In spring and early summer, rose care is all about encouraging new and rapid growth. By July, it’s more about survival. This can be a tough time for roses as temperatures soar and conditions dry. Stress can lead to reduced flowering, pests, and disease getting a foothold.

Good rose care now, during this critical period, is all about keeping them healthy in tough conditions. These simple but important July tasks will help them survive, thrive, and keep flowering through the summer. And what’s the biggest mistake you can make to halt repeat blooms? Check out task number one below.

1. Deadhead Spent Blooms

Repeat-blooming roses produce a gorgeous flush of abundant flowers in late spring and early summer. If you treat them right, they’ll do it again, but July care is critical. The biggest mistake you can make is getting lazy about deadheading or not doing it correctly.

Deadheading roses sends a signal to your plant that it’s not done making flowers yet, stimulating another round of blooms. The correct way to do this is to make a clean cut just above the first set of five leaflets. If your roses grow in clusters, cut off each individual flower as it fades.

Make sure to use clean, sharp shears to prevent disease spread and stem damage. Fiskars' bypass pruning shears, available on Amazon, are a good budget-friendly pick.

It’s better to deadhead regularly rather than waiting for all of the flowers to fade. Check on your bushes every few days and trim off any spent flowers that you see. This one simple chore will keep your roses blooming all summer.

2. Water Deeply

The next most important thing you can do to keep your roses happy, healthy, and blooming is to keep the soil moist. July in many gardens is hot with minimal rainfall. Roses need an inch of water a week, so if it’s not raining, you must provide the water.

The best way to water roses in summer is to water deeply once or twice a week rather than shallowly every day. Deep watering encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil, where it’s cooler. Water with a hose or drip irrigation – this Carparthen kit from Amazon will get you started. Avoid overhead watering, as getting leaves wet encourages fungal disease.

How frequently you give your roses a deep watering depends on several factors. Increase the frequency during very hot or dry conditions. You should also water container roses more often, possibly every day, depending on the weather.

3. Keep the Mulch Fresh

Mulch is a must-have for roses in summer. There are multiple benefits to keeping a clean, two- to three-inch (5–7.5 cm) layer of mulch around rose bushes. The first is that it keeps the soil cool, which helps reduce plant stress.

Mulching around a rose bush also helps retain soil moisture, which is critical during a hot, dry summer. Covering the soil reduces the risk of fungal spores splashing up and onto leaves during watering or rain. Finally, a good layer of mulch helps keep weeds at bay.

July is a good time to make sure the mulch layer around your roses is deep enough and clean. Add more or replace degraded mulch as needed. Always keep the mulch a few inches away from the rose stems, as piling it up there can actually contribute to disease and rot.

You can use straw or shredded bark, but coconut husk is also a good option, like Back to the Roots' Organic Expanding Coconut Husk Mulch.

4. Feed, But Lightly

Roses are notoriously heavy feeders. Fertilizing roses is important for healthy growth and ongoing flowering. You probably started feeding your roses in spring, which is the time to feed heavily to promote new growth. In July, you should keep feeding roses to keep them healthy but not so heavily that they put out a lot of new growth during hot, often dry weather.

Stick with a balanced fertilizer in July, like 10-10-10. You can also look for a rose-specific product, like Miracle-GRO Water Soluble Rose Plant Food, and follow the label instructions.

Water your roses deeply after applying the fertilizer to reduce the risk of stress. If your garden has been going through a major heat wave or drought, skip the fertilizer for now and focus on watering. You can resume feeding once temperatures ease up.

5. Keep an Eye on Pests and Diseases

Rose pests and diseases often take root more readily when plants are stressed. The stress of July heat, humidity, and dry soil means you need to keep a careful eye on your rose bushes. Look for aphids, spider mites, Japanese beetles, black spot, and powdery mildew.

If you do see pests, start with the least damaging method of control, like a spray of water, and, if needed, move on to insecticidal soaps or other pest control products. For signs of disease, tidy up by removing and disposing of any affected leaves. Clean up the ground around the roses to prevent disease spread. Move on to chemical fungicides only if necessary.

BioAdvanced All-In-One Rose and Flower Plant Care Spray provides good protection against pests and diseases.

July Rose Care Essentials

While early summer is a growth period for roses, think of July care as maintenance. Now is the time to protect your roses and encourage more flowers, not to trigger a flush of new growth. Focus on water, deadheading, light feeding, mulch, and pest and disease control to get the most out of your plants.

Roses are known for their graceful beauty and intoxicating aroma. Unfortunately, they are also known for their painful thorns. But did you know that not all roses have thorns? Whether you want climbers, shrubs and miniature beauties, these pain-free roses are ideal for patios, walkways, and other growing spaces where there is a chance people might brush against them.

You can easily grow roses that don’t lash out and enjoy months of gorgeous, fragrant blooms without ever having to worry about a wayward nip. From dramatic vertical climbers that can soften a bare wall to compact beauties tailored for tight patio containers, these varieties prove you don’t have to sacrifice classic rose beauty or rich fragrance just to keep your garden safe and snag-free.

To help you find the best options for your yard, here are 7 outstanding, virtually thornless varieties that cover all the bases for hybrid, climbing, shrub and tea roses, in a range of tones. Each offers smooth, touchable canes and balances disease resistance, reliable hardiness, and standout color.

The Best (Nearly) Thorn-Free Roses

Roses are known for their thorns, but thanks to centuries of breeding, you can find many varieties that are smooth or mostly smooth. Not only are thorn-free roses a real option, but they’re also surprisingly varied. You can choose from ramblers and climbers, traditional shrub types, small patio varieties, and low groundcovers. Make the right choice for your space based on type and mature size.

As you choose a thornless rose, also consider your climate and growing conditions. The rose should fall within your USDA hardiness zone, match the sunlight you have available, and have good disease resistance. It’s also a good idea to consider your soil condition before you start planting. These roses need rich, loamy soil that holds nutrients, but crumbles easily in your hand. Most importantly, they require excellent drainage. Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral pH level (ideally between 6-6.5) to help your plants easily absorb the food they need to thrive.

A good diagnostic tool like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon can help you quickly check moisture, pH, and nutrient levels so you can amend your planting hole as necessary with organic compost, coarse sand, or horticultural grit. Use this list as a starting point for finding your perfect, thornless roses in any color, growth type, and size. Here are some of our favorite options for smooth, pain-free roses of all types.

1. ‘Madame Alfred Carrière'

This classic climbing rose variety was first introduced in 1875. It’s suitable for zones 5 through 11 and is a repeat bloomer, rewarding good care with season-long creamy white flowers with an intoxicating scent. ‘Madam Alfred Carrière’ is particularly known for its smooth, thornless canes, which can grow 15-20 feet (4.6-6m) long. As a showy climber, this is a great option where you have a lot of vertical space. Grow it along pergolas, fences, arbors, or even walls. It needs some support and training each year to develop a sturdy hold. Deadhead flowers to encourage repeat blooms.

Plant it in a location that receives a minimum of 4-6 hours of daily sunlight. A bit of morning sun maximizes its magnificent flush. It requires deep, well-draining soil enriched with organic compost, and a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Add a thick mulch midsummer to conserve moisture. Fan the canes out horizontally along your trellis or arbor rather than letting them grow straight up. This forces the plant to unlock lateral buds, rewarding you with a dense wall of blossoms from top to bottom. For the same thornless, vigorous climbing habit, you can buy ‘Peggy Martin’ live plants from Amazon which swap the pale blush for rich pink clusters.

2. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’

This is another thornless climber to consider if you have a shady spot with vertical space. Unlike most roses, ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ tolerates partial shade. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. Like our first rose choice, this bourbon climber blooms all season long after a heavy spring flush. The flowers are a rich cherry pink and have an intense aroma. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ thrives in zones 5-10 and reaches 15 feet (6m) tall. This variety does have some susceptibility to fungal infections, so prune it to improve airflow and only water at the base.

Aim for rich, fertile soil that retains moisture but drains well, boasting an ideal pH between 6-6.5. It’s ideal for north- or east-facing walls, where other varieties languish. Add a generous layer of organic compost mulch to keep the roots cool, coupled with a monthly feeding of a phosphorus-rich rose food through midsummer to fuel its repeat-blooming cycle. Deadhead promptly through July and August to ensure a steady stream of gorgeous pink petals right up until fall. You can buy Green Promise Farms 'Zephirine Drouhin' from Amazon.

3. ‘Sweet Chariot’

‘Sweet Chariot’ is a miniature shrub rose developed in the 1980s, with double pink flowers and a rich fragrance. This rose is compact in size, but also has a trailing growth habit, making it perfect for containers on patios and even hanging baskets. ‘Sweet Chariot’ grows well in zones 5-9, but prefers full sun (at least 6 hours daily). If grown in containers, it will need to be watered frequently, but be sure the soil drains very well. Deadhead the flower clusters as they fade to keep blooms coming all summer long.

This patio-friendly perennial needs a highly fertile, lightweight potting mix blended with perlite or coarse sand to guarantee rapid drainage. Water daily during heatwaves, alongside a bi-weekly application of a diluted liquid seaweed or fish emulsion fertilizer. Choose a container with generous drainage holes at the base and raise it slightly off the ground on pot feet to prevent stagnant water from pooling. Keep a close eye out for spider mites, which frequently target container-grown patio roses in dry, hot weather, and give the foliage a gentle misting with water in the early morning to deter them. For a compact alternative that you can source online, try ‘Petite Knock Out’ from Amazon which also has a low prickle count.

4. ‘Mary Delany’

Most classic shrub roses are very thorny. This exception (previously known as ‘Mortimer Sackler’) is a large shrub rose that grows up to 12 feet (3.7m) tall. ‘Mary Delany’ is known for its pretty, double pink flowers, fruity scent, and nearly smooth canes. Although it’s a shrub, you can train this variety to grow as a climber. It has strong disease resistance and continuous blooms that keep going through to fall. Just deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming. ‘Mary Delany’ is hardy in zones 5-9, and prefers full sun or a little shade. Give your rose regular deep watering.

Provide it with a minimum of 4-6 hours of sunlight. While it thrives in full sun, it is famously capable of handling a bit of dappled afternoon shade without losing its blooming power. It demands a deep bed of rich, loamy soil, with a neutral pH that has been heavily amended with organic matter to ensure good drainage. Add a balanced fertilizer right after the heavy spring flush and maintain a thick 3-inch (8cm) layer of bark mulch around the root zone to lock in moisture. Prune by about one-third in late winter to maintain a tidy, bushy shrub form if you aren't growing it vertically. You can buy ‘Mary Delany’ at Otto and Sons Nursery online.

5. ‘Smooth Angel’

Hybrid tea rose types are known for their strong aromas and large flowers that grow singly on stems, making them ideal for cutting. ‘Smooth Angel’ is from Harvey Davidson, and was developed in the 1980s to be 95% thorn-free. The large flowers on this variety are a light peachy-cream color and have a heavy fragrance. Give ‘Smooth Angel’ a spot in full sun with rich soil that drains very well, and you’ll be able to enjoy smooth, thorn-free flowers in a few distinct flushes throughout the season. It’s an appropriate rose for zones 5-10 and will grow up to two feet (0.6m) tall.

This rose requires a fertile, loamy soil with an optimal pH between 6.0 and 6.5, heavily incorporated with aged organic compost. Give this rose a deep soaking at the root zone once a week and a balanced liquid rose fertilizer immediately after its initial flush to jumpstart the next wave of buds. Avoid planting it in tight, overcrowded spaces or heavy clay, as poor air circulation and stagnant water will quickly invite black spot. Otherwise, this is a hardy beauty. As a peachy alternate that might be easier to track down online, try Heirloom Roses ‘Just Joey’ from Amazon. It has very widely spaced thorns, making it smooth and easy to manage.

6. ‘Iceberg’

Floribunda roses give you abundant clusters of flowers that bloom repeatedly through the growing season. ‘Iceberg’ floribundas were introduced in the 1950s, and they have good disease resistance, they grow vigorously, and they are nearly thornless. The original ‘Iceberg’ has white blooms, but you can now find this desirable variety in a rainbow of colors, including blush pink, bright pink, burgundy red, and yellow. ‘Iceberg’ grows up to 4 feet (1.2m) tall with a shrub form. It grows well in zones 5-9 and needs full sun for the most prolific blooms.

Plant this rose in a prominent location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. ‘Iceberg’ thrives in a well-draining, fertile loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH between 6-6.5. Water deeply every week, and give it a mid-season feeding with a high-potassium fertilizer to keep the blooms coming. Prune back by about one-third in late winter to maintain its tidy 4-foot (1.2m) shape. Finally, shear off entire spent flower clusters rather than individual stems after each heavy flush, which triggers an immediate, explosive repeat performance that lasts straight until the first hard frost. You can buy Heirloom Roses Iceberg Floribunda from Amazon.

7. ‘Cambridgeshire’

This David Austin variety isn’t totally thornless, but it has very few spines on its short canes. It’s rare for a groundcover rose to be so smooth, so if you’re looking for a pain-free, low-growing rose, this is the one for you. It’s perfect for sunny areas along pathways. ‘Cambridgeshire’ grows densely and spreads widely while remaining no more than about 18 inches (50cm) tall. It is a repeat bloomer, and the flowers are colorful, transitioning through gold, red, dark pink and lighter pink. It thrives in zones 5-10 in full sun and rich soil drains well. Deadhead to get continuous flowers through the growing season.

‘Cambridgeshire’ needs a highly crumbly, well-draining soil, maintaining an ideal pH of 6-6.5 to support its continuous nutrient intake. Apply a fresh, 2-inch (5cm) layer of hardwood mulch around the base right after planting. Avoid planting it in low-lying depressions or heavy clay where standing water accumulates. Deadheading isn't mandatory, but give the entire patch a light trim with hedge shears in late winter to rejuvenate the plant, prompting an explosive, uniform blanket of colorful blooms. If you can’t find 'Cambridgeshire', try 'Sweet Drift' Groundcover Rose from Walmart which serves up a carpet of bubblegum pink blooms on virtually thornless stems.

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When Joanna Gaines posts anything to Instagram (which is actually quite often), I have to immediately stop scrolling and see if I can do whatever she’s doing in my own house or garden. This time, she posted a video of summer scenes from her farmhouse in Waco, Texas, that featured horses galloping through fields, an adorable summer swing, and best of all, a view of her “Rose Shed,” of which we got a peek back in January 2024.

Naturally, there were climbing roses on the small roof outside, and there was something about the combination of romantic pink blooms, architecture, and sunlight that made me stop and stare at my own bare fence and feel personally victimized. Climbing roses are one of the most achievable upgrades in your garden, but you have to know what you’re doing. Fortunately, a couple of experts helped me out.

Use Your Vertical Space

Most of the time, people think of gardens as horizontal: soil, beds, borders, etc., all at ground level. But climbing roses turn this logic on its head.

Marta Pawlik, Co-Founder and Director of Laik, which manages over 50 luxury vacation properties, has seen the difference firsthand. She says, “Most people only plant to the floor level and do not utilize any of the vertical space above them. When one of my clients decided to grow a single 'Zephirine Drouhin' up her bare stone archway, there was a dramatic increase in the number of bookings for that property. The vertical space is what it's all about!"

An arch, a pergola, a plain garden wall; all of these are just waiting for a climbing rose to make them feel complete.

Choose the Right Variety

It’s often a misconception that all climbing roses are created equal, and variety choice matters more than most people realize. Pawlik tells me she has a firm favorite: Rosa “Gertrude Jekyll” is the first climbing rose I always recommend. I’ve had a number of clients in the Lake District try three different climbing roses over five years (with little success in regards to photography) to be able to justify the asking price per week. By growing a single “Gertrude Jekyll” over her pergola, her listing was booked solid before the end of February. The flower is large, the fragrance is incredible, and the deep pink coloration is worth a lot in sunlight.

The 'Gertrude Jekyll' climbing rose, the variety Marta Pawlik swears by, produces large, bright pink rosettes with one of the strongest old rose fragrances of any English variety, and comes with a five-year guarantee straight from the breeder, David Austin.

For something thornless and forgiving (especially useful on archways where people actually walk through), 'Zephirine Drouhin' is a classic.

Don't Neglect What Goes Underneath

A climbing rose on its own can look a little leggy at the base. Fortunately, the fix is simple: companion planting. Pawlik recommends French lavender beneath your rose as it covers the bare stems, smells incredible, and the purple-pink color combination photographs beautifully. Add alliums in the middle of the garden, and suddenly the whole space will look well-planned rather than accidental.

Thery Jean Christophe, founder of Musa Art Gallery, agrees on the layering approach: "I would pair them with softer companion plants like lavender, catmint, foxgloves, or herbs so the garden feels layered but not chaotic."

Plant a couple of these Hidcote Blue lavender plants (available on Amazon) at the base of your climbing rose. The deep purple blooms and silvery foliage are the companion for pink roses; they'll cover any bare stems, and the fragrance combination is frankly unfair to your neighbors.

Don't Cheap Out on the Plant

This is where most people go wrong, and Pawlik is refreshingly blunt about it, saying, "I once planted a low-grade bare root rose that took the entire summer to explain to the owner why her rose arch looked like a twig with big aspirations."

The advice? Buy a grade-three plant, put it in the ground in autumn, and train every stem to grow horizontally from the start. This is where the blooms really come from; not the vertical stems shooting upward, but the horizontal ones fanning out.

Fake It While You Wait

Climbing roses take time to establish, and for some of us, patience isn't always in plentiful supply. Jean Christophe has a practical workaround, telling me, "For homeowners who want the abundant look faster, I'd suggest combining climbing roses with trellises, containers, and fast-growing companion plants while the roses mature. That way the space feels romantic early on, but still has a long-term design foundation." To me it looks as if you’re dressing the set while the main act is busy getting ready.

The SCENDOR garden arch (available on Amazon) is a sturdy, iron structure standing nearly 8.2 feet tall with a double-layer design built to handle the real weight of a mature climbing rose. So, it’s not just for looks, but for the long haul!

While it may seem like it, Joanna Gaines’ aesthetic isn’t magic; it’s just a thoughtful use of height, the right plant, and the right spot (though the patience part seems like magic to me).

Okay, I’ll admit that when I first heard David Beckham had a rose named after him, my eyes rolled so hard I thought I might have pulled something. A celebrity rose? For a soccer player? Surely this was just another bit of brand fluff designed to get people to buy a David Beckham garden fork, if it existed. Well, I consulted some gardening experts and have now come to the conclusion that I might have been wrong.

The Sir David Beckham rose was commissioned by his daughter, Harper, for his 50th birthday (actually, this is super sweet!) and was unveiled to the public at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It's not yet available in the USA, but you can view it at David Austin Roses in the UK.

Gardening experts have told me the rose is tapping into one of the most popular design trends at the moment: a “quiet luxury” garden. We already know Victoria Beckham loves elegant white roses, so we expect to see this new variety fitting seamlessly into the couple's garden for years to come.

Behind the Bloom

The backstory is super charming. Harper Beckham, who is just 14 years old, called legendary rose breeder David Austin Roses and asked them to name a flower after her dad. The result, originally known by the breeding number Ausa34b16, is now officially the "Sir David Beckham" rose.

It's a glorious white English shrub rose with subtle pink and yellow tones, deeply cupped petals, and a complex fragrance that has been described as "banana-ish" yet fresh, before developing into a warm, honeyed musk layered with hints of nougat, clove, and myrrh. The result is a fragrance that's both zesty and earthy – sophisticated, distinctive, and perhaps not entirely unlike the confident character of Sir David's own Instinct fragrance.

Growing upright to around three or four feet, it works equally well in borders and containers. Better still, a portion from every sale will be donated to The King's Foundation.

With the launch of the Sir David Beckham rose, he joins a small and highly exclusive circle of famous names immortalised by David Austin Roses. Among the most notable are King Charles III and Dame Judi Dench, both of whom have had David Austin varieties named in their honour.

And Beckham's rose is already receiving royal approval: King Charles was even spotted stopping to smell it at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Gardening expert Liz Bury sums up the celebrity appeal with some honesty: "The Sir David Beckham rose is a stunning flower. While I haven't yet seen it in person, I don't think it's particularly surprising that it's popular – who isn't going to want a celebrity rose in a container on their patio? Brand Beckham is strong and, honestly, it could have been the Sir David Beckham dandelion, and people would still be mad for it."

Liz definitely makes a fair point, but it’s also interesting for gardeners who care about more than celebrities.

Get the Look

More Than a Famous Name

Anthony Croke, Plant Manager at Almondsbury Garden Centre, is clear that star power only takes a plant so far: "Celebrity endorsements create curiosity, but gardeners are notoriously hard to fool. A famous name might encourage people to take a closer look, but a rose only earns a place in the garden if it performs."

Landscape architect Noé Lerma of GreenMex agrees, with a note of caution: "Roses are currently trending due to the importance we're placing on them, as they're associated with celebrities. However, the reality is that this is just an initial and temporary trend. Ultimately, it comes down to horticultural qualities that determine whether a plant stays in the garden or fades into oblivion."

It turns out there are quite a few of those qualities. The Sir David Beckham rose itself took over 10 years to develop, as it was first raised in 2012 and put through many years of trials before being released. White roses are notorious for being hard to breed, as white is a recessive color trait. This means that a white variety of rose is quite the horticultural achievement. Not only that, but it’s a repeat-flowering rose and blooms in flushes from late spring through early winter, meaning you don’t only get a single show as you do with, say, peonies.

The Pollinator Factor

Sir David's rose has open blooms, which are enormously for pollinators. Liz Bury notes a change she's seeing in what gardeners are actually reaching for: "My general feeling is that there is a little shift away from the double-bloomed varieties because people are becoming increasingly aware of the need to be doing much more for pollinators in their gardens. Sir David's open-flowered rose is not only genuinely gorgeous, but it helps the bees, wasps, and beetles get straight to the pollen without having to expend extra energy by trying to fight through layers of petals."

Anthony Croke echoes this from the retail side: "Gardeners are becoming far more conscious of what they're planting and the impact it has on local wildlife. They want plants that not only look beautiful but also provide real benefits for pollinators. Open blooms give bees and other beneficial insects easier access to pollen and nectar, so we're seeing growing demand for roses that combine traditional beauty and fragrance with genuine ecological value.”

The 'Quiet Luxury' Garden: What It Actually Means

If your Instagram algorithm has brought you into the gardening realm lately, you may have noticed a shift. Gone are maximalist borders crammed with bright flowers all in competition with one another. In their place are softer palettes and romantic layering. This is what designers call “quiet luxury,” and the Sir David Beckham rose fits the description perfectly.

