CASINO – yellow climbing rose - McGredy
Let Casino bring a softly glowing, butter-yellow curtain of blooms to your garden, creating a romantic backdrop for afternoon tea beneath an arbour, even where gardens face brisk winds and frequent rain along exposed coasts. This exhibition-quality climbing rose combines long, elegant canes with abundance of very full, rosette flowers that repeat reliably through summer, filling the air with a lemony perfume you notice as soon as you step outside. On its own roots, it establishes steadily for a long-lived, dependable presence: first it concentrates on roots, then builds strong shoots, and by the third year delivers its full ornamental charm with minimal fuss. Well-chosen for busy home gardeners, it offers resilience against common fungal problems, glossy foliage that keeps arches and fences looking lush, and a naturally graceful climbing habit that suits cottage-style structures, pergolas and pillars without demanding complicated pruning routines.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Family garden arbour or pergola |
Covers arches and pergolas with dense, glossy foliage and full, butter-yellow blooms, creating a storybook entrance or seating area with strong lemon-scented air in summer; ideal for those who want romance with low effort homeowners |
| House wall or sunny fence |
Long, climbing canes quickly clothe vertical surfaces, lending privacy and softness to brick or timber while repeat flowering keeps colour coming; perfect where you want impact without complex training busy gardeners |
| Pillars and rose obelisks |
Its upright, trainable growth makes it well suited to pillars, creating a tall column of very full, exhibition-style blooms that remain ornamental for years thanks to its own-root vigour structure lovers |
| Cottage-style mixed border backdrop |
Planted at the back of a border, it forms a vertical curtain of mid-green leaves and yellow flowers, pairing easily with traditional perennials for an English countryside look with little maintenance cottage gardeners |
| Raised bed in heavier clay soils |
In a well-prepared raised bed, it establishes deep roots that anchor the plant and cope better with wetter spells, giving stable long-term structure and reliable flowering above lower planting practical planners |
| Large container on terrace or patio |
In a 40–50 litre or larger container with support, it becomes a vertical accent for smaller spaces, bringing fragrance and colour close to seating without taking up precious ground space urban owners |
| Low-intervention family play garden edge |
Its good disease resistance reduces spraying and fuss, while own-root resilience means it recovers better from the odd knock or pruning mistake, keeping boundaries attractive around busy family areas young families |
| Exposed, breezier cottage plots |
Suited to gardens that regularly face strong winds and driving rain, its flexible growth and sound health help it cope while still flowering generously along fences or arbours over many seasons coastal gardeners |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Arbour Romance – Train Casino over a wooden arbour and underplant with low Gypsophila paniculata and lavender for a soft, storybook entrance – for cottage-style enthusiasts seeking effortless charm.
- Sunny Wall Tapestry – Fan its canes along a warm house wall, with Gaillardia at the base for a yellow-and-russet palette that glows from spring to autumn – for colour lovers wanting a classic yet easy scheme.
- Pillar of Scent – Grow it around a sturdy metal pillar or obelisk near a seating area so the strong lemon fragrance drifts across your patio – for those who prize evening fragrance and vertical interest.
- Clay-Garden Raised Border – In a raised bed on heavier soil, let Casino rise behind herbs and cottage perennials, giving height and long-term structure without constant replanting – for practical gardeners in challenging ground.
- Terrace Feature Rose – Plant in a 50-litre container with a slim trellis, pairing with soft pink and white annuals for a feminine, “girly” tea-corner look – for urban balcony or terrace owners craving a romantic focal point.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing large-flowered rose, registered as MACca, marketed as CASINO – yellow climbing rose - McGredy; ARS approved exhibition name Casino, in the Climber group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV in Ireland from ‘Coral Dawn’ × ‘Buccaneer’; introduced and initially distributed by S. McGredy & Son, Nurserymen, in 1963. |
| Awards and recognition |
Trial Ground Certificate from the National Rose Society in 1962 and Gold Medal from the Royal National Rose Society in 1963; later recognised with ARS Climber classification in 2001. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climbing habit 300–420 cm high and 160–260 cm wide, with moderately thorny canes and dense, mid-green, glossy foliage providing good coverage on supports and structures. |
| Flower morphology |
Very full, rosette-shaped blooms with over 40 petals, borne mainly singly on stems of medium size; remontant, with a second flowering that is also notably abundant through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Creamy pale to mid-yellow flowers (ARS ly; RHS 8C, 12B) that open rich and mellow gradually to buttery cream; colour holds well before fading lightly in strong sun and later season. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, far-reaching fragrance with a vibrant, lemon-scented character layered over classic rose notes, noticeable around arbours and seating areas in warm, still weather conditions. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional spherical hips, 17–24 mm, red RHS 43A; can be decorative in autumn if spent blooms are not deadheaded, though flowering may reduce when hips are allowed to develop heavily. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3), with only routine winter protection needed in most gardens. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun, with regular watering in hot, dry spells; plant 140 cm apart for walls or hedging or 220 cm as a specimen, allowing space for training and air movement around the plant. |
CASINO – yellow climbing rose - McGredy offers romantic, lemon-scented, repeat flowering on a vigorous, long-lived own-root climber that clothes structures attractively over time; a considered choice for relaxed, traditional family gardens.
