It seemed like a good idea at the time. The climbing roses on the only sunny side of the house take up a lot of real estate. They stop blooming in June so why not make use of the space? I decided to plant climbing beans underneath and let them use the rose canes for support. Kentucky Wonder and Scarlet Runner are both disease resistant and productive, and I thought the white and bright red blossoms would add some interest to the experiment. I forgot how vigorous climbing beans can get. Though I only planted a dozen seeds, they took off and started covering the side of the house. Now the beans are popping up everywhere, but it's hard to find them under all those big heart-shaped leaves. It's no fun digging around for beans among the thorny canes, either! The poor roses have suffered by having their leaves hidden away under the bean canopy, and though its time for their September bloom, only a few anemic blossoms are evident. The beans are delicious, but I'm going to have to make it up to my roses somehow.