Anthony Croke explains the appeal: "White and blush-toned roses have become increasingly popular as they fit perfectly into the 'quiet luxury' trend that's been influencing both interior and exterior design. Unlike maximalist design with bold color palettes, many homeowners are gravitating towards softer palettes featuring whites, creams, blush pinks, and silvery foliage. These colors create a timeless, elegant look that feels calming."

Crystal Olenbush, an interior design and staging expert, describes what the look is really about: "Quiet luxury in the garden means an absence of obvious elements of design. Instead of drawing attention to some plants or garden decorations, the main emphasis is on atmosphere, which can be achieved through layered planting, natural movement, softer color palette, and change of seasons."

Noé Lerma points to a broader design shift: "A new design direction is emerging, leaning more towards minimalism; that is, people are seeking something more serene and enduring. If I had to choose a style, it would be Mediterranean. In short, it's an evolutionary approach to landscape design."

He also makes a point worth underlining: "You don't need expensive plants to have a premium garden. We can design and create green spaces with accessible, economical, and long-lasting species, bringing together plants that generate authenticity, aesthetics, and elegance without resorting to exotic choices."

How to Steal This Look for Your Own Garden

Here’s the real practical advice: as we all know, looking at a stunning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show and recreating it at home are very different things.

• Start with the color palette: Whites, creams, blush pinks, and soft greys are the foundation. Resist the urge to try to spice it up with anything neon. Crystal Olenbush notes a common mistake: "One of the major mistakes people can make is focusing on plants and forgetting about the composition. Most likely, it will be achieved with the help of layers."
• Think in layers, not clumps: Anthony Croke advises: "To recreate a quiet luxury garden, focus on a soft color palette of whites, creams and blush pinks. Layer these with textured plants and ornamental grasses to create movement and depth. The aim is to achieve a romantic, naturalistic feel that looks elegant and effortless rather than overly structured or formal."
• Choose your companion plants carefully: This is where you can really make the look sing. Anthony Croke recommends: "White English roses pair beautifully with airy perennials such as verbena bonariensis and lavender, while foxgloves and salvias add height, structure and a classic cottage garden feel. Ornamental grasses can be used to soften the planting scheme, bringing movement and enhancing the elegant, romantic aesthetic." Crystal Olenbush adds to the plant list: "Gaura, astrantia, verbena bonariensis, nepeta, foxgloves, and ornamental grasses will suit perfectly because they won't conflict with the romantic nature of white roses." And Liz Bury's personal pick? "I think I'd pair it with English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) for a lovely color contrast and haze of scent – now, I just need to get one!"
• Don't overthink the sun situation: Noé Lerma keeps it simple: "If you still want roses, go for it, but you have to make it work. You must analyze how much sun your space receives and the type of soil you have." Most roses, including this one, want at least six hours of sun per day and well-drained soil.
• Pots work brilliantly: The Sir David Beckham rose grows to three to four feet and is perfectly suited to container growing. It’s ideal for patios, balconies, or anyone who wants to try it without committing to a whole border redesign. "For the quiet luxury look, go for something in aged concrete or stone rather than terracotta or bright glazed ceramics. These magnesium oxide planters nail the aesthetic without the weight of real stone (available here on Amazon).

The Verdict

Is the Sir David Beckham rose a gimmick? Well, it's definitely trading on a famous name, but there's nothing wrong with admitting that. Celebrity endorsements get eyeballs, and if they bring new people into gardening, then that’s just fine by me. But this particular rose has substance behind the story: a decade in development, open-pollinator-friendly blooms, complex fragrance, repeat flowering, and tones that slot beautifully into the most trendy garden aesthetic of the moment.

Now if someone could just get Victoria Beckham to commission an ornamental grass, we'd have a full border sorted.

Whether your roses bloom once or reward you with repeat blooms, June is a month when many gardens are graced with spectacular colors and intoxicating fragrance. Whether you lean towards the classic, perfume-heavy hybrid teas or romantic, sprawling climbing roses, this is the moment your hard work starts to pay off. However, June is not a time to rest on your laurels! As we head into early summer, proactive care is essential for sustained success.

The choices you make over the next few weeks can determine whether many varieties continue to push out magnificent flushes of fresh buds, or prematurely shut down for the season. So as well as admiring your handiwork, this month needs to be about safeguarding your rose garden from the seasonal stressors that lie ahead. If you don’t know what to do with roses in June, hopefully this checklist will help.

While modern rose breeders have made terrific strides in introducing resilient, disease-resistant varieties, no plant is entirely self-sufficient. A little focused rose care in June will keep your garden looking immaculate, extend your flowering and cutting season for indoor bouquets, and ensure that your roses remain the undeniable stars of your summer borders for years to come.

Best Rose Care in June

This month requires just a little investment of time (often just an hour or two) to yield dramatic visual rewards. These easy steps will serve to intensify bloom color and longevity, maximize petal counts, and amplify the velvety textures of your favorite flowers. Furthermore, the right rose care in summer doesn't just prolong the current display, but also safeguards next year’s performance, preventing your shrubs from exhausting their energy reserves on premature seed production.

Give some thought to your hardiness zone. If you are growing in warmer southern regions (zones 8-10) and dealing with intense midsummer heat, then moisture retention and heat mitigation are top priorities. Conversely, in cooler northern climates (zones 4-7), June is when roses hit their initial peak, making nutrient availability and trimming more critical. Before you make any cuts, always check your local weather forecast. It’s best to perform tasks such as deadheading on dry, clear days to ensure wounds dry quickly, minimizing the risk of fungal infection.

Also, before tackling rose plant care in summer, be sure to give some thought to specific rose types. While robust, modern shrub varieties like the famous Knock Out Series require minimal intervention, repeat-bloomers, such as the deeply fragrant English shrub rose 'Gertrude Jekyll' or classic hybrid tea 'Peace’ will be counting on your assistance to fuel successive flowering cycles.

Before diving into these tasks, ensure your pruning blades are sharp and sanitized with isopropyl alcohol to prevent cross-contamination. It’s also a good idea to wear long, heavy-duty gauntlets to confidently reach deep into dense brambles. If you don’t already have a pair of sturdy gardening gloves for roses, the Wells Lamont Women's Rose Pruning Gloves from Amazon offer heavy-duty forearm protection. Here are five ways to keep your roses healthy in June and the rest of the summer.

1. Deadheading

Trimming off faded roses keeps bushes (including vigorous climbing rose varieties) blooming all summer long by preventing the development of rose hips. Hips are the fruits of the rose plant, containing the seeds that form once a flower is pollinated. Once seeds start to form, the plant’s energy shifts away from further flower production. Deadheading breaks this cycle, tricking the plant into generating a continuous supply of gorgeous new shoots and subsequent flower buds. As a bonus, it keeps the overall silhouette tidy and structurally sound.

For young plants, cut just below the spent cluster at a three-leaflet junction. For established varieties, cut further down the cane at a five-leaflet junction where the stem is as thick as a pencil. Cut at a 45-degree angle, one-quarter inch (0.6cm) above an outward-facing bud. This ensures that overhead water drains away from the developing shoot. Grab a pair of Corona Forged Classic Bypass Pruners from Amazon for clean slices that won’t crush vital plant tissue.

If your rose is the old garden type that only blooms once, now is a good time to lightly prune it for shape as well as to remove spent blooms. These roses are coveted for the colorful hips they produce in fall. Some types, like easy-care roses, are self-cleaning and do not require deadheading. However, you may want to cut back some stems to keep it tidy.

2. Watering and Mulching

As summer temperatures climb, watering is the cornerstone of rose health. Roses are deep-rooted, thirsty plants that generally require 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4cm) of water per week. To encourage a deep root system, water deeply and infrequently, rather than providing daily shallow sprinkles. This makes the plant more resilient to heat waves. If in doubt, insert your finger into the soil to a depth of 3 inches (8cm). If it feels dry, it’s time to water. To streamline your routine, use a heavy-duty soaker hose like the Teknor Apex Soaker Garden Hose from Lowe’s.

Container-grown roses, such as miniature varieties gracing patios, have confined root systems that dry out rapidly. During scorching afternoons, potted specimens may require thorough watering once or even twice daily. To conserve moisture, applying a fresh, premium mulch is non-negotiable. Natural, organic mulches like shredded cedar or pine bark are best. You can pick up bags of Oldcastle’s Timberline Shredded Pine Bark Mulch from Amazon. Remove any old mulch from last year, then apply 2-3 inches (5-8cm) of fresh mulch around the shrub. Avoid putting it right against the stem as it could cause disease.

3. Fertilizing

Because roses are heavy feeders, they need to be fed every 4-6 weeks, unless you can use a slow-release granular feed that lasts for longer. This month, your plants require balanced nutrition to recover from their initial flush and fuel subsequent bud cycles. A balanced, slow-release granular formula with an NPK ratio like 10-10-10 works well. Alternatively, look for a fertilizer aimed specifically at roses. Try Dr Earth Organic & Natural Product Rose & Flower Fertilizer from Walmart to enhance bloom size and root development.

Supplementing with a water-soluble liquid fertilizer can deliver quick-acting nutrients straight to the root system. Follow up any application with a thorough, deep watering to carry nutrients into the root zone. However, don’t apply fertilizer past midsummer. Late-season applications stimulate tender new growth that will fail to harden off before the arrival of fall frosts, leading to catastrophic winter dieback.

4. Staying Ahead of Pests

By the arrival of midsummer, several hungry pests will target lush rose foliage. Among the most destructive are Japanese beetles (identified by their metallic-green bodies and copper-colored wing covers). They can quickly leave behind skeletonized leaves and ruined buds. The most effective, eco-friendly way to manage them is to go outside early in the morning when the beetles are sluggish. Gently shake the branches to knock the beetles directly into a bucket filled with warm, soapy water.

Other problematic rose pests include aphids, spider mites, and thrips. Aphids are small, soft-bodied sap-suckers that pierce new growth and suck the juices out. To combat these pests, try introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs or lacewings. Alternatively, wipe aphids off with a moist paper towel, or spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. To easily handle large-scale pest applications, you can buy Bonide Ready-to-Spray Neem Oil from Home Depot.

Spider mites are evident when foliage has a mottled or stippled look as a result of their feeding. You may also see fine webbing between leaves. And while some thrips are beneficial, others consume plant parts including foliage and flower bud sap. Brown spots or streaks on flower buds and petals are telltale signs. In both cases, control them by removing affected flowers, and spraying the plant with a neem oil spray.

5. Monitoring for Disease

A blend of warm daytime temperatures and high humidity creates the perfect environment for fungal diseases, most notably black spot and powdery mildew. Black spot will appear as prominent, circular black lesions, surrounded by yellow halos. Left unchecked, the fungus triggers rapid defoliation, and can leave a shrub severely weakened. At the first sign of infection, strip away all compromised leaves and clear away any fallen debris. Spray the plant with a copper fungicide to stop the spread.

Powdery mildew manifests as a talcum-powder-like coating across young leaves, tender stems, and developing buds. It causes foliage to distort, wrinkle, and dry out prematurely. To prevent these fungi gaining a foothold, irrigate directly at the base of the plant and make sure there is good airflow, trimming a few internal leaves if necessary. If your region experiences a lot of humidity, apply a preventative organic fungicide spray every 14 days. Treat your garden to a bottle of Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart. This helps to prevent black spot and powdery mildew from taking hold in humid weather. Neem oil can also be effective.

Shop June Rose Care Essentials

Taking care of roses in June is a gentle balancing act of tweaks and topups, but the results will stand you in good stead for years, so it’s worth investing in a few care items that can save you time and trouble down the line. These carefully curated products will help you nurture your favorite rose varieties toward a glorious summer display, while establishing a healthy foundation for future seasons.

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Ah, the romance of roses! Is there any gift that carries a stronger sense of love than a dozen long-stemmed beauties? The flowering plants in the genus Rosa are famed for their stunning blossoms and are welcomed into gardens all over the globe. But not every plant in the rose garden is the same.

The Rosa genus includes over three hundred different species and the number of cultivars within each species approximates the number of stars in the night sky. If you are looking for beautiful roses to include in bouquets, you won’t want the same species that climb up the garden wall.

The best types of roses for cutting gardens have long stems that are perfect for bouquets and arrangements. Plus, they have gorgeous blooms and intoxicating fragrance as well. Here are five of the best roses for cutting gardens.

Rose Basics

The rose is often called the queen of the garden. This flower has won hearts for hundreds of years. Fossil evidence tells us that roses appeared on earth some 35 million years ago, but cultivation of roses for the garden began some 5,000 years ago.

These flowers were grown extensively during the Roman Empire. Later, roses became a symbol for the York and Lancaster factions fighting to control England in a series of conflicts known as the "Wars of the Roses."

Today roses are grouped into several different categories. Three types of roses in particular make great flowers for a perennial cutting garden:

• The first is hybrid tea roses. These are long-stemmed florist roses with large, elegant blooms.
• A second is floribunda roses. Their stems are too short for centerpiece vases, but they produce clusters of medium-sized blooms that can be used to fill in bouquets.
• The third is grandiflora roses that have the tall stems of hybrid teas, but the clustered blooms of floribunda roses.

No matter what type of rose you choose, you will need long gloves like these ones from Amazon to protect yourself from thorns when cutting blooms. You'll also need strong, reliable pruners like these pro-approved Felco pruning shears.

Best Roses for Cutting Gardens

My top rose selections for cutting gardens are all long-stemmed varieties. While I love floribunda roses, their short stems limit their use as cut flowers. Here are my favorite picks for a rose cutting garden.

1. ‘Queen Elizabeth’

If roses are the queens of the flower garden, the ‘Queen Elizabeth’ rose has been called the queen of the roses. This enormously popular grandiflora rose cultivar is famed for its tall growth that reaches up to 6 feet (2 m) high, soft pink flowers, and airy fragrance. It represents classic beauty with its large, cup-shaped blossoms that grow to between 4 and 5 inches (10-13 cm) across.

This long-stemmed rose is all the more beautiful and useful given the strength of its stems and glossy green leaves. It has what florists refer to a long vase life, so it is a clear favorite in the roses-for-cutting-garden quest.

It also has a long garden life and can last as long as 20 years in your landscape. Like most roses, Queen Elizabeth does best with full sun and well-drained soil. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 5-9.

You can get a bareroot grafted Queen Elizabeth rose from Jackson & Perkins.

2. ‘Heavenly Scented’

Our second selection is a hybrid tea rose, so you know it comes with a long stem. The name, ‘Heavenly Scented’, suggests its divine fruit-and-spice fragrance. Top that with big, bright pink flowers and you have a gorgeous rose for the cutting garden.

Each rose grows on its own stem, which is lucky, given the heft of the blossoms. They measure 4.5 inches (12 cm) across and can have up to 138 petals apiece. The petals fold back towards the stem as they mature, creating a soft point.

A quintessential upright cutting rose, Heavenly Scented bushes grow to 6 feet (2 m) tall in the garden. This rose needs sun – lots of sun – to flower, so it’s lucky that this variety has top color retention. The bright salmon or conch pink shade of its blooms doesn’t fade and the glossy foliage resists downy mildew and rust. Grow in USDA hardiness zones 5-9.

Get a Heavenly Scented rose in a 3-gallon pot from Spring Hill Nurseries at Lowe's.

3. ‘Iceberg’

There is something special about white roses and the ‘Iceberg’ rose is a fabulous example of how beautiful pure white blooms on long stems can be. It is a floribunda rose, so it has the long, sturdy stems of the hybrid tea roses plus the abundant flower clusters of the grandiflora type. Shrubs can grow over 9 feet (3 m) tall in the garden.

Iceberg’s white blooms are double flowers, each with some 40 soft white petals in a classic shape. They contrast beautifully with the dark green foliage. The flowers have a light, pleasing fragrance and a classic rose shape. New blooms appear continuously, providing a long-lasting display throughout the growing season from late spring through the first frost.

You can get a bareroot Iceberg rose plant online from Lowe's.

4. ‘Mister Lincoln’

It’s nice to see a beautiful rose variety named after a president – and the ‘Mister Lincoln’ rose is a wonderful addition to your rose cutting garden. Many consider Mister Lincoln among the finest red roses in commerce. It is a classic hybrid tea rose that grows to 6 feet (2 m) tall with lush, velvety red flowers. Each flower is fully double and can grow up to 6 inches (15 cm) wide.

While some roses fade in the sun, that’s not the case with Mister Lincoln roses. The red shade intensifies, sometimes even causing subtle purple undertones. The rich color and resiliency of the flowers makes it a top choice for cutting gardens. The plant thrives in a sunny location in USDA zones 5-10 and offers a long bloom season with blossoms from spring through fall.

Get your Mister Lincoln rose bushes as bareroot plants from Jackson & Perkins.

5. ‘Moonstone’

It’s hard to describe the gorgeous shades of ‘Moonstone’ rose blossoms. The color is truly magical. Velvety-pearl petals are trimmed in rose with hints of apricot at the center. Though the blossoms are exceptionally large, they look fragile, like fine china. It’s easy to understand why these ethereal beauties are so popular for bridal bouquets.

Moonstone is a hybrid tea rose with long, elegant stems, making it ideal for cutting gardens. The perfectly shaped flowers can grow to 5 inches (12.7 cm) across. The fragrance is mild, but lovely.

This rose is a favorite among florists for its beauty and resiliency when cut. Moonstone can produce flowers throughout the growing season. Plant in full sun and offer regular watering. It is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 6-10.

You can find Moonstone roses for sale from Spring Hill Nurseries.

Commercial rose fertilizers have their place, but they’re not the only option – and for gardeners who already have banana peels heading for the bin and coffee grounds on the counter, this brew costs nothing extra to make.

Each ingredient does a specific job. Potassium from the peels pushes bloom quality, nitrogen from the grounds keeps foliage dense and dark, and magnesium from the Epsom salt encourages new canes at the base of the plant, which mean more stems and more buds as the season goes.

It’s best to apply this homemade rose fertilizer at the right time for your particular plant, not the calendar. But rose gardens generally feed better in spring when new growth emerges and then again before the main flush in early summer. Here’s how to make my easy homemade rose fertilizer.

Step 1: Chop Up Banana Peels

You will need two or three old banana peels. Chop them into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces before adding them to a jug. Smaller pieces mean more surface area in the water, which speeds up how quickly the nutrients steep over the next 48 hours.

Potassium is the nutrient most directly tied to flower quality in roses. It improves petal count, color depth, how long the blooms last. It's what most commercial rose formulas are built around, but banana peels that were heading for the trash deliver this vital nutrient well.

Step 2: Add Your Ingredients

Drop the chopped peels into a clean 1-gallon (3.8 L) jug. An old milk jug works perfectly for making this homemade rose fertilizer.

Next, add 2 tablespoons of used coffee grounds and 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt, which you can find at Walmart if you don't already have some on hand.

The coffee adds nitrogen, which drives green growth and keeps leaves from becoming thin and pale, plus it adds a mild acidity to the soil that suits roses. Roses tend to grow best in soil with a pH around 6.0-6.5. Used coffee grounds help nudge the pH in that direction without overdoing it.

The Epsom salt dissolves quickly and doesn’t need precise measuring. A tablespoon is roughly right, but a little over or under won’t change the outcome.

If your soil is already quite acidic, go lighter on the coffee grounds. The acidity contribution is mild, but it does build up with repeated applications so it’s worth keeping in mind if you reapply over a full season.

Step 3: Fill With Water & Let It Sit

Fill the jug with water, give it a shake, and set it somewhere out of direct sun. A cool corner of the garage or a shaded counter works well for the steep. Don’t leave it in a hot spot or direct afternoon sun. Leave it for 48 hours to sit.

The liquid will darken as the peels break down and everything steeps into the water. Tap water is fine to use, but if chlorine is a concern then you can leave the jug overnight before using it.

If you let this mix sit for longer than 48 hours, the organic materials will start breaking down past the point where they're useful. The smell is a reliable indicator to help you tell if your DIY liquid fertilizer has gone too far.

Step 4: Strain the Mixture

After 48 hours, strain the entire mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a watering can. The liquid is what you will apply to your roses to give them a boost.

Removing the solids keeps the watering can spout clear and avoids leaving debris sitting on the soil surface around the plant to rot. A fine mesh strainer from Amazon handles this job well and it's useful in the kitchen for lots of other tasks, too.

The strained solids still have some value as organic matter and can go straight into your compost bin. The liquid doesn’t keep well, so making it in small batches and using it same-day or the next day is easier than trying to store a larger quantity. It’ll keep a day in the fridge, if needed, but not much longer than that before it loses its potency.

Step 5: Apply to Your Roses

Pour 2-4 cups (475-950 mL) around the base of each rose bush, spreading it over the entire root zone rather than pooling at the crown. Water roses lightly afterward if the soil is dry. This helps carry the nutrients down toward the roots so they can actually reach the nutrients they need, rather than letting everything sit at the soil surface.

Morning is the best time to apply fertilizer. Wet soil during a warm night can invite fungal problems – and roses don’t need any extra help in that department.

Apply homemade fertilizer every two to three weeks during the active growing season. The response will come gradually. Foliage will deepen in color, new canes will emerge at the base, and bud set will look a bit more substantial than the previous flush.

When applied consistently through the season, this homemade rose fertilizer is a low-effort way to keep feeding roses between between bigger fertilizer applications at the beginning or end of the season. This organic rose fertilizer from Espoma is a great option to use alongside my favorite homemade fertilizer for strong and healthy growth.

The best results tend to show up more in the second season than the first one when you start using my easy homemade rose fertilizer recipe.

May is a critical time for roses in most growing zones. This is when new growth on your rose bushes really accelerates. Buds are forming, too, so what you do now will have a big impact on the quality and quantity of later blooms.

At this stage in the season, roses are putting a lot of energy into developing strong stems and healthy foliage to support those first flushes of flowers. It’s also when pests and diseases can begin to establish, so staying one step ahead will help prevent problems from taking hold just as your plants are gearing up to perform.

This May, tend to your rose garden with care, from feeding and fertilizing to refreshing mulch and careful pruning. The plants will thank you later with healthy growth and a spectacular summer display. Here’s what you should be doing now.

1. Add or Refresh Mulch

If you haven’t done so already, remove any winter protection from around your roses. When exactly it’s safe to remove depends on your growing zone and seasonal weather, but May is a good time in many places. Whatever your rose winterizing strategy was, undo it now and start preparing the summer mulch.

Mulch is important for roses during the growing season because it helps hold valuable moisture in the soil. It also helps suppress weeds, which compete with roses for water and nutrients and can spread pests and diseases.

