Selecting the Ideal Rose Varieties for Your Garden

With countless stunning rose varieties available, roses remain a timeless and elegant choice for any garden, particularly for those seeking perennial blooms that return each year, offering years of exquisite cuttings for floral arrangements. Picking the right roses for your garden, however, requires careful consideration. We’ve gathered insights from a horticulture expert to guide you in selecting the perfect roses and determining the best spots to plant them.

Evaluate How the Rose Will Thrive in Your Garden

Roses can adapt to various growth patterns in your garden, ranging from compact varieties like miniature roses that fit snugly into small spaces, to expansive climbing roses that elegantly drape over trellises and enhance pathways. Assess the available area in your garden and ensure your rose has ample room to achieve its maximum size. (In the meantime, you can use annuals to fill any empty spaces as your rose matures.)

Rambling or Climbing Roses

For training roses over trellises or walls, choose climbing or rambling roses, which can extend several feet in length. Keep in mind that most roses don’t naturally cling to structures like other flowering vines or climbing plants, so you’ll need to provide support to keep them in place.

Tree Roses

Tree roses are exactly as they sound—roses cultivated on a tall, single stem. These are formed by grafting a standard rose onto an elongated trunk, making them an excellent choice for gardeners looking to introduce vertical interest to their rose arrangements.

Shrub Roses

The most typical growth habit for roses is the bush form, which can range from compact shrubs to larger, more expansive bushes, depending on the specific type.

Miniature Roses

Certain roses remain compact in size and produce smaller blooms. These diminutive plants are ideal for petite gardens or for adding a splash of color to small landscaping spaces.

Select Roses Suitable for Your Climate

Similar to other garden plants, roses will flourish in environments that meet their specific needs. Before purchasing a rosebush, evaluate the following factors:

Sun Exposure

Most roses flourish in full sun, requiring a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily, according to plant expert Bethany Lakatos. For areas with limited sunlight, Lakatos suggests varieties like Don Juan, Dancing in the Dark, and Iceberg, which perform well in partial shade with just four hours of sun each day.

The balance of sun and shade in your garden can also influence your choice of rose colors. "Red roses often display richer hues in partial shade, while lighter-colored roses stand out beautifully in shadier areas," Lakatos explains.

Heat and Humidity

Excessive afternoon sun can damage rosebushes, but heat and humidity pose additional challenges, particularly for delicate rose varieties. "In hot, humid climates, fungal diseases are more prevalent. Opting for disease-resistant roses and selecting a location with good airflow can help minimize these issues," Lakatos advises.

Rainfall

Roses thrive in sunny conditions, and excessive rain can lead to issues similar to high humidity, such as fungal growth, disease, and poor growth. Removing infected or wilted blossoms can help, but prevention is ideal. If your region experiences heavy rainfall, it might be wise to select plants better suited to wetter climates.

Explore the Rose Varieties That Catch Your Eye

Once you’ve decided on a growth style, there’s still a wide array of rose types to explore. According to Lakatos, many gardeners categorize roses into the following groups:

English Roses

Often referred to as David Austin roses, these varieties blend the nostalgic charm of cottage gardens with the enhanced disease resistance found in modern roses. The Queen Elizabeth rose is a prime example of this type.

Old Roses or Heirloom Roses

Old or heirloom roses typically bloom just once each spring, making their fleeting display all the more precious and worth cherishing.

Native or Wild Roses

Wild roses are available at specialized or local nurseries, depending on your geographic location. Rosa foliolosa is indigenous to the Western U.S., while Rosa nitida and Rosa palustris, also known as the swamp rose, are native to the Eastern regions.

Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid tea roses are known for their large blooms and long stems, making them ideal for cutting gardens and floral displays. Popular varieties include Pinkerbelle and Euphoria. Since their disease resistance varies, gardeners in humid climates should apply preventive sprays, such as copper- or sulfur-based products, in early spring. These roses typically bloom in cycles throughout the growing season.

Floribunda

Floribunda roses are compact shrubs, usually reaching three to five feet in height. They are generally hardier than hybrid teas and produce clusters of blooms that flower nearly non-stop. Varieties like Cherish or Julia Child roses are excellent choices to consider.

Grandifolia

Grandifolia roses are a hybrid of tea roses and floribundas. They produce clusters of blooms atop tall stems, with flowers larger than those of floribundas. (Consider Twilight roses as a prime example of this variety.)

Polyantha

Polyantha roses feature smaller blooms, making them perfect for hedges and borders. These robust rosebushes are known for their overall health and suitability for edging. Varieties like Pretty Polly produce delicate, fairy-like flowers.

Ensure You Can Meet Your Rose's Care Requirements

For novice rose gardeners, selecting low-maintenance varieties like floribunda or polyantha roses is advisable, as they are generally more disease-resistant. Review the care guidelines for your chosen rose type to ensure you can provide the necessary attention, and adopt plant care practices that promote healthy growth.

Water From Below

Overhead watering often fails to reach the roots effectively and can contribute to disease spread, according to Lakatos. Instead, use a drip irrigation system or a slow-dripping hose to deeply water established roses once a week, or two to three times weekly for newly planted ones.

Maintain a Clean Bed Under Your Rosebush

Remove fallen leaves and debris from beneath your rosebush, as they can create an environment where diseases thrive.

Prune as Needed

"Most roses require pruning during their dormant winter period, but you can remove dead or diseased branches anytime—just ensure your pruners are sterilized when dealing with infected wood," advises Lakatos. Deadheading roses (removing faded blooms) can promote continuous flowering, and you might even propagate a new plant from a rose cutting.

Apply Disease Preventatives Early in the Season

Roses are often susceptible to diseases, so prevention is key. "Once a plant is infected, sprays are rarely effective," Lakatos explains. "Follow label instructions for responsible pest control application, using mild options like copper sprays, though they may have some environmental impact on aquatic ecosystems."

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the most popular type of rose to grow?

  The hybrid tea rose is the most popular variety to cultivate. Known for their striking appearance, hybrid tea roses feature unique blooms, long stems, and 30 to 50 petals per flower. Their dramatic flair makes them a favorite among gardeners.

• Which rose has the largest bloom?

  The Medallion rose boasts the largest blooms, measuring seven to eight inches across. Prized for their size and petal structure, Medallion roses are often used in bridal bouquets and feature an apricot hue that gradually fades to cream.

• Do you have to prune roses?

  Yes, pruning is crucial for maintaining the health, appearance, and growth of roses. Dead or diseased blooms can be removed at any time. Without pruning, roses will produce smaller flowers and lose their vigor over time.