Roses often get a bad rap. Although it really isn’t in my nature to convince people to like certain plants, please hear me out. It is early November and as I drive around your community during the day and walk around my own during the evening, I see hundreds of beautiful blooms of roses still standing proud. Roses have been flowering since June and are continue to sprinkle our landscape with gorgeous fuchsia, yellow and peach flowers. Long after most shrubs, trees, annual flowers and perennial flowers have passed their prime, roses are continuing to color our world. We like what we like and we don’t like what we don’t like. Beauty is subjective. If you are not open to having roses in your yard, I completely understand. If you are, read on to learn more about the history of roses, select rose cultivars and the care of these often confusing shrubs.
Archeologists have determined that roses existed 35 million years ago with the oldest known fossil being discovered in Colorado. In addition to roses being found in fossils, rose petals and paintings of roses have been found in Egyptian tombs. Growing roses in gardens started in China approximately 5000 years ago. They are considered the world’s favorite flower due to their wide cultivation. William Shakespeare wrote “Of all flowers, methinks rose if best”.
According to the American Rose Society there are 40 types of roses. They are loosely grouped into those introduced before 1867 and those introduced after 1867. Most roses that are grown in our area are from one of six classifications. They are Hybrid Tea, Climbing, Miniature, Floribunda, Grandiflora and Shrub. About 50% of the 35 million roses sold in the United States each year are from the Shrub rose classification. Shrub roses are known for the characteristics that cause them to be low maintenance as well as disease and insect resistant. Many shrub roses also have a long bloom time. Here is information about a few shrub roses.
David Austin Graham Thomas Rose – This English Rose as inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame. It has yellow flowers with a beautiful scent. It grows about 5’ high and 4’ wide.
David Austin Lady of Shallot Rose – This peach colored rose grows about 5’ tall and wide. It blooms throughout June and July and does best in full sun.
Sweet Drift Groundcover Rose – This double petal rose has bright pink flowers. It is grown on its own root and grows about 15” tall and 30” wide. It blooms from June –September and it hardy to zone 4.
Red Drift Groundcover Rose – This petite plant does well when used at the front of plantings. The bright red flowers are present from June-September. Similar to Sweet Drift it grows 15” tall and 30” wide.
Easy Elegance Macy’s Price Rose – These white blooms are atop a disease resistant plant that grows 4-5’ tall and 4-5’ wide. The white flowers fade to a light pink and bloom from June-August.
Easy Elegance Grandma’s Blessing Rose – These huge pink blooms are truly a blessing! This disease resistant, vase shaped, rose grows to 24” height and 30” wide. The flowers are present from June-August.
Flower Carpet Coral Rose – This re-blooming rose has coral flowers and grows on its own root. It blooms from May through September. It will grow in light shade as well as full sun. It grows about 24” tall and 42” wide.
Flower Carpet Scarlet Rose – Bright red flowers are present from May-September and are semi-double. This rose is disease resistant and is considered a re-bloomer. It is grown on its own root. It grows in full sun to part shade and will reach a height of 30” and width of 36”.
Double Knock Out Rose – This is undoubtedly the most popular shrub rose. It has bright fuchsia flowers that bloom almost continuously from early summer until mid to late fall. It is disease resistant, hardy to zone 4 and grows on its own root. Typically they will grow 3 1/2’ tall and wide.
Coral Knock Out Rose – Very similar to the Double Knock Out rose but gorgeous Coral colored flowers cover the plant from May to September.
Sunny Knock Out Rose – Yellow buds become yellow flowers that fade to a creamy white when fully open. Other plant characteristics are similar to Double Knock Out Rose.
Tune into the next column in which I will address rose cultivation and care.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