Remove any old, decaying mulch and add fresh mulch around rose bushes to a depth of two to four inches (5 to 10 cm). Keep the mulch layer a couple of inches away from the bases of the stems to reduce the risk of rot.

The best mulch for roses includes wood chips, pine needles, or shredded bark. But you can also use compost to help improve the soil and boost nutrients – such as Heirloom Roses' Mint Compost, available on Amazon, which has the added benefit of helping to repel aphids, spider mites, and other insect pests.

2. Feed for Strong Growth and Abundant Flowers

Fertilizing roses is a must-do for spring. Your roses are actively growing now, and they need adequate nutrients for strong, healthy stems and foliage. Later, they will need energy to set buds and flower abundantly. May is the ideal time for their first feeding of the growing season.

You can use a product specifically designed for roses or an all-purpose, balanced fertilizer (10-10-10). Use a slow-release product, like Scotts Rose & Bloom Continuous Release Plant Food, so you don’t have to apply it as frequently. Use the product as directed, but be sure to water thoroughly after you apply it to prevent root burning.

3. Prune and Tidy Rose Bushes

If you garden in a warmer climate, you might have already done this spring chore. In colder climates, May is a good time for pruning roses. You want to be sure there is no chance the cut stems can be damaged by cold temperatures or frost. One pro tip is to watch forsythia in the area. If they’re starting to bloom, it’s a good time to prune roses.

Start with a sharp pair of garden shears – freshen the blade with a sharpener, like the Sharpal 103N All-in-1 Garden Tool Multi-Sharpener. Clean and disinfect them to prevent disease spread. Look for winter-damaged stems to trim off. You can then selectively prune back healthy canes to promote more vigorous growth or to ensure the center of the plant is more open. This improves air circulation and reduces the risk of disease.

In warmer climates, your roses might already be blooming. Start the season-long deadheading process by removing any blooms that are spent. This pushes more energy into additional flowers instead of seed production.

4. Start a Growing Season Watering Routine

As the growing season kicks into high gear, your rose bushes will get thirsty. Start your summer watering routine now with a schedule of regular, deep watering rather than more frequent, short bursts. One to two times per week is ideal, unless it’s raining and you can skip a watering session. It's a good idea to use a moisture meter, like the Yamron 4-in-1 Soil Moisture Meter, to check when you need to water.

Always water rose bushes at the bases of the canes rather than from overhead. Overhead watering causes water to collect on leaves and stems, which can lead to disease later. Keep the foliage as dry as possible with gentle watering that won’t splash back onto the leaves.

5. Manage Disease and Pests

Roses are unfortunately susceptible to fungal diseases and an array of pests. Proper pruning and watering will help you lower the risk of disease, but as new growth develops in May, it’s time to look for and address any troubling symptoms.

Black spot and powdery mildew might rear their ugly heads as early as May with warming temperatures and rising humidity. If you catch them early enough, treatment might be as simple as removing the affected leaves. If not, use appropriate fungicides, like BioAdvanced All-In-One Rose and Flower Plant Care Spray.

Pests to watch for include aphids, spider mites, and thrips. Again, with early detection, a simple solution can help you manage pests. Use a spray of water to disperse them or pick pests off by hand and drop them in a bucket of soapy water. If they persist, you can use neem oil or an insecticidal soap.

6. Expand Your Rose Garden

May is an ideal time in many areas to plant rose bushes, so now is a good time to grow your garden. It’s best to plant dormant, bare-root roses earlier in spring, so focus on potted plants from the garden center. FastGrowingTrees.com has a great selection, including Knock Out Roses and David Austin Roses.

To plant potted roses, dig a hole two times wider than the container and to a depth the height of the root ball. Be gentle with the roots as you remove the plant from the pot, but if it’s overgrown, you might need to cut off any roots emerging sideways from the root ball. Place the root ball in the hole and backfill with soil. Water thoroughly.

May Rose Care Essentials

Caring for roses in May is all about supporting rapid growth and getting ready for peak blooming season. With feeding, watering, mulching, and an eye on pests, you give your roses the best chances of healthy growth and abundant flowers.

Roses are classic staples of all kinds of gardens with their gorgeous blooms and intoxicating fragrances. Don’t assume that you can’t grow these garden beauties just because you have a small space. Compact varieties are ideal for containers, patios, and small beds or yards. Here, we’ll go over a few perfect choices of smaller roses for smaller gardens.

What to Look for in Compact Roses

For your diminutive rose garden, you’ll need some carefully chosen varieties. You can’t select roses based on color and appearance alone, but will instead need to make some more thoughtful selections. These are some of the things to look for if you’re designing a smaller rose garden:

• Compact Varieties. These cultivars have been designed specifically for smaller sizes, between one and three feet (30 and 90 cm) tall.
• Continuous Blooms. Many newer varieties will bloom continuously, or on repeat, so you get more out of your small garden each growing season.
• Disease Resistance. Roses are famously prone to disease, so look for varieties that have some disease resistance built in.
• Container Friendly. You can grow roses even if you have no garden. Look for cultivars known to grow well in pots for a patio or porch garden.
• Climbing Varieties. Some roses climb, which is another option for making use of the vertical space in a small garden.

Small Roses for Small Spaces

There are many examples of smaller, more compact rose varieties. These are just a few of our favorites to get you started as you explore the options.

1. Julia Child

The famous chef herself chose this rose, which won many awards. Child described the color of the large flowers as butter gold. For a yellow variety with a smaller size, this one is hard to beat. It’s a floribunda type with good disease resistance. Floribunda roses are great options for beginners. They bloom continuously and are easier to care for than hybrid teas or grandifloras.

The flowers are large, up to 3.5 inches (8 cm) across, and have a unique, sweet, and licorice-like aroma. The miniature rose has a bushy, dense growth. You can grow ‘Julia Child’ in zones 6 through 11.

2. The Fairy

‘The Fairy’ is a Polyantha rose, a type of rose with similar desirable characteristics of floribunda (continuous blooms, low maintenance) but smaller. The bushes are shorter, and the flowers are smaller. ‘The Fairy’ blooms continuously throughout the season with clusters of soft, pink roses.

You can grow this cultivar in zones 4 through 9. It is more hardy than other types, so it makes a good choice for cold regions. It is also very forgiving (i.e. hard to kill), so consider choosing ‘The Fairy’ if you’re new to growing roses.

3. Sweet Drift

This little rose grows only to a maximum of two feet (60 cm) tall, and is a great compact variety for edging or ground cover. The plants bloom in an abundance of clusters of pretty pink flowers with double petals.

‘Sweet Drift’ has good disease resistance and is a good container rose. It is hardy in zones 4 through 11, a bigger range than most roses. It has better heat tolerance than many varieties, so it’s a good option for a small garden in even the hottest climate.

4. Midnight Fire

For unique color in a small package, choose ‘Midnight Fire.’ This is a miniature rose, a category of roses that are dwarf versions of the classic hybrid teas and grandiflora roses. This one is hardy in zones 4 through 9 and will grow no more than two feet tall.

What makes ‘Midnight Fire’ so special is the multi-hued flowers that bloom continuously from spring until the first frost. Each flower contains shades of orange, red, and purple. They have a delicate scent. Use this small rose bush in beds, along borders, or in pots.

5. Gigi

This is another example of a rose that offers big color impact in a smaller package. ‘Gigi’ blooms with classically bright red flowers striped with contrasting white. At its maximum height, this little shrub will be less than a foot tall, so it’s perfect for very small spaces and for containers.

‘Gigi’ is a miniature rose variety that blooms continuously and is popular as an indoor plant. Outside, you can grow it in zones 6 through 10.

6. Earth Angel

‘Earth Angel’ is a compact floribunda rose with spectacular, full, peony-like flowers. They are blush pink in color and have a strong, classic fragrance. If you’re looking for dramatic blooms in a smaller package, this is your pick. As a compact variety, it will remain between two and three feet tall.

‘Earth Angel’ is a repeat bloomer, so expect more than one period of flowering. It is hardy in zones 5 through 10 but can benefit from some winter protection in the colder climates.

As you plan your small rose garden, remember to choose varieties that fit the space but also your growing zone and climate. If you’re new to roses, select varieties known for easy care and for being friendly to beginners.

Imagine if your garden smelled like your favorite perfume… but wait, you can make that happen this summer with a rose that matches a scent you adore! Roses offer a wide spectrum of fragrances past the classic floral old-fashioned rose scent. There are varieties with fresh citrus and grapefruit aromas, sweet honeysuckle and raspberry fragrances, spicy clove and even licorice and anise scents. So, to help you narrow down the perfect rose with an aroma you adore, I've matched varieties to much-loved perfumes with similar scent profiles.

Roses are among the most highly fragranced flowers so, if you're thinking about adding scent to your garden, they're an effective as well as beautiful solution. Many modern cultivars are repeat flowers, bringing aromatic blooms to your backyard from late summer into early fall.

All these rose varieties are strongly fragranced so they'll add drifts of perfume all around your newly scented garden. Which is the perfect rose for you?

Chanel No 5

The rose used to make the classic Chanel N^o 5 perfume is Rosa centifolia, which translates as the hundred-petalled rose. Princesse Charlene de Monaco, however, is a far better choice for your garden. The scent of this hybrid tea rose is equally opulent and powdery yet fresh with champagne and citrus notes, just like the iconic perfume, and it flowers in waves all the way from late spring to late fall. And yes, those romantic blooms do have a hundred-plus shell pink petals.

This upright shrub grows to 6 feet high and 3 feet wide and is suitable for zones 5–10.

Tom Ford Bitter Peach

If you’re a fan of the unisex fragrance Tom Ford Bitter Peach, then your backyard needs a Golden Zest Shrub Rose. The highly fragrant rose has intense notes of citrus to match Bitter Peach’s Sicilian blood orange, and the scent of apricots and peaches to parallel the perfume’s peche de vigne core. And where the cult fragrance has cardamon, this rose cultivar brings anise for that same spicy sparkle.

Blooming in waves from late spring to late fall for a long season of garden scent, Golden Zest grows to 4 feet tall and wide in zones 6–9, and each of those golden flowers is packed with over a hundred petals.

Clinique Happy

This Pure Perfume Shrub Rose smells of freshly cut grapefruit, which is core to the wonderful Clinique Happy fragrance. The scent of grapefruit is widely recognized for its energizing, mood-boosting abilities, and this shrub rose will bring intense, intoxicating waves of it to your garden. Its flowers will invoke happiness, too, for this is a repeat-blooming shrub, with pointed buds bursting open into ruffles of old-fashioned roses all summer long.

It grows to 5 feet high and 3 feet wide and its rounded, well-branched habit make it a great choice for a hedge as well as a standout border plant, and is suitable for zones 6–9.

Yves Saint Laurent Opium

Like No Other Floribunda Rose is one of a kind, just like the iconic perfume that it matches. Yves Saint Laurent Opium has a bewitching spiced scent, mirrored by Like No Other’s warm, fruity blend of myrrh and anise. And, just like the perfume’s rich fragrance is saved from being overpowering with an injection of mandarin, so this rose has citrus notes to balance.

The flowers of Like No Other are as luxurious as its fragrance, each 3-inch bloom a ruffle of beautiful petals. This Floribunda rose grows to 3–4 feet high and wide, and is suitable for zones 5–9.

Lolita Lempicka

If you’re a dedicated wearer of Lolita Lempicka, find a place in your backyard for the John F. Kennedy Hybrid Tea Rose which shares its enticing licorice scent. This rose has a cult following, just like the perfume, on account of its distinctive, strong yet refreshing, exotic fragrance.

Greenish buds open to 5–6-inch wide blooms from late spring to late fall, the dark foliage a lovely foil for the pure white flowers. This hybrid tea rose grows to 3–5 feet high and 3–4 feet wide and is suitable for zones 7–10.

Jo Malone London Red Roses

The tightly-packed petals of this David Austin Gertrude Jekyll English Shrub Rose are highly fragrant, with a quintessential rose perfume that’s rich and velvety, lightened with layers of fresh lemon, sweet raspberry and a touch of spice. This shrub rose shares the deep, velvety, voluptuous yet fresh scent profile of Jo Malone Red Roses which is a blend of seven rose varieties with hints of citrus and honeyed beeswax.

A prolific bloomer and named the world’s favorite rose last year after a global vote by rose lovers from 40 countries, Gertrude Jekyll grows to 5 feet high and 3½ feet wide and grows well in zones 4–11.

Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle

If you’re a fan of fresh and fruity Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle, then you’ll adore the scent of this Martha Stewart Hybrid Tea Rose. It matches the sweet honeysuckle fragrance of the perfume, and also its spicy bergamot notes. And while the zesty freshness of Aerin’s signature scent is brought by grapefruit and mandarin oil, the citrusy lemon verbena fragrance of this beautiful rose has a very similar character.

A modern introduction with excellent disease resistance, Martha Stewart is a continual bloomer, flowering from late spring into fall. And, as you’d expect from a rose named after a lifestyle influencer, this hybrid tea rose is exceptionally good in a vase or bouquet. It grows to 2½–3 feet high and 2–3 feet wide and does well in zones 5–11.

Estée Lauder Cinnabar

The enduring classic, Estée Lauder Cinnabar, finds its match with a modern introduction, the exquisite Mauvelous Floribunda Shrub Rose. This rose is notable for its distinct lemony fragrance well-spiced with cloves, and shares the sensual richness of Cinnabar. Just like the vintage perfume, the scent makes a bold statement.

These flowers will set your patio apart, too, its deep mauve petals a lighter tone on their reverse. With long stems, this repeat-bloomer will provide plenty of long-lasting roses for vases so you can enjoy its fabulous fragrance indoors, too. Growing to 4 feet high and 3 feet wide, it’s suitable for zones 5–9.

Jo Malone London Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense

Adore the sensuous scent of myrrh and tonka? Then this divine David Austin Nye Bevan Shrub Rose is for you. It has a warm, slightly spicy, uplifting fragrance with hints of almond and aniseed that float in the air, matching the rich tones of Jo Malone London Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense perfectly.

Growing to 3½ feet high and wide, this compact shrub rose has beautiful soft yellow blooms that fade to cream, its scalloped petals as unusual yet inviting as its welcoming scent. This summer bloomer is suitable for zones 5–11.

Dior Miss Dior

Full of fruity character and sweet with honey undertones, the classic rose scent of the Don Juan Climbing Rose is a perfect match to Dior Miss Dior. Powerful yet warm, feminine but fresh, the fragrance of both plant and perfume are complex, but the result is effortlessly elegant.

With deep red blooms, Don Juan is capable of growing to 8–10 feet high, but this versatile climbing rose cultivar can also be grown as a shrub or trained into a tree. It flowers from spring into fall and is suitable for zones 5–9.

Marc Jacobs Honey

Living up to its name, Flavorette Honey-Apricot Rose brings a sweet fruity-floral scent to your garden. Just as Marc Jacobs Honey uses peach and pear notes to lighten its sugary honeyed scent to a joyful, sunny fragrance, so this rose has the aroma of ripe apricots.

Flavorette Honey-Apricot Rose brings an extra benefit besides its divine scent: its peachy petals are edible, with a lightly fruity flavour. With a mounding, upright habit, this shrub rose grows to 3–4 feet high and is suitable for zones 4–8.

Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea

Not a perfume, but included in our edit because the distinctive floral fragrance of this Bath & Body Works body-care range makes it such a favorite with gardeners. The Sugar Plum Hybrid Tea Rose shares its distinctive sweet pea scent, and it works beautifully in a backyard.

The lavender blooms have the same fresh yet nostalgic nature as its fragrance, so it looks equally at home in a sharp modern plot as a relaxed cottagecore yard. Growing to 4–5 feet high and 3 feet wide, this repeat blooming hybrid tea rose is suitable for zones 5–10.

Parfums de Marly Delina

Just as Parfums de Marly Delina is sweet and sensual, this Madame Alfred Carriere Noisette Rose is floral and fruity. Both share the sweetness of lychee notes, and where Delina brings rhubarb, Madame Alfred Carriere offers raspberry. Delina is known as a mysterious fragrance, and its matching rose has the same tantalizing tendencies, its scent sometimes strong and bold, sometimes light and delicate, depending on the weather.

A climbing rose capable of reaching 8–25 feet high, this graceful cultivar is a sun lover and grows well in zones 6–10.

Mugler Angel Nova

The berry-bomb perfume of Mugler Angel Nova is modern, vibrant and versatile, just like its match, the Moondance Floribunda Rose. The fragrance of both depends on a blend of raspberry and rose scent for their light, bright nature. Moondance’s sprays of creamy white blooms are just as delightful and, borne on long 15-inch stems, are as effortlessly elegant in a vase or bouquet as a backyard border.

Growing to 4–5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, this upright Floribunda is suitable for zones 5–9.

Estée Lauder Youth-Dew

An intense and spicy perfume, Estée Lauder’s Youth-Dew is a match with the wonderful America Climbing Rose. This fragrant climber carries the same intoxicating aroma of cloves, those spicy notes beautifully balanced with sweet rose, for a scent that lingers long after twilight.

You’ll enjoy plenty of fragrance, too, as this vigorous repeat-blooming climbing rose is capable of growing to 10–12 feet high and 6–8 feet wide. It’s suitable for zones 6–9.

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '68

The fruitness of Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '68 is mirrored by Simply Magnifiscent Grandiflora Rose, whose fragrance can fill a garden. Its aroma is as delectable as the name suggests, with sweet florals adding to the heady mix, and will you just look at those lavender-pink blooms!

Suitable for zones 4–9, Simply Magnifiscent grows to 4 feet high and wide and blooms in flushes from late spring to mid fall.

L’Occitane Citrus Verbena

Verbena has an uplifting scent profile and, paired with citrusy lemon notes, offers a refreshing alternative to more traditional old-rose florals. Both L’Occitane Citrus Verbena and Pinkerbelle Hybrid Tea Rose share this zesty verbena scent so if you love one, you’ll adore the other.

Pinkerbelle’s blooms are as fabulous as their scent is refreshing, with ivory petals blushed with pink and edged in magenta from late spring to mid fall. This disease-resistant hybrid tea rose cultivar has an upright habit, growing to 5 feet high and 3 feet wide, and is suitable for zones 5–9.

Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose

If you’re a fan of old-fashioned rose fragrances such as Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose, then you probably prefer your roses to smell of roses! If so, this Reminiscent Pink Rose deserves a spot in your garden. It brings all the romance and nostalgia of this classical fragrance alongside all the benefits of modern rose breeding like disease resistance and low maintenance.

Abundant pink blooms packed with ruffled petals repeat-flower all summer, with no deadheading required, and the strength of its old-rose fragrance belies its compact 3–4-feet height. It grows well in zones 4–9.

Your April may not look like my April, and your rose may not look like my roses. That’s why rose care in April must be tailored to your region and your rose type. This makes sense, since some states are enjoying spring as March turns into April, while others are still waiting for the last frost of the season.

Anyone planting rose bushes is hoping to increase the beauty of their landscape, and as long as you keep your plants healthy, you are sure to enjoy their blooms. Some varieties, like shrub roses, offer wave after wave of blossoms that can run from spring through fall, but those who love the delightful scent of old garden roses will have a shorter season of spectacular flowers.

These differences impact some parts of rose care in April. .

1. Check the Soil

Every rose of every type depends on its soil to thrive. Soil is the foundation for the roots of each plant, but it also provides nutrients and moisture for the roots to carry up to the stem, foliage, and blossoms. Whether you have shrub roses, old garden roses or even wild roses, checking the condition of the soil in April is critical.

Winter can be hard on soil. Rain, wind and snow can cause the soil to compact, preventing air and water from entering. In April, as the garden awakens from its winter dormancy, you’ll want to take a close look to see what damage has been done. Compact soil stops the roots from developing, limits the water and nutrients available to the roots, and can even lead to oxygen deficiency.

If the soil around the rose bush is compacted, take steps to loosen it. Wait until the soil is dry, since wet soil increases the risk and extent of compaction. You don’t have to dig up the plant; just loosen the soil at ground level.

How to proceed? Create holes in the soil around the rose bush by using an aerator or a garden fork. This allows water, nutrients and oxygen to enter. Then blend organic compost into the upper soil.

Shop April Rose Essentials

2. Check the Moisture Level

Roses thrive in moist, well-draining soil. As you are taking care of the compacted topsoil, check how much moisture the shrub is getting. No species of roses can thrive in wet soil; it results in root rot. And dry soil will reduce growth and limit floration.

The ideal soil for rose bushes is moist, rich in organic content, and offers good drainage. If you’ve had a dry spring, it may be time for a deep rose watering routine. Remember that your roses are just waking up from winter dormancy and will be needing water for the spurt of growth ahead. The idea is providing consistent hydration while avoiding “wet” soil. Applying a layer of organic mulch helps the soil hold the moisture longer.

3. Fertilize as the Leaves Form

Who wouldn’t be hungry if they spent the winter without food? Even grizzly bears emerge from hibernation starving for food. Roses will be hungry too.

Start fertilizing roses when new leaves begin to emerge. This gives them a boost of energy to tackle the spring growth spurt. Use a balanced granula fertilizer since roses need Nitrogen for foliage growth, Phosphorus for flower production, and Potassium for general plant health.

Feeding roses in April makes these essential nutrients available to the plant to encourage top growth and abundant blooming. Every rose needs strong roots and healthy foliage, and fertilizer gets them there. Note: for best results, water the soil before and after adding fertilizer.

Shop Rose Fertilizers

4. Don't Shy Away from Pruning

Many gardeners hesitate to prune roses. I think the hesitation comes from the fact that pruning cannot be undone and the process can seem complex. But pruning is essential in April if you want your roses to thrive.

This is the time where you need to be aware of the type of roses in your garden. Pruning is different in April for the different types and some - like old garden roses - should only get basic 3-D pruning (e.g. removal of dead, diseased and broken canes) before they bloom in spring or summer.

So, start with that basic pruning for all of your roses. Check the rose bushes for wood that appears to be dead or diseased. Note broken canes as well. Prune out all of these problem canes. With dead canes, you will need to remove them entirely. For broken or partially diseased canes, cut each one back to healthy, green parts of the stem. Cut at a 45 degree angle, ideally just above an outward-facing bud. You can also prune back crossing branches that can cause problems as they grow.

Now let’s talk specifics for what additional pruning to do in April. This depends on the species of roses in your garden.

