergola in a family sitting area |
Suitably vigorous for covering a pergola, providing shade, privacy and a long flowering window; the strong apple-cinnamon fragrance enriches everyday outdoor meals for fragrance-seekers. |
| Specimen climber in a mixed cottage border |
Functions as a vertical focal point, its bold striping contrasting with perennials while dark foliage frames nearby planting; own-root resilience supports stable ornamental value over many years for long-term-planners. |
| Small urban garden with heavy soil |
Responds well to improved drainage and mulching, then repays the effort with reliable flowering despite Ireland’s wet spells and naturally heavy ground, simplifying care for time-poor-owners. |
| Climbing rose for 40–50 litre patio container |
Can be grown in a large 40–50 litre pot with a sturdy support, where regular watering and feeding are easy to manage and the own-root system regenerates well after pruning for balcony-gardeners. |
| Family play garden boundary or screen |
Makes a colourful, semi-formal screen on a fence or wires, its dense foliage and repeat blooms softening boundaries; awards and proven hardiness add reassurance in exposed Irish conditions for security-minded-buyers. |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE RIBBON – Train along a low front fence with common sage and blanket flower echoing the red tones and feeding pollinators – for lovers of relaxed cottage frontage.
- APPLE SCENT WALK – Let it climb an archway, underplant with lavender and catmint to enjoy fragrance layers along a short garden path – for evening strollers and scent appreciators.
- SCARLET CANOPY – Cover a pergola beside a patio, pairing with Hidcote St John’s-wort for yellow contrast and long-season structure – for families who dine outdoors in summer.
- URBAN FOCUS – Grow in a 50 litre pot by the front door, guiding stems up a trellis and surrounding with compact herbs – for busy city gardeners wanting maximum impact with few plants.
- PLAYFUL STRIPES – Use as a specimen climber at the back of a mixed border, with soft pink perennials to highlight its bold striping – for those who enjoy charming, slightly whimsical colour.
Technical cultivar profile
| Feature |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing large-flowered rose; registered as WEKroalt, traded as Fourth of July™ Climbing rose WEKroalt; ARS exhibition name Fourth of July; premium gold cultivar rating. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tom Carruth, United States, 1999; parentage ‘Altissimo’ × ‘Roller Coaster’; introduced by Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower Inc and distributed internationally since 1999. |
| Awards and recognition |
All-America Rose Selections winner 1999 and Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit, underlining tested performance and decorative value across differing garden conditions. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climbing habit, 250–400 cm high and 160–260 cm spread; dense, glossy, dark green foliage; densely thorned shoots; medium self-cleaning with some spent blooms persisting in clusters. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double cup-shaped blooms, 13–25 petals, 7–10 cm across; produced in clusters; repeat-flowering with a particularly abundant second flush after initial summer flowering, then further scattered blooms. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Red and white striped flowers; ARS rb, RHS 53A outer and NN155D inner; buds show white striping on deep red, fading to raspberry-rose and creamy white with age, especially in strong sun exposure. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, fresh scent clearly noticeable in still air; distinctive apple-and-cinnamon character; semi-double, open form leaves stamens visible and accessible, helping to attract foraging bees effectively. |
| Hip characteristics |
Moderately abundant, spherical orange-red hips, 12–18 mm diameter; decorative in late season, potentially useful for informal autumn interest and for wildlife in more naturalistic planting schemes. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4); moderate resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, helped by good air circulation and sensible hygienic pruning. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers sunny, well-drained soil; space 180–300 cm depending on use; suitable for walls, arches, pergolas, fences and urban green spaces; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection as needed. |
FOURTH OF JULY™ offers repeat-flowering striped blooms, strong apple-cinnamon fragrance and dependable own-root longevity, making it a thoughtful choice if You’d like a joyful, lasting climber in your garden.