• Old garden roses: stop pruning in April after doing this basic pruning.
• Hybrid tea roses: in April, prune back to 18 inches (45 cm) above the soil.
• Grandiflora: in April, prune back to 18 inches (45 cm) above the soil.
• Floribunda roses: in April, prune out some of the inside canes in each cluster to allow the air to enter, then prune them back to 2 or 3 feet (.6 - 1m) above the soil.
• Mini roses: in April, only do light shaping.
• Shrub roses (including Knockouts): prune out any canes that are noticeably smaller than the other canes, since they probably will not produce flowers; prune out thick, old, less productive canes as close to the crown as possible; then reduce the size of the shrub to one-third of its height.

5. Watch for Pests and Diseases

Apply rose fungicides to prevent fungal diseases. Look on the leaves - particularly the undersides - for sap-sucking pests like aphids, and wash them off with the hose.

March is that magical month when gardens start to stir from winter’s dormancy. And, for roses in particular, it’s a signal to wake up, stretch, and start preparing for a summer of glorious blooms... so long as you give them a little love.

Yes, taking the right steps in March sets your roses up for stronger stems, vibrant flowers, and a season full of color. While they're hardy plants, they respond brilliantly to early attention; even a little pruning, feeding, and disease prevention in March can prevent problems later, not to mention encourage bigger, brighter blooms than ever.

Think about March rose care, then, a little like laying a strong foundation: the better you do now, the more spectacular your summer roses will be.

March Rose Care for Any Zone

Look, not all gardens are the same. What works for a rose in sunny Georgia isn’t the same as what’s ideal for one in snowy Minnesota. That’s why thinking in USDA Planting Zones is key to success.

From pruning to fertilizing, planting to disease prevention, this guide breaks down exactly what you should do to classic garden roses (such as hybrid teas, floribundas, and shrub varieties) in March, tailored to your growing conditions, so you can give them the best chance of thriving.

Let's dive on in, shall we?

Zone 1-4: Northern Climates

Baby, it might be cold outside, but late March is the perfect time to start waking your roses from winter dormancy. Begin with the Three Ds (that's dead, diseased, or damaged branches), before thinning out congested branches to improve airflow and prepare for healthy growth.

Then, wait until the soil is workable before transplanting or planting new roses, and start feeding with a light, balanced fertilizer as soon as green buds appear. Take care to refresh mulch around the base to protect roots from late frosts and retain moisture, and keep an eye out for emerging pests and early signs of fungal disease, applying preventative treatments as buds begin to swell.

Zone 5-6: Midwest

For Midwest gardens, early March marks the ideal time to prune and shape roses taking care once again to remove any weak or dead canes. Transplanting or adding new roses can begin once the soil is workable, and it’s also a good moment to start a regular feeding schedule if you'd like to encourage strong stems and vibrant blooms.

Again, replenishing mulch will help regulate soil temperature and moisture, and with spring’s unpredictable weather, proactive monitoring for fungal diseases will help keep your roses healthy and thriving.

Shop Rose Pruning Essentials:

Zone 7-8: South Central & Southeast

Lucky enough to be in one of the warmer southern zones? Then March is the prime month for planting new roses or transplanting existing ones (try your birth month rose, if you fancy something extra meaningful).

Pruning should focus on shaping and removing old or weak growth, while regular feeding every four to six weeks encourages vigorous, leafy stems. Mulching two to three inches around the base will help conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Remember: humid spring conditions can foster fungal diseases (think black spot and powdery mildew, neither of which are fun) so it’s wise to apply preventative treatments early.

Zone 9-10: Southwest & California

For gardeners in the Southwest and California, March is a really good time for planting or moving roses, although pruning should stay mostly limited to shaping and removing any damaged canes.

Feeding can be slightly heavier than in cooler zones to support vigorous growth, and maintaining a layer of mulch is important if you want to keep roots cool and conserve water as temperatures rise (why wouldn't you want that for your roses, eh?).

Finally, powdery mildew can be an occasional problem in humid pockets, so water at the roots to keep leaves dry and monitor, monitor, monitor like mad for early signs, as this will help prevent issues before they take hold.

Zone 11+: Tropical / Subtropical

Hey to you, tropical and subtropical zone dwellers! March offers excellent conditions for planting roses before the summer heat arrives, so long as you take care to apply slow-release fertilizer to sustain healthy development, and prune lightly to remove weak or damaged wood.

Mulching (sorry,, we're obsessed with it) helps retain moisture and stabilize soil temperature, and because rising temperatures can encourage aphids and spider mites, watch for pests early and treat promptly to avoid infestations. (A steady stream of water should knock most of them off the leaves).

Again, the guidance above is tailored for classic garden roses, such as hybrid teas, floribundas, and shrub varieties, all of which respond well to pruning, feeding, and mulch in March. If you’re growing climbing or rambling roses, your focus should be slightly different: prune selectively to remove old or dead canes, tie and train stems along supports, and provide regular feeding and mulching to encourage strong growth.

Regardless of the type, attentive care over the month of March gives all roses the best chance of producing bright, healthy blooms through summer. And hey, isn't that what we all want for our rose babies? Get to work...

Babies, it's still cold outside, but we're not far off the point where our gardens wake up in earnest – along with our beloved roses. Or, at least, they would, if only we knew what we were doing.

No matter your USDA Planting Zone, there's no denying that timing and technique make all the difference to roses. And making a few small adjustments now can mean a garden bursting with color and fragrance when summer hits its stride.

I love roses, whether it's a basic bloom or a deeply meaningful birth month rose. However, I often find myself neglecting them over the winter months (just call me a fair-weather friend, I guess).

To make sure I get the most from them come summer, I went straight to the experts: experienced rosarians who’ve spent decades coaxing the most beautiful blooms from these famously finicky plants. I wanted to know what I should be doing right now to set myself up for a dazzling summer display.

What the Rosarians Advise

Before spring really kicks in, I wanted to know what rosarians actually do to prep their roses. Craig Dorschel, Master Rosarian and President of the American Rose Society, told me that it depends on your winter.

"In colder climates, rosarians protect their roses and mostly wait until dormancy, spending the time browsing catalogs, sharpening tools, and planning the growing season ahead," he explained. "In milder zones like Florida, the roses never truly go dormant, so rosarians focus on stripping off old leaves to get ready for pruning."

Pruning Essentials:

It was the first time I realized how much of rose care is about preparation, not just action. And there are plenty more practical tips where they came from, too.

1. Find Sunshine

Sun, it turns out, is non-negotiable. Wes Harvell, a rosarian at Jackson & Perkins, stressed that roses need at least six hours of direct sunlight, and ideally eight or more, with morning sun especially important to dry leaves quickly and prevent disease.

2. Feed the Soil, Not Just the Plant

Wes also reminded me that roses aren’t just heavy feeders: they thrive in rich, living soil.

"Work compost or well-rotted manure into the bed and supplement with a balanced rose fertilizer during the growing season," he suggests.

Something like Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Rose Plant Food should do the trick.

3. Water Deeply

When it comes to rose care, Wes is very clear on one thing in particular: shallow watering leads to weak roots.

As such, he suggests deep watering at the base so moisture reaches 12-18 inches down, rather than shallow, frequent sprinklings that produce weak roots.

4. Prune and Mulch Like a Pro

Pruning, according to Wes, should be done confidently (and by sticking to the Three Ds rule).

"Don’t be shy. Prune in early spring when buds swell, cutting back to outward-facing bud eye to improve airflow and shape. Removing old, weak canes encourages healthier new growth," he says.

Mulching, too, is vital for healthy roses. "A 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch keeps roots cool, holds moisture, and suppresses weeds," adds Wes, noting that, as it breaks down, it improves soil structure over time.

Try something like R&M Organics Premium Organic Compost for this.

Finally, Wes gave me the ultimate tip for easier, rosier summers ahead: choose disease-resistant varieties.

"Modern shrub roses and many heirloom types are bred for resistance," he says, promising this makes for fewer sprays, less fuss, and more reward for your effort. Which means, yes, my eye is now very much on the vibrant Coral Knock Out® Shrub Rose from Nature Hills.

With these insights, I realized that getting a show-stopping rose garden isn’t about doing everything, but doing the right things at the right time – as in, right now, before the buds even start to swell.

Time to get busy, then, I guess...

I’ll fess up from the get-go: I’m a lazy gardener. Don’t get me wrong – I spend plenty of time out in the garden, but I always work to a ratio of minimum effort for maximum reward. I choose low-maintenance plants that don’t need much molly-coddling and metal patio furniture that doesn’t need re-treating every year, and collect time-saving garden hacks like they’re priceless gold coins. The result? By summer, I get to put my feet up on that patio sofa and enjoy my gorgeous garden, rather than be forever tending it.

And this little trick to keep your roses healthy is a game-changer! I do it every year, and it never fails to keep my roses free from pests such as aphids and scale insects, and means I never have to resort to spraying or – yuck! – scraping them off by hand. My pesticide-free garden is more wildlife-friendly and, free from the stress of these sap-sucking insects, my roses grow strong and healthy, laden with beautiful blooms.

The Easy Trick to Pest-Free Roses

This hack is insanely easy yet effective, as long as you take action right now. You’re going to delegate the job of pest control to your garden birds and, to show your feathered friends where their juicy new aphid-feasting joint is – aka your prized roses – all you need do is hang up some suet balls.

Goldfinches, chickadees, titmice, sparrows and wrens are all voracious eaters of aphids, particularly when they're feeding their young in spring. They’ll also pick off thrips, scale insects, spider mites and sawfly larvae, all of which can distort rose growth and cause a rapid decline in plant health.

These omnivorous garden birds rely on seed through the winter but, as spring approaches, they switch to a mostly insect-based diet. When their chicks hatch, there’s a sharp increase in feeding requirements, and all those tiny insects ravaging your roses provide the perfect bite-sized, high-protein tidbits to nourish their young.

Your only job, then, is to show your local avian pest-control team where this fast-food joint is. Do this in February, when the weather is still cold enough that birds are hungry for food to survive, and offer high-fat suet balls that supply warming energy in spades, and it’s easy. Simply hang a few single-ball feeders on stronger rose stems and, in a couple of weeks, the birds will find them. These petite feeders look pretty, too, adorning a still-bare winter garden.

Hooked Single Suet Feeders

Why it Works to Prevent Pests Too

There’s another benefit to hanging the feeders up before spring, too. As soon as the birds start spending more time around this new food source, they’ll discover a heap of tasty insects overwintering on and around your roses.

Several pests overwinter on roses as eggs laid on stems and buds, larvae in the surrounding soil and leaf debris and, in milder climates, as active adults. Aphids, especially the rose aphid (Macrosiphum rosae), commonly overwinter as eggs laid on rose stems. Call in the bird brigade now to reduce the number of eggs left to hatch, and you'll instantly lower the risk of an aphid infestation ruining your rose blooms later on. And every egg counts because rose aphids multiply incredibly quickly: a single female can produce up to 90 offspring in 7–10 days in optimal conditions, and an aphid nymph is often already pregnant when it's born!

Rose scale insects (Aulacaspis rosae) also overwinter as eggs, beneath an encrusted waxy substance on rose stems, while spider mites often shelter in a dormant state among fallen leaves beneath the plant. Sawflies, also known as rose slugs, spend the winter as pupae in the soil and emerge as adult wasps in early spring to lay eggs on leaf edges. These only take a week or two to hatch into the small, pale green caterpillar-like creatures that quickly skeletonize rose leaves, so it makes good sense to have your bird army ready and waiting to pick them off.

Balls to Tempt the Right Birds

I hope you try this clever little hack for yourself, and it works just as well in your garden as it does in mine. Feeding birds is always a delight, but when it helps keep your backyard blooming, it's even better!

We all know that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet – but there’s something extra special about breathing in the scent of your very own birth month rose. And now is the perfect time to plant yours, as February is one of the most important moments in the rose calendar.

Oh yes, this is peak time for planting bare-root roses (aka those dormant, soil-free plants that establish quickly and often outperform container-grown roses once spring arrives), as February planting in most USDA Planting Zones gives roses a valuable head start before warmer weather kicks in. And this, in turn, makes February a surprisingly meaningful month to think about roses symbolically.

From color meanings to historical significance, roses have long been associated with personality, emotion and storytelling. Pairing a rose with a birth month, then, adds another layer, connecting seasonal energy with character and temperament. What could be better, eh?

Your Birth Month Rose

You've heard of a birth month flower and a birth month houseplant, but have you heard of a birth month rose?

To help you find yours, we've painstakingly matched each month of the year to a rose that reflects its mood and meaning. So, whether you’re planting now or simply discovering “your” rose, each one will tell a story worth knowing.

Without any further ado, then...

January – Golden Celebration

Rich golden blooms and a powerful fragrance make Golden Celebration® a birth month rose full of warmth and optimism. It symbolizes resilience, generosity and quiet strength, which feels more than fitting for those born at the start of the year.

Like January babies everywhere, this one thrives when given time to establish and rewards patience with abundance. And, as luck would have it, you can buy a Golden Celebration® Yellow Rose Bush via Heirloom Roses Store on Amazon.

February – Olivia Rose Austin

Soft pink, balanced and endlessly elegant, this rose embodies love, kindness and emotional depth? February birthdays are often associated with empathy and connection, and Olivia Rose Austin reflects that beautifully.

It’s also one of the most reliable performers across many US zones, making it a no-brainer for rose lovers everywhere, whether they're a February baby or not. Pick up your very own Olivia Rose Austin® via David Austin Roses now.

March – Virginia Rose

Blooming just as spring awakens, the Virginia rose represents new beginnings, authenticity and grounded growth. This native species is tough, adaptable and wildlife-friendly, making it a perfect match for March’s sense of transition and renewal.

Bag yourself a Virginia Rose via Nature Hills now.

April – Zephirine Drouhin

A thornless old garden rose with fragrant, soft pink blooms, Zephirine Drouhin suits April’s gentle, renewing energy. It symbolizes grace, ease and enduring charm, which is perfect for gardeners who value fragrance and unfussy performance.

Its sociable blooms and forgiving nature make it a keeper in many US landscapes, too, so you'll be well rewarded if you grab yourself a Zephirine Drouhin from Nature Hills.

May – Coral Knock Out® Shrub Rose

Coral Knock Out® embodies the vibrant, joyful spirit of May with its abundant coral blossoms and effortless bloom habit. This modern shrub rose embodies that quiet strength, optimism and everyday beauty of a May baby, making it perfect for gardeners who want a reliable, long-flowering rose without fuss.

Unlike more traditional roses, Coral Knock Out® is celebrated for its ability to maintain health and colour through heat, rain and common diseases. For May birthdays (and gardeners with busy lives) it’s a confident, lively choice that keeps the season smiling.

June – Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina)

Carolina rose is a native North American species known for its soft pink, lightly fragrant blooms that appear as summer begins. Flowering in early summer, it captures June’s sense of balance: not as delicate as spring, but not yet at the intensity of high summer.

Unlike many cultivated roses, this resilient beauty thrives without fuss, supporting pollinators and local wildlife while bringing understated charm to the garden. And, for gardeners who value plants that feel at home in the landscape, Carolina rose is a meaningful June choice. More than enough reasons to treat yourself to your very own Carolina rose from Prairie Nurseries, quite frankly.

July – Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose

Mister Lincoln is the classic deep red rose that many Americans envision when they think of roses. With velvety petals and a rich, intoxicating fragrance, this hybrid tea rose symbolizes passion, bold expression and enduring affection.... all of which is fantastically well-suited to July’s warm, spirited energy.

A staple in many US gardens since its introduction in the mid-20th century, Mister Lincoln brings both classic elegance and garden performance. Its striking blooms stand out in summer beds and borders, making it a meaningful choice for those born in the heart of summer (and for gardeners who appreciate roses with timeless personality, obviously)

August – Yves Piaget

Beloved by none other than Pamela Anderson, Yves Piaget is a bold, deeply fragrant rose with lavish, peony-like blooms in rich raspberry pink. Known for its powerful old-rose perfume with citrus notes, this variety feels unapologetically expressive... much like August babies, who are famed for their warmth, confidence and big personalities.

You can buy Yves Piaget bare-root roses via Grace Rose Farm, which lists the variety as hardy across USDA Zones 6–10: positively ideal for much of the continental U.S.

September – Rugosa Rose

Rugosa rose is hardy, fragrant, and blooms from mid-summer through early fall, making it ideal for September. Its resilient nature, abundant flowers, and striking red hips symbolize endurance, vitality, and enduring charm, making it perfect for those born in the transition from summer to fall.

It’s also a native-friendly choice that supports pollinators and thrives across much of the US. We're especially fond of the striking Hansa Hybrid Rugosa Rose variety from Nature Hills, not least of all because its silky cerise flowers are in show all summer long.

October – Ballerina Rose

Usually, October babies find themselves tied to all things gothic, so the delicate, soft-pink clusters of the Ballerina rose may come as a surprise here. However, this birth month rose perfectly captures October’s sense of elegance and grace.

Blooming late into the season, this hardy rose symbolizes poise, resilience, and enduring charm, offering a gentle farewell to summer’s warmth while welcoming the first hints of fall.

November – Sunbelt® Polar Express

Sunbelt® Polar Express is a cream‑white floribunda shrub rose known for its elegant clusters of long‑lasting blooms and glossy, dark foliage. Its soft, ivory flowers evoke the quiet beauty of early winter landscapes (just like snow settling at sunset!) making it a fitting match for November.

Symbolically, Polar Express represents warmth in cool times, enduring charm, and quiet grace – all qualities that feel especially resonant in November, when gardens begin their slow transition toward winter. Its luminous blooms offer a subtle contrast to the browning beds and fading borders, echoing the idea of beauty enduring through seasonal change.

December – Paint the Town Shrub Rose

Paint the Town Shrub Rose brings bold red blooms and glossy green foliage to the garden through much of the growing season, creating a festive, enduring presence that suits December’s warmth and goodwill.

Hardy from USDA Zones 4-9, this disease‑resistant shrub rose symbolises joy, celebration and classic beauty, bridging the gap between autumn’s blooms and winter’s quiet landscapes. Its striking flowers and long season of interest make it a spirited choice for those born in the winter months.

And just like that, you have your perfect birth month rose!

So, whether you’re planting bare-root roses this February or simply discovering the symbolism behind your special bloom, there's no denying that roses offer a beautiful blend of meaning, seasonality and story.

One that you've paired perfectly with your birth month, however? Well, that's one that grows richer with time. Enjoy.

I love my roses to bits, but every winter I get that little pang of panic when the forecast starts muttering about “the big freeze.” And honestly? There’s only one thing that’s ever made a real difference: mounding the base of each plant with a big, cozy pile of compost.

The idea is simple enough. If you pile up 6-10 inches of rich compost or soil around the base of each tied-up rose, that little mound? That will work its magic as it protects the crown and upper roots from freeze-thaw damage (aka the real killer of roses over winter; it’s rarely just down to cold temperatures themselves).

Still, while mulching is key to keeping our roses alive over the winter, it all hinges on the type of mulch you use. Thankfully, the one and only Martha Stewart – who grows roses en masse at her current estate in Bedford, NY – knows exactly which product we should all be using, and how best to apply it, too.

The Best Mulch for Winterizing Roses

Before we get into that all-important product, there’s a bit more work to winterizing roses than just mulching. As Martha Stewart puts it in her blog on winter garden prep, these classic blooms ‘need a thorough clean-up before winter'.

'Cut off any dead or diseased canes and remove leaves and weeds around the base of the plant. Check climbers to make sure that long canes are securely tied,' she adds, noting that this is the point you should cover them in fresh compost if you want to keep them safe during extreme low temperatures and even occasional thaws..

Of course, if you don’t have wheelbarrows of homemade brown gold sitting around, you can follow mine and Martha's lead; start using Miracle-Gro Performance Organics All-Purpose In-Ground Garden Soil for the job instead.

Happily, you can buy this one in bulk via Amazon, which feels reassuring when you’ve got half a dozen roses giving you the side-eye. That being said, there are other options; most rosarians, including the geniuses at David Austin Roses, will recommend any good quality soil improver as your mulch material.

'Alternatively, you can use a good quality garden compost, composted straw or bark, or well rotted manure from a local farm,' they add.

If you opt for the latter, though, be sure to only (and I really do mean only) do so if the manure is at least two years old. Fresh manure runs hot, that can cause all sorts of problems for your precious dormant roses. Play it safe, then, when caring for roses in winter, and use a product that comes with the Martha Stewart seal of approval, I say!

Winterizing Roses: Your Essential Shopping List

It’s one of those ridiculously easy tricks that pays off long-term. That's why bulk-buying this Miracle-Gro soil off Amazon during the Black Friday sales – and using it to dump a generous winter 'quilt' around my roses, obviously – has become my favourite tiny act of winter garden prep.

It’s quick, it’s strangely satisfying, and it basically guarantees I won’t be out here in March mourning a bunch of shrivelled sticks where my favorite flowers once stood. Hurray!

Their sweet fragrance will become the perfume of next year’s hazy golden months, but the secret to next year’s showstopping roses? It actually begins right now in November.

Yes, as the days shorten and temperatures dip, your roses might not look like anything to write home about. However, this is the point in the year when they are (depending on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone) entering dormancy – aka the crucial rest period that sets the stage for vigorous growth come spring.

Stop thinking of November as a time to rest on your laurels, then, and instead try to see it as the quiet backstage prep for your roses before their big performance in 2026. Because, with just a few smart steps now, you’ll give your roses everything they need to bounce back with strong stems and abundant flowers next year.

1. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

Mulching sometimes gets written off as optional extra, but if you want beautiful roses next summer, it’s essential. In most regions, early to mid-November is the perfect time to lay down a thick, 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch: something like compost, well-rotted manure, or Amazon's Premium Brown Wood Mulch should work beautifully.

Once it’s in place, your mulch acts as a natural blanket, insulating the soil against temperature swings and preventing frost heave that can expose the roots of your beloved roses. It also helps retain moisture, keeps weeds down, and slowly enriches the soil as it breaks down.

Just take care that, when you spread it, you keep the mulch a few inches away from the base of each rose cane. Piling it right up against the stems can trap moisture and invite that dreaded root rot to play.

2. Plant Bare-Root Roses

If you’ve been dreaming about adding new roses to your garden, November is prime time to do it as it’s when you can plant bare-root roses: the eco-friendly, easy-to-ship option that’s far cheaper than potted plants.

Whether you fancy planting Pamela Anderson’s favorite rose, or prefer something like the romantic Emily Brontë™ Shrub Rose Bred By David Austin, your best bet is to get them in the ground now. After all, bare-root roses establish strong root systems over winter, ready to burst into growth with spring’s first warmth.

Simply soak the roots in water for an hour before planting, then set them in a hole deep enough that the graft union (the swollen bump where the stems meet the roots) sits just below soil level. Backfill, water well, and finish with mulch.

TOP TIP: This is also the best time to transplant established roses if you need to – or, y’know, want to – rearrange your garden. Move them while dormant, dig up as much of the root ball as possible, and replant immediately at the same depth in well-amended soil.

3. Stop Fertilizing ASAP

It’s tempting to give your roses one last boost before winter really sets in, but resist the urge to fertilize them in November. Feeding them now only encourages tender new growth that won’t have time to harden before the first frost arrives.

Instead, stop fertilizing completely by early November and let your roses start winding down so they can shift energy back into the roots, building reserves for the following year. You can still deadhead any straggling blooms or tidy up fallen leaves, but skip the heavy pruning until late winter or early spring, once the worst frosts are over.

Your Shopping List

By mulching, planting, and giving your roses a proper winter rest, you’re setting them up for their best season yet. Come early summer, those blooms by which any other name would still smell as sweet (thanks, Shakespeare!) will reward you with healthy foliage, plentiful buds, and fragrant blooms that make every moment of November effort worthwhile.

So pull on your gloves, grab a spade and a bag of mulch, and spend an hour or two tending to your roses this month. You’ll thank yourself – and hopefully us, too – when you’re surrounded by color next June…

They say a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, so it makes sense that these beautiful flowers feature heavily in the life of the one and only Pamela Anderson.

The Last Showgirl star has been through something of a renaissance of late, reclaiming her narrative via a powerful Netflix documentary and favouring a barefaced, makeup-free look after years spent as a glamour icon. Time and time again, she’s said that she owes much of her soulful reinvention to the pretty outdoor space she’s cultivated on her family’s Vancouver Island plot – and, in particular, one of the hybrid tea varieties in her beloved rose garden.

“I love my Yves Piaget roses. [And] I also harvest rose hips and make face oils and all sorts of beauty treatments out of them,” she recently told Architectural Digest.

Honestly, it’s one hell of a garden-to-beauty secret worth stealing: grow a gorgeous rose, harvest its fruit, then turn it into your own skincare staple. And for gardeners across the U.S., November is the perfect month to start.

Why Pamela Anderson’s Favorite Rose is a Standout Beauty

Named for the French fashion designer known for his romantic couture, the Yves Piaget rose is every bit as show-stopping as its namesake: think deep, peony-pink petals with a velvety texture, a wonderful fragrance with hints of citrus, and long stems with blooms so lush they look like they belong in a perfume ad.

Even better? Pamela Anderson’s favorite rose 100% delivers the perfect ingredient for DIY beauty rituals, too.

If you’re now tempted to follow in the actor’s footsteps and plant one of your own, you’re in luck. November is the perfect time to plant bare-root roses across the bulk of USDA Plant Hardiness Zones – and it’s actually a great way to save money, too.

Yes, really: a ready-grown Yves Piaget will cost you anywhere between $70 and $129, whereas you can bulk buy bare-root varieties starting at a wallet-friendly $37.60 apiece.

How to Plant Yves Piaget Bare-Root Roses

In November, bare-root roses are dormant, meaning they can settle their roots quietly through the winter and burst into life come spring. And you can buy Yves Piaget bare-root roses via Grace Rose Farm, which lists the variety as hardy across USDA Zones 6–10: positively ideal for much of the continental U.S.

To give yours the best start, choose a sunny spot (at least six hours of sunlight a day), dig a generous hole, and enrich the soil with compost before gently spreading the roots. Keep the graft point just at or below the soil line in cooler regions, and a touch above in warmer zones.

Water deeply, then mulch to protect from frost. By the time spring rolls around, your Yves Piaget® rose will reward you with those famously fragrant, ruffled pink blooms that made Pamela fall in love in the first place.

How to Care for Your Bare-Root Rose

To keep Pamela Anderson’s favorite rose healthy and abundant, feed itregularly with an organic fertiliser such as Espoma Rose-Tone or Dr Earth Total Advantage Rose & Flower Food (both available on Amazon). Deadhead spent flowers to encourage repeat blooming, and keep an eye out for aphids and black spot: a quick spritz of Amazon’s Neem oil spray will usually keep pests and diseases at bay.

Come late summer, you can let a few blooms fade naturally to form hips… as in, yes, the very same glossy seed pods Pamela harvests for her home-made oils.

Whether you use them or simply enjoy how they catch the autumn light, there’s something quietly restorative about completing that same garden-to-self loop. Because, as the actor well and truly proves, tending roses isn’t only about the flowers you grow: it’s about the calm, beauty, and sense of renewal that take root along the way.

Not sure how much you should cut your roses back in the fall? It’s one of those deceptively simple garden chores that even the laziest of us can learn to love; a little snip here, a tiny trim there, and a whole world of difference come spring.

Still, the “how much” and “when” depend entirely on the types of roses you grow… and where you live (aka which USDA plant hardiness zone you’re in). Cut too early or too hard and you risk shocking your plants just as they’re settling in for winter. Leave them too wild, and strong winds can snap stems or rock the roots loose.

So, what’s the Goldilocks balance when it comes to pruning roses in the fall? Here’s what you need to know if you want to nail this all-important part of your rose care calendar…

Know Your Rose

Before you reach for those trusty pruners, it’s vital you take a moment to identify your rose type:

1. Hybrid Teas and Floribundas

Hybrid teas and floribundas are best left mostly intact until early spring, when you can prune hard to encourage new growth. In fall, resist the urge to cut back heavily; simply remove any spindly, crossing, or dead wood and trim the longest stems by a few inches to prevent wind damage.

Think of this as the lightest of featherlight trims rather than a full-on haircut.

2. Climbing Roses

Don’t be tempted to cut your rambling roses back now, as fall pruning can remove the very canes that will flower next year.

Instead, gently tie in any new long stems to prevent them whipping about in the wind, and snip off any broken or diseased sections. Save the structural pruning for late spring, after their first flush of blooms.

3. Knock Out Roses

Now we’re talking! Your showier Knock Out roses should be cut back in the fall to around 30 inches tall, as this helps to keep them compact and prevents heavy snow from snapping the branches.

In milder zones, where this is less of a problem, you can reduce by about one-third instead.

Timing is Everything

It’s not just about how much to cut roses back in the fall; as mentioned already, timing is everything. The goal is to wait until your roses are fully dormant but before deep winter sets in: you want to wait until after your first hard frost of the season.

In northern zones (USDA 3–6), that often means mid- to late November. In warmer regions (zones 7–9), you can hold off until December or even early January. However, if you’re unsure, just watch the weather.

When night frosts are regular and the last leaves have dropped, it’s time for your pruners to shine like the gardening star they are.

Clean, Shape, and Protect

Use sharp, sterilised pruners (we really rate the ultra-precise Fiskars Micro-Tip Rose Pruning Shears for this job) and make cuts just above a healthy outward-facing bud at a 45-degree angle.

Keep it light; you want everything to look neat at this point, rather than sheared within an inch of its life.

Then, it’s worth doing a spot of more general winter rose care; clear away all fallen leaves and prunings to reduce disease risk, for example, and mulch generously with compost, bark, or straw to insulate the roots.

In very cold areas, mound extra soil or mulch around the crown for added protection. And, if you grow your roses in containers, move them into a sheltered spot by a wall or wrap pots in burlap to buffer temperature swings.

It can feel difficult to stop trimming once you get started (as anyone who’s taken a pair of scissors to their own bangs will attest). Resist! We promise that, come spring, when you perform a harder prune, you’ll be rewarded for your restraint with vigorous new growth and blooms.

Happy snipping…

A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet… even if it were doused in a cup of joe. Maybe especially so, if experts are to be believed, with many suggesting that you should sprinkle coffee on your roses this October.

Why? Well, if your rose garden is still flowering into fall (lucky you!), now is the time to give these "old-fashioned" flowers a little extra protection. Cool nights and damp weather, after all, are prime conditions for slugs, and these little pests can wreak havoc on fresh buds and tender new growth.

Thankfully, one simple kitchen leftover can make a big difference in keeping hungry slugs at bay and your roses looking their best: used coffee grounds.

Why Coffee Grounds Work in the Fall Garden

You’ve likely seen the claims all over social media and on Martha Stewart’s lifestyle blog: sprinkling dried, used coffee grounds around the base of roses helps deter slugs and suppress weeds at the same time.

How? Well, much like eggshells or gritty sand, coffee grounds act as a physical barrier, irritating slugs and dehydrating their soft bodies, making them think twice before sliding through.

There’s an added bonus, too; a light layer of coffee grounds can help prevent light from reaching weed seeds, reducing their growth around your roses as winter approaches.

You don’t need much; just a thin ring scattered around the outside of the root zone. Think of it as being a little like the salt circles used to deter the witches in Hocus Pocus; just draw a no-entry circle around your plants, and voila!

How to Apply Coffee Grounds Safely

If you decide to make like the masses and sprinkle coffee on your roses this October, take care that you don’t just upend your espresso over your beloved blooms.

Instead, stick to used and dried grounds from your coffee maker or French press; they’re far less acidic than fresh ones, and they’re less likely to clump into a dense mat on the soil surface.

Take care, too, to apply them thoughtfully – especially around roses. You don’t want the grounds to sit directly against the stems, as concentrated nitrogen or moisture could burn or rot the plant, and avoid piling more than half an inch deep.

You want a sprinkle, basically, and not a mulch layer.

What If You Don’t Drink Coffee?

Of course, it’s all well and good saying it’s a great idea to sprinkle coffee on your roses this October, but it’s no good to you if you don’t drink the stuff.

While you could ask your local café (many coffee shops are happy to give away used grounds for free), there is a more permanent option in the form of copper tape or copper rings, which are also known to repel slugs.

Something like Amazon’s GONZO Copper Stopper Slug and Snail Barrier Tape should do the trick nicely.

We know, we know; October is often the last push before roses begin to slow down for winter. Still, with the right care, they can continue blooming well into fall, especially in warmer USDA Hardiness Zones. And a little slug protection? Why, that can make the difference between flowers that fade naturally and buds that get chewed and chomped through before they’ve even had a chance to open.

Next time you make your morning brew, then, don’t toss the grounds straight into the bin. Instead, treat your roses to their own caffeine fix. With any luck, they will put them to much better use…

Why go for flowers that look like roses instead of the real thing? Don’t get me started! I am an experienced gardener and a happy one, but roses and I have never gotten along.

I love the gorgeous blossoms, especially the scented varieties, and I’ve planted, watered, pruned and fertilized these beauties - but it takes a lot of effort and I have my life to live! To me, the rose is the prima donna of the plant kingdom. Roses are truly romantic flowers, and if you are up to the effort, detailed articles about how to grow roses won’t phase you.

Here's a busy gardener’s secret: there are plants with flowers similar to roses that are easy to grow, drought-resistant, tolerant of a wide range of soil and sun conditions, and attract pollinators. And they don’t even have any thorns. Ready, set, run to the garden store!

Flowers Like Roses, but Nicer

For those seeking less demanding beauty, this article is for you. Do yourself a favor and opt for flowers that resemble varieties of roses but are easier to care for. Here are five of my own favorites.

1. Tulip 'Angelique'

We all know and love tulips as easy-care bulb flowers that appear in spring. Tulip 'Angelique' – aka double peony tulips – is a supersized variety of the standard, blessed with long stems and twice as many petals. Full and fair, a blooming tulip angelique has the shape and drama of a fine, fat rose.

On the other hand, double peony tulips don’t require white-glove treatment. They are just as easy to plant and maintain as regular tulips and come in the same rainbow range of colors. Be sure they get well-draining soil and a location with some sun, and you are good to go. Substitute tulips for roses and you’ve bought yourself time to sit in the hammock and delight in the blossoms. Fall is the perfect time to plant your tulip bulbs and Burpee has a soft pink 'Angelique' tulip on sale now.

2. Double-bloom Ranunculus

Ranunculus flower varieties with double-blooms have a lot in common with rose. A wealth of thin, ruffly petals in multiple hues of romantic red, white, yellow and pink will decorate your garden. The stems range from short to 2 feet (.6m) tall, and the small, rose-like blooms appear in spring like daffodils and tulips.

Easy-care and deer resistant, ranunculus are easy to plant since they grow from corms. If you live in one of the warmer zones, - USDA 8 or above – they’ll reappear faithfully year after year, but they also make stunning annuals in cooler regions. Find a sunny and gorgeous 'Tropical Sunset' mix of ranunculus corms from Walmart.

3. Lisianthus

Lisianthus flowers (Eustoma russellianum) have stems that are long and upright, like roses, and the blooms are rose-like too, many-petaled, pillowy and bell-shaped. Pick a pink, red, or white variety to get a rose look-alike; the color contrasts nicely with the long, dark green leaves. Lisianthus is also known as prairie gentian and the cut flowers are often included in wedding bouquets.

These native flowers need full sun in the north but partial shade farther south. Plant in well-draining soil. They are sensitive to direct sun, as it can burn their delicate petals. If you are planting lisianthus, expect the plants to return year after year in warm zones, but they do well as annuals in cooler zones. Find a beautiful mixed pack of lisianthus seeds from Amazon.

4. Pink Evening Primrose

I was raised in central Alaska, where wildflowers were few and far between. The wild roses of my childhood had only a single layer of petals, four or five, around a yellow center. Maybe that’s why I love pink evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa), with four curving pink petals around a yellow core. Like my fragile Alaska roses, pink evening primrose are also native plants and extremely adaptable to local conditions including sandy or rocky soil. Two hours of direct sun a day is plenty.

The cool thing about this primrose is that the blossoms close in the sun, opening up only when the sky is cloudy or night is falling. Each rose-like bloom drops oodles of seeds, so don’t be surprised if the primrose population spreads each year. In warmer areas, they can bloom all year long if they get sufficient water. Purchase pink evening primrose seeds from Park Seed.

5. Peony

Low-maintenance peonies have big, plump blossoms, with layer upon layer of frilly petals creating a soft, fluffy-looking flower. Their beautiful blooms look a lot like garden roses. The stems can get to 3 or 4 feet (1m), and come in shades of rose, coral, pink, white and lilac.

But they are so much easier to grow! The shrubs producing these soft, romantic, feminine flowers are cold hardy plants (USDA hardiness zones 3-8) and need little pruning or mulching. They aren’t demanding in the garden, hold their own against pests, and can live a decade or longer. Site them in a sunny location with well-draining soil. Purchase vibrant pink Karl Rosenfield peony tubers from Lowe's.

You don't have to lose out on bold colors and lush petals if roses aren't in the cards for your yard. Planting one of these gorgeous alternatives to roses is sure to add charm to your landscape.

Black spot can sneak up on roses fast, if you're not careful. Its dark, splotchy marks thrive in damp, humid spots and can spread like wildfire, if left untreated. I’ve lost a few plants myself trying to fight it off, so I know it’s no picnic.

Gardeners are leaning hard into natural solutions these days, avoiding sprays that mess with the yard’s natural ecosystem. But is there a natural black spot remedy for roses? There's a surprising (and beautiful) natural cure that has potential: underplanting roses with salvia. This unique, eco-friendly trick is worth a look, especially with humid summer air fueling fungal trouble.

Many people are interested in companion planting for the benefits both plants receive. This includes using rose companion plants like salvia to stave off diseases like black spot on roses. Let's dig into whether or not this organic pest control method actually works and walk through how to try it in your garden.

What Is Black Spot?

Black spot disease on roses, which is caused by the tricky Diplocarpon rosae fungus, loves wet leaves and cool weather, making it a real challenge to tame. Once it takes hold, black spots grow, leaves yellow, and your rose’s strength fades.

I’ve seen it weaken a bush in no time. Traditional fungicides can work but leave me uneasy with their chemical load. That’s why underplanting with salvia has caught my eye as a greener option.

The idea is that salvia’s scent could possibly fight and prevent the fungus naturally, and with gardeners craving eco-friendly tricks, it’s a pretty hot topic. I’ve been using this trick in my own patch as I've learned how to grow roses over the years and it has worked wonderfully.

Benefits of Salvia for Roses

Salvia, also commonly called sage, are colorful flowers that can bring life to any garden. These beauties range from herbaceous types that die back in winter to shrubby ones that stick around all year. Many salvia varieties grow in USDA planting zones 4-9, though hardiness varies depending on the type.

I’ve got a few salvias in my yard. ‘Hot Lips’ salvia, which you can get on Amazon, is my favorite. It has drought-tolerant red and white blooms that shine in summer. They love sun and well-drained soil and flower from late spring to fall, drawing in tons of bees and butterflies.

Salvia's aromatic leaves give off a scent when they are warm and it’s that smell that folks think might help roses. I’ve noticed the fragrance perks up my borders nicely as well. Plus, learning how to care for salvia is pretty easy, too.

How Planting Salvia With Roses Prevents Black Spot

As I mentioned, the buzz around companion planting salvia and roses hinges on salvia's scent. When the sun heats up the aromatic salvia leaves they release oils with sulfur, which, according to the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery Journal, acts like a natural fungicide.

The theory goes that this wafts up through the rose bush, hitting black spot spores and slowing their spread. I’ve learned that the sulfur messes with the fungus’s ability to grow, and since black spot needs moisture to thrive, this could disrupt its cycle.

I tried tucking some salvia under my ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ rose, which you can get on last spring because the idea of using a living shield against black spot really clicked with me. It's natural, easy, and adds beauty to the garden.

Does This Natural Remedy Really Work?

The evidence of the efficacy of this method is a bit shaky, but intriguing. Some gardeners swear by planting salvia under roses, claiming fewer black spots on leaves. I’ve heard similar chatter from folks online.

The sulfur theory makes sense. Fungicides often use it, like this sulfur fungicide from Amazon that can help treat black spot on roses. But no big studies pin down using salvia to help roses specifically.

I’ve always noticed that my salvia-adjacent roses had far less spotting in the summer compared to the others. Though that could be due to better air flow or just simple luck.

Experts suggest that underplanting roses with salvia might help as part of a broader plan, not a solo fix. I keep testing it more each year to see if the pattern holds.

Pros and Cons of This Method

The upsides of this organic gardening hack are tempting. Salvia adds beauty, has a long bloom time, attracts pollinators, and might cut black spot naturally. All this, without the need for manufactured chemicals. I love how my yard looks with those pops of color from the salvia, too.

But this method isn't perfect. Salvia needs sun and well-draining soil, which might not suit every rose's growing needs. Plus, it won’t stop black spot if conditions are too wet.

I found my salvia struggled in a shady corner. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, overgrowth from large and lush salvia plants can crowd roses if you’re not careful. Salvia is a helper, not a hero, and I weigh that trade-off each season.

How To Try Underplanting Roses With Salvia

If you’re game to try, pick a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Add grit if soil is heavy, like I did. Choose a hardy salvia variety, like ‘Nachtvlinder’ or ‘Caradonna’, which you can get at Home Depot. Plant salvia in spring, spacing it about 1 foot (30 cm) away from your roses.

I mulch with organic matter in winter to smother spores and keep roots cozy. Trim back in spring when new growth starts and watch for overcrowding. You’ll want to give those roses room to breathe.

I’ve been doing this routine and it’s kept my rose bed looking great so far. Another kicker is that this isn’t just for roses. You can try this trick with most plants and there are many different combinations to play with.

More Natural Methods To Try

Don’t rely on salvia alone. Team it with other tricks. Clear fallen leaves in fall to ditch spores and prune for good air flow in spring using clean shears, like these from Amazon. Water at the base, not the leaves, especially in the morning, to keep things dry.

Natural remedies like baking soda sprays or Neem oil can boost defense. Picking black spot-resistant rose varieties helps, too. I have my favorite Neem extract that can be found on Amazon as well. Since I've mixed these methods with companion planting salvia, my roses are holding up better than ever!

There are many ways to propagate roses, from taking cuttings to layering and grafting, or even growing from seed. There is no definitive method – each has its pros and cons. Try the different options to find one that works best for you and your garden.

Propagation is a key aspect of learning how to grow roses and will enable you to enjoy these beautiful and classic centerpieces of the garden for many years. It's also a great way to share favorite plants as gifts or to trade varieties with fellow gardeners.

Here, we delve into the five most common rose propagation methods and discuss the best option for your goals and the time of year.

1. Propagating Roses from Cuttings

Growing roses from cuttings is the easiest propagation method for most gardeners. It takes time and patience, but not a lot of skill. You can take softwood cuttings of fresh, green growth in spring or semi-hardwood cuttings later in the season. Softwood cuttings are easy to take and root readily. However, they are more finicky and more prone to injury or damage. Semi-hardwood cuttings will take longer to root, but with patience, they are less likely to get damaged.

Each cutting should be 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20cm) in length. Use sharp, clean pruners to minimize the risk of disease. Fiskars' bypass pruners, available on Amazon, are perfect for the task, as the bypass action is less likely to cause stem damage.

Rooting is best done in soil or potting mix. Remove any foliage from the bottom 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5cm) and push the cutting into the moist soil. Your cuttings should root within a few weeks, but you might want to wait until the following spring to plant them outside. This means being patient, but it gives the rose a better chance of surviving outdoors.

While not essential, dipping the cuttings in rooting hormone before potting them can increase the chances of success. Garden Safe's TakeRoot rooting hormone, available at Amazon, contains 3-butyric acid, which mimics plants' natural root hormone.

If you don't have any potting soil to hand, then rooting roses in water will work, but it is less reliable and takes more time. Refresh the water every three to five days, and pot up cuttings once the roots are 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10cm) long.

2. Layering Roses

Plant layering is a propagation technique that requires a bit more skill than taking cuttings, but it’s not too difficult. To do it, find a long, flexible cane that you can easily bend down to the ground. Lightly scrape or cut the part of the cane that will make contact with the ground and apply a rooting hormone to it.

Bury the scraped or cut portion of the stem under the soil to a depth of about one to three inches (2.5 to 7.5cm). Keep it well watered throughout the summer, and it will begin to root. You might need to put something with weight on top of the buried cane to hold it down.

It’s best to leave the offshoot attached to the parent until the following spring. You can then sever the cane, and you have a new plant.

Air layering is another way to achieve the same means and involves enclosing the stem with soil in mid-air, without bending it down. This MIIIM air layering propagation kit from Amazon contains 10 pods that are simply clipped around the rose stems while filled with moist soil or sphagnum moss. You need to peel the outer layer of the stem section first.

3. Propagation by Division

Propagating through division is another straightforward and fairly easy method for most gardeners. It is not commonly used for roses, but can be used successfully for varieties that sucker or grow on their own roots, rather than grafted roses. One downside to division is that it requires some physical strength to dig deep enough into the soil to remove a division and its roots. If you are unable to do this, cuttings will be easier.

The best time to divide a rose is in early spring while it is still dormant. You’ll dig between the main plant and an offshoot, severing the roots between the two. The division you take should have at least one strong, healthy root. Transplant it to its new location right away.

4. Rose Seed Planting

It’s possible to grow roses from seed, but keep in mind that you won’t get exactly the same plant. Seed propagation is sexual reproduction, so it will not produce a clone of the parent plant. This method can also be more difficult. It requires more skill and a lot more patience, as it takes two to three years to grow a mature rose bush from a seed.

One of the difficulties of planting rose seeds is stratification. They must be planted in soil and exposed to cold temperatures (about 40°F or 4°C) for two or three months. This process can be simulated with a refrigerator.

Some types of roses need exposure to warmer temperatures before the cold stratification. After cold exposure, seeds can be placed in a warm spot to germinate and grow. If you don’t get this process right, the seeds won’t germinate.

Another challenge is that not all varieties reliably produce rose hips. If yours do, you can collect seeds from them. Collect the hips and cut them open to remove the seeds. Rinse them to remove the pulp. Let the seeds dry for storage, or begin the stratification and germination process right away.

5. Rose Grafting

Grafting roses is a method of propagation that involves joining a piece of the rose you want to propagate (called the scion) with rootstock from another rose. This method requires many steps and a lot of skill. It is not recommended for most home gardeners.

If you want to learn how to graft, it’s best to learn directly from a master gardener. Your local extension office may offer courses in rose growing that include grafting. You can try grafting on your own, but be aware that your early efforts might not be successful.

You'll need some equipment to get started, such as a grafting knife and tape, which can be found in this Treekote grafting kit from Amazon.

How to Choose the Best Propagation Method

Rose propagation methods range from easy for beginners to advanced and difficult:

• For beginners, cuttings and divisions are the easiest and most reliable ways to propagate a favorite rose bush.
• If you’re interested in experimenting with new cultivars, try collecting seeds and see what you get. Though you'll need to be patient.
• If you’re looking for a quick fix, division is best, but not suitable for all roses.
• To explore more expert techniques, try layering and grafting.

Best Time to Propagate Roses

The best time for propagating roses depends on the method:

• For softwood cuttings, late spring or early summer is best.
• Take semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer or early fall.
• If you’re starting a rose from seed, you can do it any time of year indoors, but plant out in spring after the last frost.
• Spring is a good time to try layering.
• Divide and transplant roses while still dormant in late winter or early spring.
• Graft roses when they are producing sap and actively growing in midsummer.

Even if you know how to propagate roses, there is one time when you shouldn’t do it. Some cultivars are patented for 20 years. It is illegal to cultivate these by asexual means during this patent period. If you plan to share these varieties, then check that your rose isn’t under patent before propagating.

How Long Does it Take?

The time it takes to propagate roses depends on the method used:

• Division is the fastest way to get a new rose bush from a favorite in your garden. You can divide the offshoot and immediately plant it in a new area.
• Both layering and cuttings take about a year to get good results.
• Seed propagation can result in quick roots, but you won’t get a mature shrub for a few years.
• Grafting takes a lot of time initially, but once done, it will result in a mature shrub in a year or less.

Heavier pruning of roses is usually done in late winter or early spring, when the plant is dormant. However, lightly pruning roses in summer is also beneficial to help manage disease, encourage more blooms, and keep plants healthy. It also helps to tidy things up at a time of year when the garden has grown out of control.

Knowing how to prune roses correctly is vital at any time, but plants are less forgiving in the summer. Getting too snip-happy in the hotter months can lead to damage and stress that weaken the plant, making it more susceptible to common rose diseases.

So, before you dust off your pruners and don your gardening gloves, here's everything you need to know about trimming roses in summer.

Why Prune Roses in Summer?

If you know how to grow roses, you can enjoy these beautiful, classic flowers in your garden for years. Keeping roses happy, healthy, and blooming requires getting the lighting right, fertilizing, watering, and, of course, pruning.

While you’ll do your heavier pruning at another time, there are several good reasons for lightly and thoughtfully pruning roses in summer:

• Roses are very susceptible to disease, and pruning lightly in summer can reduce the risk of disease setting in or spreading.
• Light trimming now keeps your rose shapely and prevents legginess.
• For repeat or continuous bloomers, trimming lightly after the first summer flush will encourage the next flowering.

Can You Prune Climbing Roses in Summer?

Yes, you can and should prune climbing roses lightly in summer. As with rose bushes, this gentle summer trim will keep your climbing rose healthy, shapely, and blooming.

If you are growing rambling roses, it's even more important to prune in the summer, as these varieties flower on the previous year's growth. If you wait until spring to prune, then you will be removing the potential for new blooms. Wait until the plant has finished flowering before carrying out your main annual prune.

When to Prune Roses in Summer

Knowing when to prune roses is essential to doing this gardening chore correctly. The best time for summer pruning is after the first flush of flowers fades. Even with continuous bloomers, there will be a period when the bushes are not blooming much or at all. This is when you can prune to reinvigorate them and prepare for a second flush.

How to Prune Roses in Summer

Summer pruning should first and foremost be light. Avoid cutting roses back in summer, as heavy pruning can put a lot of stress on a plant when high temperatures are already stressing it.

The first thing to do when pruning in summer is to deadhead spent rose blooms. Use sharp, clean shears to minimize damage. Felco Snips, available at Amazon, are perfect for deadheading roses. Cut under the dead flowers and just a little above the first cluster of leaves. Look for an outward-facing bud. Cutting at outward-facing buds helps open up the interior of the rose bush, increasing air circulation and reducing disease risk.

Make a 45-degree angled cut just above the bud. The angle should slant downward away from it. Make the cut so that there is about one-quarter of an inch above the bud. Any shorter, and you risk the wound not healing.

Deadheading is the most important aspect of summer rose pruning, but you can make a few other strategic and light cuts now. Remove any canes that look diseased, damaged, or broken. You can lightly trim out crossed canes or suckers if it looks like the bush could benefit from being more open for better airflow.

Fiskars' bypass pruning shears, available at Amazon, are a great choice for more substantial rose trimming. Switch to the brand's bypass loppers when tackling old hard canes and reaching up to prune climbing roses.

Pruning Different Types of Roses

The above are good general guidelines for summer rose pruning, but it’s important to also consider the types of roses you have before tackling this chore. Deadheading is most important if you have a type of rose that is considered a repeat or continuous bloomer.

Repeat bloomers will flower in late spring or early summer and then again once or maybe twice later. Continuous bloomers are supposed to flower all summer, but they tend to have lower flowering periods during which you can reinvigorate them with a light trim.

Even if you grow an older-style rose bush that blooms just once, it can benefit from deadheading and a light trim. This will keep it healthy and promote strong growth for the following year.

Knock-out roses are so-called ‘self-cleaning’ roses. They are supposed to drop their spent flowers, so you do not have to deadhead them. It’s best to check them anyway and be sure no dead flowers are hanging on.

Many climbing roses repeat bloom and benefit from reinvigorating trims in summer. These types of roses are also the largest and can take more pruning and trimming to maintain a reasonable size and to keep them looking tidy. An overgrown climbing or rambling rose can quickly look messy and out of control.

In summer, deadhead your rambling and climbing roses as you would shrub roses. You can also trim out diseased branches and do some gentle thinning to shape and keep the vine small. Use the same types of angled cuts as for shrub roses.

Summer rose pruning is a chore you shouldn’t overlook. While this isn’t primetime for rose pruning, it is a good time to encourage new flowers, manage or prevent disease, and keep all types of roses healthy and thriving.

Roses are a favorite of many gardeners, and you’ll find plenty of variety in both bush and climbing types. Climbing roses are particularly reliable for covering vertical surfaces like walls, fences, and trellises. But allowing for variations of regionality and your own garden conditions, if you are after fast growing climbing roses, there are a few choice specimens that are especially worthy of consideration. Choose one of these fast-climbing roses so you can enjoy the spectacle that bit sooner.

Choosing Fast Growing Climbing Roses

Before selecting a particular fast growing climbing rose, it’s important to consider what will work best in your rose garden. Factor in your growing zone, soil type and available sunlight before choosing a particular rose variety. Also, be sure you have a good climbing surface for your climbing rose, so it has a sturdy foundation.

It’s easy to confuse climbing and rambling roses. Ramblers grow quite long and need a lot of support. True climbing roses are easier to train. Some climbing roses bloom with clusters of small flowers, while others have larger, single flowers. Disease resistance is also important. Roses can be susceptible to a few diseases, so varieties with some resistance will improve the success rate with your climbers.

1. ‘New Dawn’

This is one of the fastest climbing roses you can find. If filling a space as soon as possible is your priority, ‘New Dawn’ is a great option for a climbing plant you can grow as part of a partnership or simply on its own. It is appropriate for gardens in USDA zones 5 through 9, with well-drained soil and areas with full sun. As a bonus, this variety has good disease resistance.

One of the best fast growing climbing roses if you like pastel pinks, ‘New Dawn’ will grow up to 20ft (6m) tall and 10ft (3m) wide, depending on how you train it. It blooms from early summer through September with clusters of fragrant, soft pink flowers. You can buy ‘New Dawn’ climbing rose from Nature Hills.

2. ‘Sally Holmes’

One of the easiest roses to grow, this fast-growing hybrid is great for smaller spaces. It often stays around 6ft (1.8m) tall, but with the right care, can reach 12ft (3.6m). Grow ‘Sally Holmes’ in USDA zones 5-9, in loamy, well-drained soil and full sun. It will reward you with clusters of small, delicate white flowers and a moderate fragrance.

There are some extra bonus benefits to choosing ‘Sally Holmes.’ This variety handles high temperatures better than others. Also, if you are after fast growing climbing roses for shade, this variety will tolerate some shade, as well as poorer soil. The canes are thornless. If you like creamy white rose flowers, you can buy similarly striking ‘Iceberg’ roses from Nature Hills.

3. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’

This is an old and trusted variety that dates back to the 1860s. It is a reliable and fast climbing rose. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ can grow up to 20ft (6m) tall and grows well in USDA zones 5-10. It prefers loamy, well-drained soil and full sun.

‘Zephirine Drouhin’, available from Nature Hills Nursery, is largely thornless. It produces large, deep pink blooms throughout the growing season. It will produce the most flowers in spring and fall when the temperatures are cooler. The fragrance is very strong and highly appealing for a prominent front yard or patio position.

4. ‘Don Juan’

For a fast growing rose that has bold, fragrant flowers, you can’t go wrong with ‘Don Juan.’ It’s popular in the south for being able to handle high heat. The flowers on ‘Don Juan’ are large, bright red, double-petaled, and very fragrant.

If you’re looking to grow a rose plant fast, this variety is appropriate for USDA zones 6-10. It prefers full sun, warm temperatures and humidity. The best soil for ‘Don Juan’ is loamy, moist and well-drained. It grows up to 10ft (3m) high and 5ft (1.5m) wide. You can buy ‘Don Juan’ roses from Fast Growing Trees.

5. ‘Joseph’s Coat’

This is a variety with very bold, colorful blooms. It also grows fast and can get to 12ft (3.6m) tall and 4ft (1.2m) wide. Grow ‘Joseph’s Coat’ in USDA zones 5-9, in full sun, and in loamy soil that drains very well.

With good care, you can encourage roses up the walls of your house and can enjoy bright, unique blooms from late spring through late fall. The large flowers open up in a yellow-orange color, but develop pink and red as they mature, becoming truly multi-colored.

If you like lavish two-tone roses on the warm side of the color spectrum, you can buy the similar ‘Rise Up Emberays’ rose from Proven Winners.

6. ‘America Climbing’

Plant ‘America Climbing’ for a variety that will quickly reach heights of 12 feet (3.6 m). This variety (also known as 'JACclam' Climbing Rose 'America') is hardy in USDA zones 6-9 and needs full sun with loamy, well-drained soil to thrive.

If you’re after climbing roses that will bloom all summer, this one blooms from late spring through early fall. It will reward you with very fragrant blooms in shades of coral, salmon or pink, set against dark, glossy leaves. You can buy ‘America Climbing’ from Nature Hills.

7. ‘Cherry Frost’

This variety is named for the fact that its flowers, which start blooming in late spring, continue up to the first frost. If you live in a colder climate, this is the fast climbing rose for you. It can grow anywhere from USDA zone 4-10 in full sun and loamy, well-drained soil.

‘Cherry Frost’ is a decidedly romantic rose, with bright red flowers and is mostly disease resistant. It grows up to 7ft (2.1m) tall and 3ft (0.9m) wide, so is smaller than some other varieties. You can buy ‘Cherry Frost’ roses from Walmart.

8. ‘Peppermint Patty’

The name of this variety describes its unique blooms, which are cream color and edged with deep pink or red. Fast-growing ‘Peppermint Patty’ ultimately reaches 10ft (3m) in height.

These are some of the best smelling roses you can grow as climbers, with flowers that have a fruity smell and bloom in spring. Grow ‘Peppermint Patty’ in USDA zones 5-9 in a spot with full sun and well-drained, rich soil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Planting a riot of flowering species is a proven way to bring pollinators into our gardens, but do they like roses? Bees, butterflies, beetles, and other precious pollinators are attracted by colors, scents, and food sources such as nectar. In our home landscapes, we can provide natives, perennials, annuals, and many other plants to stimulate pollinators to take up residence, or at least perform that essential function while they are here. So, where do roses fit in?

There are many types of roses, and their flowers may be single petal, semi-double, or full, with shapes ranging from cupped to flat. As pollinator plants, roses are excellent attractors, but pollinators prefer to feed from those that have their reproductive parts open. That means they don’t seem to visit roses with double and tightly packed petals as much as roses with more exposed parts.

As you select varieties and learn how to grow roses, it is important to consider how the flower form will impact the pollinating community. While flowers with tightly packed petals can still bring in beneficial insects with their scent and color, pollinators may not actually visit the blooms. So diversity and accessibility are key if you want to form a pollinator garden.

Are All Roses Good for Pollinators?

Roses are some of the most loved and spectacular blooms in the garden, both in form and scent. But they aren’t usually included in lists of plants for pollinator gardens. These beneficial creatures seem to have other favorites, in particular native flowering plants. However, roses do attract pollinators, so it's worth planting a few varieties that support them.

Roses are mostly pollinated by bees and butterflies, as well as a few moth species. Honey and bumblebees are the most frequent visitors; they are attracted to roses because of the color and scent, and find the nectar appealing. Butterflies and moths have long tongues or proboscis that can penetrate even double roses. Bees have long tongues, too, but they are no match for the length of butterflies and moths. They are also smaller, which means they need unfettered access to the nectar source.

However, hummingbirds are not partial to roses. They have long beaks and so favor flowers with a tubular shape that can accommodate them.

Best Pollinator-Friendly Roses

Many of the available varieties of roses are hybrids, bred to exhibit certain traits such as larger flowers, a variety of colors, more petals, and better scent. But many of these roses are not pollinator-friendly since the stamens are hidden amid the mass of colorful petals. Insects don’t have hands that can gently pull away the petals to get into the interior; they are delicate creatures who like easy access to their prize. So when selecting the best rose for pollinators, consider how they will reach the stamen to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Open, single-flower varieties are usually the best roses for pollinators.

Here are some of our most suitable rose varieties for attracting these pollinators to your landscape.

1. Rugosa

Rugosa roses – often called Japanese roses – have very open petals, and the golden stamens can easily be seen. They come in several colors, including white and magenta. After the petals have dropped, they form gorgeous, bright orange rose hips, which are the fruit of the plant. Rugosas are extremely hardy and disease-resistant. They are unfussy about soil as long as it drains well, and even tolerate coastal sites.

2. Bees Paradise Red

This variety was noted to be covered in bees during trials. The flowers are small, 1 inch (2.5cm), and have open red petals. While Bees Paradise Red is not a fragrant rose, its vibrant color and open nature bring in the bees. This is a miniature rose that rarely gets above 2 feet (60cm). There are several other varieties in the Bees Paradise collection, which was created to provide bee-friendly roses. There are 10 colors of these disease-resistant flowers.

3. Carefree Delight

This is a true beauty with slightly cupped, 2-inch (5cm) single petals in soft pink. The bases of the petals are much lighter and give the flower the appearance of having a white eye. The flowers are produced in large clusters at the end of the stem – each cluster can have as many as 10 blooms. Carefree Delight is a larger rose with canes that can grow up to 5 feet (1.5m). Near the end of the season, the plant will be covered with small red hips. You can buy the Carefree Delight rose at Walmart.

4. Pink Drift

Drift roses come in almost every rose hue and are often used as groundcovers because of their long, arching, low stems. They are a cross between miniature roses and full-sized groundcover plants. They spread, but not as widely as standard groundcover roses. The delightful Pink Drift bears flowers with petals so open that they are almost flat and adorned with a white eye. It blooms from spring into fall, so both you and the pollinators are getting maximum enjoyment over three seasons.

5. Swamp Rose

The swamp rose is a native of North America and is familiar to pollinators. It grows naturally in moist soils near waterways and bogs. The plant is fairly compact with arching branches. Flowers are a delicate pink and mostly occur singly, but occasionally in groups of two or three. Bloom time starts in June and can carry on until September. The roses lose their petals and develop red, fleshy hips that are a favorite of wild birds. Unlike most other roses, the swamp rose can be grown from seed fairly easily – you can buy seeds from Amazon.

6. Zephirine Drouhin Climbing Rose

The Zephirine Drouhin rose is noted for its fabulous fragrance. It is a fast-growing rose that will require support as it gets taller and taller. The canes are nearly thornless, and the 4-inch (10cm) wide flowers are rose-pink. While the flower is composed of many petals, they are loose and bee-friendly. Zephirine can get up to 15 feet (4.5m) tall and will require training over the years. Another wonderful attribute of this rose is that it is a repeat bloomer, providing flowers through the growing season. You can buy Zephirine Drouhin at Nature Hills.

7. Tottering by Gently

Not only does it have a charming name, but Tottering by Gently is a bee magnet. The flowers are butter yellow with five open petals. This is a repeat bloomer that will be filled all season long with large yellow blooms that exude a delicate, spicy, citrus scent. The plant is a shrub rose that can grow up to 4 feet (1.2m). Each rose will develop into a rose hip. This rose is quite winter hardy and tolerant of all areas of the garden, including partially shady sites.

8. Woods' Rose

Woods' rose is native to the Pacific Northwest. The plant develops canes that are about 5 feet (1.5m) tall with flowers that are deep to light pink, depending on how old they are. This rose blooms from early spring to early summer, sending out a heavenly perfume during this time. The plant forms thickets that are useful as animal habitat. Flowers develop into deeply pink fruits that are coveted by songbirds. Woods' rose will spread over time by runners, so it will need some maintenance to keep it in check. You can buy Woods' rose seeds from Amazon.

Design Tips for a Pollinator Rose Garden

Many of these open-petaled roses resemble wild roses. They are complemented by other native blooming plants. The shrub forms make excellent informal hedging, while a climber helps hide an unsightly old shed. Smaller roses may be grown as specimens in containers.

Because roses look spectacular in mass plantings, pay careful attention to the spacing information on the nursery tag. Remember to feed your roses for the best displays, deadhead them to keep them looking their best, and prune annually in early spring.

If you love roses and are looking for a vertical accent for your garden, try climbing roses. The best climbing roses have all the attributes of rose bushes, but their gorgeous blooms and accompanying intoxicating aroma ascend towards the heavens. They look especially stunning when growing over pergolas or obelisks, but any climbing structure – be it trellis or fence – provides them with the support they need to show off their splendid blooms.

There is much to consider when growing climbing roses. To make the right choice for your garden, you will want to look at the bloom type and color, fragrance notes, whether it's a single or repeat bloomer, and even if it has thorns or not. In addition, there are practical considerations, such as required light exposure, size at maturity, the support needed, and your USDA hardiness zone.

Learning how to grow roses is a labor of love, and climbing roses are no exception. Although different in growth habit, they have the same growing requirements as other types of roses. Keep reading to decide on the best climbing roses for your landscape.

Types of Climbing Roses

Some vertically growing roses are climbers, and others are rambling roses. What’s the difference? Climbers have single large flowers that are usually repeat blooming, while ramblers typically have smaller sprays of flowers that only bloom once a season. Ramblers tend to be more vigorous than climbers.

Within these two categories, vertically growing roses are further defined by the terms English climbing, climbing tea, noisette, and other varieties like polyanthus or floribundas that can be trained to climb.

Best Climbing Roses to Grow

While there are an impossible number of climbing rose varieties – too many to count – it is estimated that there are over 30,000 cultivated varieties, all of which originate from 150 wild species, so you’re sure to find one (if not a dozen!) suited to you.

I've grown a huge number of roses in my time as a gardener. Here are my top 12 climbing rose varieties to get you started.

1. Florentina

‘Florentina’ is a hardy, disease-resistant climber that is classically red with glossy, dark green leaves. It's a more compact variety, perfect for smaller spaces, and thrives in USDA zones 5 to 9. Buy the Florentina rose at Nature Hills.

2. Colette

‘Colette’ is a hybrid climber with fluffy, vintage pink blooms. This romantic bloomer loves full sun and will reach about 8 to 10 feet (2 to 3m) in height at maturity. It's suitable for USDA zones 5 to 10.

3. Fourth of July

‘Fourth of July’ is indeed a firecracker! It sports red and white cup-like blooms on long 8 to 12-foot (2 to 3.5m) canes and exudes a strong, spicy-sweet fragrance that makes it irresistible. Fourth of July is available to buy at Nature Hills and thrives in USDA zones 4 to 9.

4. New Dawn

‘New Dawn’ is a repeat bloomer with romantic, barely there, blush pink flowers. Voted the most popular rose in the world by the 11th World Convention of the Rose Society, it is a voracious bloomer with highly scented flowers as attractive to people as it is to butterflies. You can buy New Dawn at Walmart.

5. Golden Showers

‘Golden Showers’ emits a honey-sweet aroma from its cheerful, bright yellow blooms. A repeat bloomer, this climber continues to flower from spring into fall. Golden Showers is available at Nature Hills. It will reach a staggering 12 to 14 feet (3.5 to 4m) in height at maturity.

6. Highwire Flyer

Vibrant, hot pink blooms are the hallmark of ‘Highwire Flyer’. This bushy climber is a continuous bloomer that attains a manageable height of only about 6 feet (1.8m). It's a hybrid rose resistant to rust, mildew, and black spot. You can buy Highwire Flyer at Walmart.

7. Sally Holmes

‘Sally Holmes’ is an excellent choice for arbors and trellis growing. It has large white petals with visible yellow pistils and is fairly disease resistant. You can buy Sally Holmes at Nature Hills. Plant it in full sun where it will reach 6 to 12 feet (2 to 3.5m) in height.

8. Zephirine Douhin

Everything old is new again, and such is the case with ‘Zephirine Douhin’, an old rose making its modern debut. This thornless beauty features sweet-smelling, pink flowers, Suited for USDA zones 4 to 8, Zephirine Douhin blooms constantly and will attain a mature height of 8 to 12 feet (2.5 to 3.5m) with the same distance across.

9. ‘Polka’

If you’re looking for large, 5-inch (13cm) blooms in shades of peach and apricot, try growing ‘Polka’ climbing roses. This heirloom variety has a strong rose aroma, a long bloom time, and good disease resistance. You can buy the Polka rose at Walmart.

10. Joseph’s Coat

‘Joseph’s Coat’ is the perfect rose for the cutting garden. It produces semi-double blooms in gradations of cherry, gold, and orange that continually flower. Joseph's Coat is available to buy at Nature Hills and can be grown as a shrub or climber.

11. Quicksilver

‘Quicksilver’ is a romantic, lavender climbing rose with a moderately sweet aroma. A smaller climber, Quicksilver only grows to about 7 feet tall by 4 feet across (2 x 1m), making it perfect for smaller landscapes. It's beautiful on the vine or in cutting arrangements.

12. Purple Splash

Lastly, check out ‘Purple Splash’. This beauty features clusters of bright purple and white-striped blooms with visible gold pistils that emit an aroma akin to sweet apples. Purple Splash is available at Walmart. It's a nearly thornless rose that attains a height of 9 to 13 feet (3 to 4m) and blooms from spring to late summer.

Tips for Growing Climbing Roses

• For the best blooms, plant climbing roses in full sun to light shade. Situate your rose in an eastern exposure to take advantage of the morning light and protect the rose from the hot afternoon sun.
• Research the variety you choose to make sure you have adequate support for the long, often heavy canes.
• Plant climbing roses in well-draining, fertile soil.
• Keep the soil around the rose consistently moist. Water roses in the morning at the base of the plant, taking care not to wet the foliage. Do not overwater, as this will foster fungal disease.
• Fertilize your climbing rose with a balanced rose feed. Scotts' Rose & Bloom Continuous Feed, available at Amazon, is great for maximizing flowers and keeps plants nourished for two months.
• Prune climbing roses annually once established. Focus on removing any dead or diseased canes and training healthy canes up.
• To increase flower production and encourage horizontal growth, you need to train climbing roses by tying the canes to the support with flexible ties.
• Check the plant frequently for signs of common rose pests or diseases and treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap – both available from Amazon.
• Deadhead roses as soon as blooms are spent to encourage additional blooms.

Finding the best shrub roses takes a bit of research. A cross between certain species of roses and modern bush varieties, shrub roses are hardier and larger than traditional bush roses. Most of them repeat bloom and can get quite large – up to 15 feet (4.5m) in height – which can make sourcing the best small shrub roses a bit challenging.

Shrub roses are generally fairly easy to care for and produce a sprawling form. They are known to be quite adaptable to many garden environments. Many of these are beautifully scented, so if this is a trait you desire, you will need to seek out the best fragrant shrub roses.

When we talk about shrub roses, we are referring to a wide group of plants with many colors that produce in masses rather than singly on the stem. These clusters of flowers are the source of the appeal of these plants, combined with their general stoicism and resistance to many common diseases. If you are new to the hobby, learn about how to grow roses and the many wonderful species available, including the shrub rose.

Shrub Roses Characteristics

There are various classes or types of roses. The main ones are hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, climbing, miniature, old garden, and shrub – although there is some crossover. They are divided up according to their flower form, history, growth habit, and other characteristics.

Shrub roses in general are a bit rangy, quite cold hardy, and grow in all directions. Varieties include English roses, rugosa roses, and hybrid musk roses. They will often provide blooms throughout much of the growing season with single, semi-double, and fully double flowers. While not all varieties have a scent, many have outstanding fragrance. They are wonderful in a naturalized garden or as informal hedges.

Shrub roses do not require the careful pruning of other species like hybrid teas, although you should brush up on how to prune roses and trim them in late winter to remove any damaged or diseased wood. They are considered low-maintenance roses when compared to other classes and have resistance to many common rose diseases.

Because of their carefree form, shrub roses are best in informal settings. Use them at the edges of the garden or in groups as a natural hedge. These plants combine well with perennials and add dimension to such gardens. The smaller shrub roses can be grown in containers where they can be allowed to tumble over the edges of the pot. When planted en masse, they make a beautiful three-season color cover for open stretches of the landscape.

Best Rose Shrubs

Whether you are looking for the best large shrub roses or shade-loving roses, there are many options in almost any color imaginable. Choose from white, cream, yellow, pink, red, crimson, purple, peach, and orange flowers.

Here, we have rounded up some of the most beautiful and strongest-performing shrub roses to enhance your garden. We've found that they are available to buy from some of your favorite stores, including Amazon and Walmart.

1. Rugosa

Rugosas are characterized by their wild growth habit and single-petal flowers. They are also known as beach roses due to their native coastal habitat. While much of the bloom is in spring, the plant will produce the occasional flower throughout the rest of the season, releasing a delicate, sweet scent to perfume the garden.

White rugosa has the purest white flowers on any rose with golden centers, while there are also stunning magenta-toned rugosas.

2. Blanc Double deCoubert Rugosa

This white beauty features delicate double petals and is the most strongly scented of the rugosas. Once the petals fall, a rose hip brightens the bush with rounded scarlet fruits. Blanc Double de Coubert won the Award of Garden Merit and is an heirloom favorite.

3. White Knock Out Rose

White Out is bred by the award-winning creators of the Knock Out series. It is a vigorous grower, disease resistant, and filled with a profusion of single white blooms with golden centers. It is fairly compact for a shrub rose and will repeat bloom all season until the first frost. White Out is very cold hardy, and the flowers bear a citrusy scent.

4. For Your Eyes Only (Cheweyesup)

This is one of the best modern shrub roses available. The flowers of For Your Eyes Only are amazing, with peachy-pink single petals that boast a red blotch at the base. The shrub will bloom from spring until autumn in almost any type of soil, provided it is well-draining. This is one of the smaller shrub roses with a naturally dense form.

5. Peachy Knock Out

The Peachy Knock Out rose features delicate peach petals verging on pastel pink with yellow centers. The color – reminiscent of the inside of a conch shell – is more vibrant in the cool seasons, but flowers are produced from spring to fall. This shrub rose is the winner of several awards and prized for disease resistance, showy blooms, and cold hardiness.

6. Marjorie Fair

This is a Polyantha rose, which is more compact than most other shrub roses and flowers late spring through summer. Marjorie Fair has huge clusters of small, deeply magenta flowers with yellow centers. It can grow in either full sun or partial shade and reaches a maximum of 3 feet (90cm) in height.

7. Westerland

Considered one of the best shrub roses for shade, Westerland has delightful peach-orange flowers. The bud is almost orange, and as the flower opens, the petals change into peach with pink tones. The overall effect on the plant as a whole is that it has three different colored blooms at all times. Westerland is a repeat bloomer that will provide color until the first frost.

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8. Bloomfield Abundance

The name really does this shrub rose justice as it produces sprays of flowers copiously from summer through fall. The small flowers are pink with a lilac shading, surrounded by glossy green foliage. Bloomfield Abundance is another Polyantha rose that will grow in clay, loam, or sand. The flowers have a light fragrance, and the plant is a smaller form of shrub rose.

9. Sunny Knock Out

As the name would suggest, Sunny is a glowing yellow rose with all the attributes of the Knock Out series. The buttery yellow flowers are 3 inches (7.5cm) wide and appear in May until October or the first frost. This is a self-cleaning plant that will abort spent flowers, keeping the shrub looking neat and tidy without intervention.

10. Kew Gardens

The name is a nod to the famous Kew Gardens in London, and the flowers pay homage. They are single-petal, delicately fluted, white with an egg yolk center and make a show all summer with an abundance of blooms. Kew Gardens is thornless and quite hardy into USDA zone 5. Once the flowers are spent, they leave behind golden-orange hips.

11. Gertrude Jekyll

Gertrude Jekyll is an English rose that has perfectly and tightly swirled petals in hot pink. It is a repeat-flowering double rose with very fragrant blooms. It is hardy into USDA zone 4 and can achieve 5 feet (1.5m) at maturity. It is also available as a climbing rose. This is a lovely, delicately flowered plant suitable for the informal garden.

12. Lady of Shalott

Lady of Shallot has arching stems and vibrant foliage, with young leaves revealing a crimson tinge. Surrounding the leaves are intensely hued orange-apricot blooms. This rose is one of the earliest bloomers and one of the last to stop flowering. The flowers bear a light but pleasant scent. Lady of Shallot is a hardy shrub rose, resistant to many of the most common rose diseases.

Roses are classic garden favorites, prized for their dramatically beautiful and fragrant flowers. Climbing roses are especially spectacular and can be used to cover arbors, trellises, fences, and walls. If you love their scent and look, try climbing roses that bloom all summer – and even in spring and fall.

The key thing to consider when growing climbing roses is whether they are single or repeat bloomers. Single bloomers have just one generous flush of flowers, usually in late spring or early summer. Most rambling roses are single bloomers, as well as some older varieties. Meanwhile, repeat-blooming roses may flower continuously throughout the growing season – though some varieties bloom more continuously than others.

Growing Climbing Roses

If you're just learning how to grow roses, then you'll be relieved to know that climbers have similar needs to other types of roses. The main difference is that pruning climbing roses is more focused on encouraging long stems and training them to cover supporting structures. Otherwise, the canes will grow long and simply flop over onto the ground.

In addition to choosing a variety with a good continuous blooming period, consider growing conditions and whether you can satisfy them. The rose you choose should be hardy in your planting zone and grow well in your soil type and the amount of sunlight and water you can provide.

Here are some reliable, beautiful, and continuously blooming rose varieties to help you start your search. To enjoy all the blooms these varieties have to offer, be sure to deadhead roses throughout the season to encourage new buds and flowers.

1. Iceberg

‘Iceberg’ is a must if you’re looking for a white rose and a light, sweet scent. This is a favorite of many rose growers for its vigorous growth, profuse flowering, and large, snow white blooms. Iceberg grows up to 15 feet (4.6m) tall and six feet (1.8m) wide.

You can grow this climbing rose in USDA zones 4 to 9. Provide it with full sun and well-drained, moist soil. Watch out for black spot and ensure good airflow when you prune this rose to minimize the risk of the disease.

2. Zephirine Drouhin

This heirloom variety has been around for more than 100 years. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ has large, deep pink flowers that reliably bloom from late spring to early fall. The flowers have a strong, beautiful aroma.

It thrives in zones 5 through 11 and grows especially large in warmer zones – up to 15 feet (4.5m). A full-sun position is best, but Zephirine Drouhin tolerates a little shade. It needs moist and well-drained soil.

3. New Dawn

Choose ‘New Dawn’ if you want continuous flowers on a quick-growing plant. New Dawn will vigorously grow up to 20 feet (6m) high and ten feet (3m) wide. It blooms continuously from June through September with soft, pink flowers.

New Dawn is resistant to most diseases and pests and is well-known for its low-maintenance needs. Provide full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Although it doesn’t need much attention, you should prune it yearly and deadhead throughout the summer.

4. Fourth of July

‘Fourth of July’ is named for the red and white striping on this rose's semi-double flowers, which bloom on repeat throughout the growing season. The blooms look striking but also smell delightful with a scent of fresh apples.

Fourth of July is tough and will tolerate worse conditions than many other roses, including pollution in urban settings. It does need full sun and grows best in zones 6 through 9 with loamy, slightly acidic soil that drains very well.

5. Royal Sunset

‘Royal Sunset’ is a repeat bloomer with pretty, apricot-colored flowers set nicely against glossy, dark green leaves. In addition to their attractive color, the flowers have a pretty, fruity fragrance. The canes on this rose are stiff and a little harder to work than those of other varieties. They can spread out to 10 feet (3m) wide. Grow ‘Royal Sunset’ in zones 6 through 10, in full sun, and in loamy, well-drained soil.

6. Lady of Shalott

If you want repeat blooms on a climbing rose but have limited space, try ‘Lady of Shalott.’ This is a smaller variety that only grows to about four feet (1.2m) tall and wide. The flowers bloom throughout the growing season in a striking shade of salmon-orange. The fragrance is subtle but pretty, reminiscent of spices.

You can grow Lady of Shalott in zones 4 through 11, so it has a wide hardiness range. It needs full sun but will tolerate a little shade. The soil should be rich, acidic, and well-drained but moist.

7. Don Juan

For a classic red rose, you can’t beat ‘Don Juan’. This climber will bloom on repeat with regular deadheading. The double flowers are large, velvety, and bright red. The strong fragrance of ‘Don Juan’ flowers is sweet and fruity.

Grow ‘Don Juan’ in full sun in zones 6 through 10. It prefers well-drained, moist, and rich soil. This is a less hardy variety than some other types, which means it may be more susceptible to some diseases and pests. Inspect it regularly for signs of a problem, so you can tackle it early.

Training beautiful roses to climb up the front of your home lends a romantic, nostalgic feel and is a great way to add curb appeal. However, achieving the look you want is not always straightforward.

These classic flowers come in endless different varieties, colors, bloom types, and even growth habits. Climbing roses are the obvious choice for covering a facade, but vigorous rambling roses make up the other main types of roses suitable for training to climb a trellis or alternative support structure.

Whether you're just learning how to grow roses or are a seasoned grower looking to take things to the next level, follow these expert tips to enjoy a gorgeous, aromatic floral display.

Rambling Or Climbing Roses?

First, it’s important to choose the right rose for the job. The most commonly used roses in gardening today are hybrids, which have a shrub or bush growth habit.

For training up the front of your house, you need a climbing or rambling rose variety. Both produce long canes that will grow vertically on a support structure, but there are some key differences:

• Climbing roses are less vigorous growers but have large, single blooms, similar to popular tea hybrid roses. They will flower repeatedly if you take time to deadhead them. Flowers bloom on new wood and need more regular pruning and maintenance.
• Rambling roses grow more vigorously than climbers. Their flowers are smaller and grow in sprays. Ramblers typically only bloom once per season, but newer cultivars are changing this. Rambling rose canes are softer and more flexible than those of climbing roses. Flowers bloom on old wood.

Either type of rose is appropriate for training on a vertical surface. The choice of one or the other depends on your preference.

How To Plant A Rose Next To A Wall

Before you can train your rose to grow up the front of the house, you need to plant it. Planting a rose near a wall takes a little more consideration than in a bed.

Consider how much of the wall’s width you want the rose to cover and the spread of the rose variety you have chosen. Plant the rose right in the middle of this area of coverage, about eight inches (20cm) from the wall.

Where there is hardscaping close to walls, such as gravel, ideally this should be removed as it can be a heat trap – especially in hot climates.

Providing Support

Unlike some vining plants – English ivy, for instance – roses cannot cling to a wall on their own. They require some type of support that you will train the rose to.

You’ll need to attach something to the wall that you can tie the rose stems to. This could be a trellis or lengths of horizontal wire spaced approximately every 18 inches (46cm).

Attach the trellis or wire to the wall using wood or masonry screws, depending on your home’s construction materials. Alternatively, you can sink a trellis into the ground, but this might not be as stable as needed as the rose gets larger.

If you have pillars in front of the house, you could train the rose to these instead of the wall.

Tying in the Rose

Once your rose is in the ground and you have a support in place, you can tie the rose’s stems to it.

• Use plant tape or garden twine to secure the rose’s branches to the support.
• Spread the branches out as symmetrically as possible. Bend the lowest branches outward and secure them horizontally so you get good coverage from the bottom of the wall all the way up.
• As new canes grow each year, secure them to the support in a way that spreads the plant out to cover the available space and encourage lateral growth.
• As the rose grows larger and stronger, you may be able to remove some of the ties holding it in place.

Best Rose Varieties To Train On The Front Of Your House

Any climbing or rambling rose is a suitable choice for training up the front of your house. These are some notable varieties to consider:

• 'America': This is a standout variety with fully double blooms in a deep pink hue mixed with touches of salmon and coral. The flowers are delightfully fragrant, and the plant quickly reaches heights of 10 to 12 feet.

• ‘Crimson Glory’: This hybrid tea climber provides a classic deep red rose shade set against dark green foliage. The flowers are large and have a strong fragrance.
• ‘Etoile de Hollande’: This variety grows vigorously for a climber and produces deep, dark pink flowers with a rich fragrance.

• ‘Sally Holms’: This is an award-winning climber with pure white flowers. It has good disease resistance.
• ‘Golden Gate’: Blooms from summer into fall with cheerful yellow flowers that give off a lovely fragrance.

• 'Blaze Of Glory': This chameleon plant offers a spectacle of shifting shades. Under different lighting, blooms can flaunt a deep orange with pink undertones or take on the juicy appearance of a watermelon slice.

• ‘Open Arms’: Another continuous bloomer, this is a smaller variety suitable for shorter vertical spaces. It has single-petalled, light pink flowers.
• ‘Malvern Hills’: This is a newer cultivar rambler that offers small, soft yellow flowers that bloom continuously from summer into fall.

• ‘Adelaide d’Orleans’: A classic rambler with excellent disease resistance and abundant small white blooms that flower once in late spring or early summer.
• ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’: This is a good choice for a rambler if you have a large area to cover. It is one of the largest and most vigorous varieties that blooms with light pink flowers.

Training a climbing or rambling rose to your house requires some effort and patience, but the striking results are well worth the work you put in.

If you haven't tried growing climbing roses in your garden, then you are missing out on some of the most beautiful, versatile plants and design features. Whether arching over a gate or arbor, or spreading across a sun-drenched wall, a climbing rose brings elegance and romance to any garden and is a sight to behold in full bloom. Fragranced varieties fill the air with the most glorious perfume and offer a feast for the senses.

Out of all the types of roses, climbers tend to intimidate beginners the most. While not by any means low maintenance, climbing roses are hardy plants. It takes a lot to kill one, and they usually bounce back from a period of neglect or overzealous pruning. Their diva reputation stems from the need for training as well as the wide number of possible diseases and pests the plants can face. However, if the right varieties are chosen – and basic climbing rose care is observed – then most gardeners won't experience many problems.

If you already know how to grow roses, then caring for a climbing rose will come easily. Still, there are some differences, in particular with regards to pruning, so it's vital to understand their requirements if you want to get the best out of them.

Choosing the Best Climbing Rose Varieties

What makes climbing roses different from rose bushes is that they grow long, flexible canes that can be trained to cover a surface. It's important to choose a variety with a mature size compatible with your garden, as heights range from around 8 feet (2.5m) to over 20 feet (6m) tall.

Some of the tallest climbing roses are actually rambling roses, which tend to grow more vigorously and have more flexible canes. Unlike most climbing roses, which are usually repeat-blooming, ramblers are single-blooming, producing one dense flush of flowers each year, usually in midsummer. The other key difference is that ramblers flower on old growth, and so must be pruned at the end of summer, while climbers bloom on new growth.

The flower appearance of climbing roses can vary dramatically between varieties. Bloom styles include single, semi-double, and double flowers, and they come in a diverse color palette to complement any planting scheme.

There is a rose variety to suit most scenarios, so consider what is most important to you. Is it prolific flowering, an intoxicating fragrance, disease resistance, or perhaps a rose that's more shade tolerant? If you're a beginner grower, then opt for reliable climbing rose varieties, such as 'New Dawn', 'Gertrude Jekyll', 'Eden', or 'Zephirine Drouhin'.

Planting Climbing Roses

There is a lot of flexibility in when to plant roses, but for best results, stick to early spring or autumn, when the soil is still warm but not soggy.

While potted climbing roses from the garden center look more appealing, and may even possess blooms if left until late spring, bare-root roses, supplied without foliage or potting soil, offer better value for money and often grow to be more resilient in the long run. Potted roses can be planted nearly year-round, while bare roots are best planted between fall and early spring.

You can plant climbing roses in the ground or in containers, although the latter is a better solution for shorter varieties. Choose a pot at least 2 feet (60cm) deep and wide, with good drainage.

Before planting roses, give them a thorough soaking. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and about the same depth. If growing a climbing rose against a wall or fence, it should be positioned about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45cm) away to give the plant enough airflow and ensure the roots have plenty of access to nutrients and moisture in the soil.

Remove any rocks and debris and amend the soil with organic matter and fertilizer. Sprinkling mycorrhizal fungi over the rose's roots before planting will encourage a stronger, healthier root system. Backfill the hole up to the soil "tide mark" on the stem – or about 2 inches (5cm) above the crown – and firm in the rose. Water thoroughly. Mulching roses after planting helps to keep in moisture, suppresses weeds, and adds further nutrients to the soil.

Training and Supporting Climbing Roses

At the time of planting your climbing rose, you will need to add support. Unlike many vining plants, roses don't cling to surfaces by themselves, so they need to be tied in. Choose a suitably sized trellis, wire frame, or pergola. Alternatively, you can affix rows of wire to walls or fences using vine eyes, with rows spaced about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60cm) apart.

Initially, the rose may be too short to tie in, but as it grows, you need to gently tie the canes using soft ties or garden twine. To encourage more lateral flowering, aim to train the vines horizontally rather than straight up.

When training climbing roses, you need to encourage them in the direction you want them to grow and remove inflexible canes not growing in a suitable direction.

Climbing Rose Care

Though generally hardy, climbing roses are fairly particular about their care. Neglect won't quickly kill plants, but they will simply survive rather than thrive. To encourage lush, healthy foliage and a blanket of glorious, fragrant blooms, there are a few guidelines you must follow.

Light

As sun-loving plants, rose light requirements are generally high, and climbing roses are no exception. A lack of light will lead to spindly canes and few flowers. However, full sun all day could lead to wilting and fading.

Choose a spot that receives six to eight hours of full sun each day. In cooler climates, a south-facing wall is ideal, while in hotter zones an east-facing wall will allow the rose to receive plenty of morning sun but some shade in the afternoon.

Water

Climbing roses are thirsty plants, though deep watering when the soil begins to dry out is better than constant light sprinkles. In dry spells, give roses a thorough soaking once or twice a week – more often if the rose is newly planted or in a container. However, rather than watering roses on a schedule, do so when needed. Push your finger into the soil, and if the top couple of inches feel dry, then it's time to water.

Always water the base and avoid splashing water on the leaves. This will help to reduce the risk of mildew and black spot.

Temperature & Humidity

Climbing roses are surprisingly adaptable to different climates and, broadly, can be grown in USDA zones 4 to 11. However, they generally prefer to grow in climates with warm – but not excessively hot – summers and cold winters.

During the main growing season, climbers thrive in temperatures of 60 to 80°F (15 to 27°C). They can tolerate occasional heat waves, but prolonged periods above 85°F (29°C) will stress the plant, leading to smaller blooms with faded petals. They will also need watering much more frequently.

In winter, most climbing roses can handle light frost, but repeated deep freezes – where temperatures dip below 15°F (9°C) – can cause damage to plants. If you live in an area with particularly cold winters, then choose cold-hardy varieties and provide protection from extreme cold, using plenty of mulch and fleece wraps.

Climbing roses dislike high humidity levels, where they are more prone to fungal diseases like black spot, powdery mildew, and rose rust. Choose disease-resistant varieties and prune regularly to keep the foliage structure open and allow air flow. Avoid overhead watering and water early in the morning.

Soil

Climbing roses prefer rich, well-drained loamy soil. Good drainage is key, as the plants' roots need access to moisture but hate to soak in soggy, compacted soil. Heavy clay soil can be lightened with compost and horticultural grit, while sandy soil can be improved with organic matter to help boost water retention.

Roses also prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH in the range of 6.0 to 7.0. If the soil is too acidic, then adding lime will gradually raise the pH, while the pH of alkaline soil can be lowered with sulfur, pine needles, or peat moss. However, changing the pH of soil is not a quick fix – it takes time. So, if the soil pH is far from ideal, then in the short term, it is best to plant roses in containers.

When planting roses, amend the soil with organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure. Other good additions include bone meal, ground alfalfa meal, and a few tablespoons of Epsom salts.

Fertilizing

Climbing roses are heavy feeders and require regular feeding to produce abundant blooms. Fertilize roses in early spring at the time of pruning. This will encourage the plant to start putting on fresh growth. Follow up with a second feed just after the first flowering in early summer – this will encourage a second flush of flowers.

Use a balanced rose fertilizer with a balanced NPK, like 10-10-10, in early spring, then switch to a higher potassium formula as the season progresses.

Pruning Climbing Roses

Pruning climbing roses is a vital part of their care and training. While damaged or diseased canes can be removed as and when required, the main pruning should take place between late winter and early spring. The exception is when you are pruning rambling roses, which should be done after flowering in late summer.

While many of the techniques of pruning roses are the same as bush roses, there are some key differences. The main difference is that the long main canes should not be cut back, as these provide the overall structure. Instead, it is the lateral side shoots that should be pruned away. You also need to remove rose suckers or canes growing in the wrong direction.

Remove old canes on climbing roses if they are underperforming or are difficult to train. Leave the best 4-6 canes to form the overall structure.

Propagating

Propagating climbing roses is surprisingly easy and an enjoyable way to grow your collection or make plants to give as gifts. The most effective method is to propagate roses from cuttings, with hardwood cuttings taken in the fall to winter usually the most reliable.

Simply choose a healthy-looking cane from this year's growth, about the thickness of a pencil. Cut it into sections about 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30cm) in length, ensuring there are at least three buds on each section. The top cut should be just above the top bud, and the bottom cut just below the bottom bud. Insert the cutting into gritty compost, burying at least two-thirds under the soil. Keep the soil moist, and roots should develop by spring.

Alternatively, you can propagate roses by taking softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, although they require a bit more care and attention.

Problems, Pests & Diseases

Climbing roses can be prone to common rose diseases and pests. The usual suspects are aphids, black spot, and powdery mildew.

You can minimize the risk of disease with good hygiene: clean up fallen leaves, ensure good airflow, and use sterilized pruners when cutting. Where disease is of particular concern, plant new varieties bred for disease resistance.

Keep an eye out for pests, using a homemade insecticidal soap or neem oil to treat infestations, and consider introducing natural predatory insects, like ladybugs.

Roses in full bloom are a sight to behold in the garden. They add elegance to a landscape, pleasing the senses with their soft petals, vast color palette, and fragrance. But for roses to perform at their best, you do need to get the basics right. Well-draining soil and sufficient irrigation are important, but nothing is more essential to the health of a rose than light exposure.

Most roses need full sun, although some varieties and locations are compatible with partial shade. There are also a few clever ways you can boost the amount of light your shrub receives. However, if you're just learning how to grow roses, then it's important to start with a good foundation by planting roses in a site with good sun exposure.

How Much Sun Do Roses Need Each Day?

If you gather a team of experts and quiz them about rose light requirements, you will find quite a range of answers, starting at three hours a day and going up to eight hours a day. That is partly because different types of roses have different needs when it comes to sun exposure. The American Rose Society lists over 30 classifications for roses, including miniature, floribunda, grandiflora, and climbing roses. Yet, there are over 30,000 cultivars, and even these can have different sun needs.

In general, miniature roses can do well with only four hours a day, while climbing roses need at least six hours. English roses can thrive with just four to five hours each day. No matter what type or cultivar you select, remember that roses are sun-loving plants and grow best – and flower best – with lots of rays every day.

However, the light requirements of roses change through the seasons. They require maximum sunshine during the growing season, but much less in autumn and winter.

Do Roses Need Full Sun?

Roses don't strictly need a full sun location, and many varieties will thrive in part shade. In regions with scorching summer afternoons, most roses will prefer some shade from afternoon sun. Certain types of roses, like miniature roses, grow better with partial shade.

However, in areas with cooler summers, all-day full sun is a good thing for roses.

Morning vs Afternoon Sun

Your mother probably told you to stay out of the afternoon sun – it is hotter and more intense than cooler morning sun. The same is true for roses. Morning sun is much less intense than afternoon sun. This is partially due to the position of the sun in the sky, since during the afternoon, it is usually straight overhead, while in the mornings, sunlight slants in from the east.

For maximum blooms and tip-top health, full morning sun is best for most full-size roses. Sun exposure in the morning will dry the foliage and keep down fungal issues.

Signs of Incorrect Light Levels

Inadequate sunlight doesn’t sit well with roses. A rose shrub that doesn’t get enough sun will grow thinner, shorter canes and produce fewer blossoms. Shrubs may also become more susceptible to common rose diseases and pests, leading to an untimely demise.

However, although roses love the sun, “the more the better” doesn’t always apply. Too much sun, especially hot afternoon sun, can fade petals and leave your blossoms and leaves withering.

Ideal Location for Roses to Get Light in Garden

Remember that the mix of sun and shade your roses will get depends on more than the position of the sun. Many features in the landscape can come between the sun and your plants, including structures like your home or outbuildings, fences, walls, and trees. You’ll need to consider all of these before determining the ideal location for a rose garden.

A good solution is to find a location that gets full sun during the morning hours, like an area on the east side of the home or a part of the garden that gets afternoon shade from trees. As long as the site gets at least five or six hours of sunshine, it will be enough.

Increasing Light Levels for Roses

If you find that your roses are not getting enough sun in their current location, don’t despair. Figure out what is blocking the sun. It may be trees or tall shrubs that have grown taller in the passing years. A good pruning can solve this shade problem. If the shading is due to structures, you’ll need to consider transplanting the shrubs.

While it may be possible to use grow lights in your outdoor garden, this is often neither easy nor practical. Likewise, using mirrors in the garden to redirect sunlight is easier to do indoors than out, but with a little ingenuity, a thoughtfully placed mirror can be an effective way to provide rose shrubs with additional sunlight.

More Rose Growing Inspiration

• Discover how to prune roses to ensure magnificent blooms all season, with these expert techniques.
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• Learn how to plant bare-root roses like a pro with these simple steps for lasting beauty.
• Sign up for the Gardening Know How Newsletter and be the first to hear about exclusive offers and the latest expert growing advice.

Roses are among the most admired garden plants – and they are also among the most expensive. So, when taking the first steps toward introducing roses to your landscape, you’ll want to give them the best start possible. Knowing when to plant roses will enable the shrubs to quickly establish, putting down roots, and producing a profusion of flowers – even in their first year.

Whether you are planting a single prized shrub or a whole rose garden, you need to know how to plant roses properly to get good results. Timing is a crucial aspect of this. In general, late autumn and spring are the best seasons for planting, but there is some variation with different types of roses, presentations, and local climates.

Roses are generally hardy, forgiving shrubs, so planting them out of season won't necessarily kill them. However, when learning how to grow roses, it's important to understand that planting them at the wrong time may affect their initial growth and flowering performance. It can even make them more vulnerable to some common rose diseases and pests.

Best Time of Year to Plant Roses

The optimal period to plant roses depends on which rose presentation you buy. There are usually three types of rose shrub presentations:

• Bare-root roses are dormant shrubs supplied without any soil around their roots. These should be planted between late fall and early spring, but not in particularly cold snaps.
• Containerized roses are bare-root roses temporarily placed in pots of potting media to prevent them from drying out in transit. They were not grown in the container and should be treated the same as bare-root roses, planted between autumn and spring.
• Container-grown roses have lived all their lives in their pots and developed roots in the potting soil. Gardeners have more flexibility when planting potted roses. While fall and spring are prime seasons, they can be planted at any time except during the hottest days of summer and when the ground is frozen in winter.

The type of rose matters too:

• Climbing roses and rambling roses need a strong start to establish their structure, so benefit from early spring planting.
• Shrub and landscape roses are more forgiving and can be planted from spring through early fall.
• Hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandiflora roses prefer spring planting so they can develop before the heat of the summer.
• Tree roses are typically best planted in early spring as bare roots, or at any time as potted trees.

Does Climate Affect Planting Time?

In most regions, the “bare root” season for rose planting starts in October or November and ends in early spring. However, in regions that experience very cold winters, spring is the better season for planting.

If winter temperatures don't drop below -10°F (-23°C), then either fall or spring planting is satisfactory. Check your USDA hardiness zone, which is based on the average coldest winter temperature. Gardeners in zones 5 and below should take particular care to avoid the coldest periods.

Meanwhile, gardeners in zones 8-10 should be particularly wary of planting roses in the hotter summer months.

Can I Plant Roses in Summer and Winter?

While bare-root roses need to get their roots in the ground between fall and early spring, potted roses can be planted in any season. Plant them fairly quickly after purchase.

The only exceptions to planting in winter or summer are when the ground is very dry or frozen. It is also not a great idea to plant in intense summer heat since you’ll have a lot of watering to do – sometimes up to two or three times a day.

Knowing how to water roses correctly will help them to establish in their new home. Both bare-root and potted roses will need plenty of water in the period after planting – though avoid overwatering. Their moisture needs will reduce over time, but even mature roses need watering regularly in the summer.

Do Other Factors Affect Planting Time?

It only makes sense to note factors like soil temperature, risks of frost, and impending flooding when you are thinking about planting roses. Obviously, very hot or very cold soil is not ideal for rose planting. Nor is soil that is frozen or over-watered from excessive rainfall. Adapt a common sense approach and pick a drama-free planting time.

Risks of Planting Roses at the Wrong Time

When you are planting roses, there are many wrong times to act. It’s easier to focus on the right times: when neither frost, record high temperatures, nor torrential rain is forecast. If you plant any rose when extreme weather is forecast, the young rose might not survive it.

More Rose Inspiration

• Learn how to prune roses like a pro with these expert techniques that will ensure magnificent blooms all season.
• Grow more roses from cuttings with this easy method for foolproof results.
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• Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter for a regular dose of planting inspiration and exclusive offers.

There is little doubt that roses are a beloved landscape plant. Despite their thorns, these ever-popular shrubs are prized for their enchanting blooms and fragrance.

While newer hybrids offer a wider range of color and a more uniform growth habit, many old garden rose varieties have stood the test of time in terms of beauty, dependability, and resistance to disease.

Though some types of roses will bloom only once per season, several cultivars of repeat bloomers are available to home gardeners. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular types of old-fashioned roses that can be found online and at local plant nurseries.

Best Old Roses to Grow…

Whether you're just learning how to grow roses or are a seasoned pro, you are bound to fall in love with one of these stunning new varieties. Invest in pot plants or learn how to plant bare root roses to reduce the cost of cultivating a gloriously romantic rose garden.

For Scent

Old-fashioned rose varieties are among the most fragrant roses available to growers. While many possess a more “classic” rose-like scent, others may produce citrus or tea notes.

Damask roses, specifically, are known for their exceptional fragrance and unique ability to repeat bloom throughout the season. The best scented varieties of damask rose include:

• ‘Autumn Damask'
• ‘La Ville de Bruxelles'
• ‘Leda’
• ‘Summer Damask’
• 'York & Lancaster.’

For Blooms

Though much of the heritage of old roses can be traced back to species types, their blooms are not without beauty. Bourbon varieties of rose, which date back to the 1800s, are sure to enchant gardeners with their large flowers.

Vigorous growers, these plants can quickly spread to cover large areas of the landscape, producing a beautiful display while in bloom. Varieties known for their extraordinary flowers include:

• ‘Coquette des Blanches’
• ‘Louise Odier’
• ‘Reine des Violettes’
• ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison’
• ‘Zephirine Drouhin’

For Hedges

When it comes to old garden roses, varieties growing to shrub form make an excellent addition to the landscape. Those that can be pruned and trained to create a rose hedge afford growers both beauty and privacy.

China and tea roses are a good choice for gardeners looking to add roses to compact spaces or near borders. Ideal rose cultivars for use in hedging include:

• ‘Archduke Charles’
• ‘Gloire de Dijon’
• ‘June Anne’
• ‘Old Blush’
• ‘Narrow Water’

For Trellises & Arbors

A robust growth habit makes old-fashioned roses ideal for use on arbors and trellises. Spreading quickly, sprawling plants produce an abundance of blooms that are sure to stop passersby in their tracks.

Polyantha roses, for example, are known for their impressive size. Popular varieties for the home garden include:

• ‘Caldwell Pink’
• ‘Cecile Brunner’
• ‘Clotilde Soupert’
• ‘Kendyl Marie’
• ‘Lauren’

For Shady Gardens

Most roses are adaptable and are able to grow in beds that receive part shade throughout the day. Though shade may be beneficial to plants during the hottest parts of the afternoon, reduced sunlight may negatively impact the plant’s ability to produce flowers.

Fortunately, some old rose varieties are able to tolerate these conditions better than others. Centifolia, or cabbage roses, are one of the best roses for shade. Popular varieties of cabbage rose include:

• ‘Dutch Provence’
• ‘Juno’
• ‘Justine Ramet’

More Rose Inspiration

• Discover when to prune roses with our guide to getting the timing right for every variety.
• Is black spot becoming a problem? Try these 6 natural black spot remedies for roses.
• Find out the 8 things rose experts always do to grow the best flowers.

Pruning roses is an essential aspect of plant care. Though the shrubs' sharp thorns can make the process feel quite daunting, this routine task is key to preserving their health and maintaining a desirable size and shape. When to prune roses depends on the season, but more importantly, there are key signs to look for. Timing pruning correctly will promote increased bloom as well as reduce the likelihood of disease.

When and how to prune roses can vary from one type to another. Before deciding when to cut back roses, growers will first need to research specific details about the types of roses grown in their yards.

Most importantly, gardeners will need to determine whether or not their roses bloom on new or old growth. While roses that bloom on new growth can be much more forgiving of mistakes made during the pruning process, plants that flower on old growth may need special attention. The accidental removal of certain branches of old wood roses may cause growers to miss an entire season’s worth of flowers.

When learning how to grow roses, gardeners should always equip themselves with the appropriate tools. Protective, long-sleeved rose pruning gloves are highly recommended to help prevent cuts and abrasions.

When to Prune Rose Bushes

The best time to trim rose bushes is between late winter and very early spring. Ideally, this occurs once buds have already formed, but before they break to reveal tender new leaves.

Since rose bushes bloom dependably on new growth each season, the plants can be pruned more aggressively than other types, as long as plants are established.

To begin this process, remove any stems that have died back, turned brown, or have been severely damaged over the winter. Other stems can be trimmed back to one-third of their height.

Keeping the center of the plant free of crossed branches can also be helpful as a means to increase airflow and prevent rose diseases.

After pruning is an ideal time to fertilize roses and apply mulch. The best mulch for roses is organic material, such as shredded bark.

When to Prune Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are popular for use on garden arches and trellises. These roses are known for their repeated bloom period and impressive heights. However, they are commonly referenced interchangeably with another type of rose, called a rambling rose. This can lead to a great deal of confusion in regards to how each plant is best pruned.

While a climbing rose will bloom on new wood each season, a rambler will only produce flowers on last season’s growth. This means that climbing roses can be pruned in late winter, in a similar way to other rose species. However, pruning of rambling roses will need to occur just after the plant has ceased to bloom in summer.

When to Prune Knockout Roses

As repeat bloomers, Knockout roses are a little more flexible about when they are pruned. While they are best pruned between late winter and early spring, they can also be trimmed at other times of year to keep them tidy.

Many gardeners like to give Knockout roses a light prune during a rest period in the growing season. This gives them the boost to put on fresh growth to extend the flowering time.

However, Knockout roses should not be pruned in late summer or early fall. Pruning at this time may encourage the plants to put on tender new growth that won't have time to harden off before winter.

When is it too Late to Prune Roses?

With the arrival of spring, new rose growers may fear that they have already missed the pruning window. But, even if leaves have already appeared, rose bushes can still be gently trimmed back. Pruning at this time can promote rapid plant growth.

As roses respond very well to pruning, most experts agree that any potential damage done by improper pruning is usually only temporary. While pruning old wood roses during spring can cause the loss of seasonal bloom, these flowers will most always return in the following years, provided that the correct pruning routine is established.

Deadheading roses can be done on all species throughout the growing season, as the removal of faded blooms can help to keep the appearance of plants neat and tidy.

More Roses Inspiration

• Should you cut back roses in the fall? Learn all about pruning prized rose bushes back for winter.
• Find out how to plant bare root roses – the lower-cost way to grow a stunning rose garden.
• Discover 6 rose deadheading mistakes to avoid if you want dazzling blooms all summer long.

When fall sets in and plants wind down for the season, it’s natural for gardeners to want to tidy up before the winter frosts take hold. In particular, whether to cut back roses in the fall is a common concern, as the shrubs tend to look sparse and unappealing at this time of year, and may be vulnerable to damage from extreme weather.

Pruning is one of the most important aspects of rose care, but when to make the cut depends on your climate, rose type, and the specific needs of your garden. Knowing how to prune roses the right way will promote healthy growth, shape the plant, and improve airflow, reducing the risk of diseases. For some types of roses, pruning also encourages more blooms.

In general, whether to cut back perennials in the fall is a divisive issue. You may like to get your yard clear and tidy to prepare your garden for winter, or perhaps you are conscious of preserving food for wildlife – such as rosehips – and minimizing new growth on plants over winter.

Here’s what you need to know to make the best decision for your roses.

Should You Cut Back Roses in the Fall?

In colder climates – USDA hardiness zones 6 and below – you should resist the urge to prune in the fall. Performing a full pruning at this time can be risky – particularly as it may stimulate new growth, which is vulnerable to winter frost damage. Heavy pruning in the fall can also lead to dieback, where the plant is damaged and cut too close to the roots.

Instead of a full pruning, opt for a light trim with the shears (like these Felco F6 Pruning Shears on Amazon) to remove any damaged, dead, or diseased wood and to prevent long branches from being whipped by winter winds, or collapsing under the weight of snow.

Otherwise, wait until early spring, when the plant is no longer dormant, to do a more substantial cut-back.

Should Roses Be Cut Back in Winter in Warmer Climates?

If you live in a warmer climate, then timing rose pruning is a little more complicated. In some areas, roses continue to grow over the cooler months, and if you wait until early spring to prune, then you may be cutting off all your new growth.

Gardeners in warmer zones often need to take a more tailored approach to pruning roses, looking for visual clues that the plants are ready. This may be winter to early spring, or it may be late summer or in the fall.

A moderate pruning in the fall is usually safe in warmer climates and can help roses bloom vigorously come spring. Cutting back roses after summer will tidy up the garden, reduce the plant size, and encourage healthy new growth.

In fall and winter, you can safely cut roses back by a third, removing crossing branches, thinning out crowded stems, and shaping the plant.

What About Rambling Roses?

While most roses are ideally pruned in late winter to spring, there is one exception to the rule. Unlike other rose varieties, rambling roses benefit from being pruned in late summer, after they have finished flowering. However, they can also be hard-pruned between late fall and late winter.

Rambling roses are extremely vigorous, hardy climbing roses. You can tell them apart from other climbing roses due to their expansive growth rate and single bloom time. Pruning rambling roses in late fall or winter is easier to do when the plant is bare, as you can better see how to shape the plant.

Tips for Winter Rose Care

Regardless of where you live, follow these winter rose care tips to protect your shrubs and encourage better blooms come summer.

• Add Mulch: Especially in colder climates, mulching roses around the base of the plant insulates the roots and helps prevent frost damage.
• Tie Loose Canes: In windy areas, use garden ties to secure long canes, so they don’t get damaged in harsh weather.
• Cover Tender Roses: For hybrid teas and other tender varieties, consider using burlap or rose cones to shield them from severe cold.

Roses are favorites in the garden for their stunning blooms and intoxicating fragrance. Unfortunately, the shrubs have developed a reputation for being difficult to grow. There is some truth to this, but most gardeners find that the effort put into keeping roses happy is well worth the rewards.

When starting a rose garden, one of the issues you are likely to face is pests. Several types of pests target roses – and some are more serious than others. This list of the most common rose pests will help you identify the culprit and use the most natural solution to combat it.

Avoiding chemical pesticides is one of the things expert rose growers always do to grow the best flowers. They will kill the pest but also harm beneficial insects and soil micro-organisms, vital to the plant's health.

Natural products such as neem oil are highly effective. However, do not apply treatments while pollinators and other beneficial insects are visiting the plant, as you could kill them. As these insects do not chew plants, it is safe to apply when they are not in close proximity.

Keep an eye on your plants for early signs of problems, which are much easier to manage than heavy infestations. Thankfully, roses are hardy shrubs that can bounce back from a certain amount of damage. If your plant has lost its vitality, there are steps you can take to save a rose that is underperforming.

1. Aphids

Aphids on roses are common pests – there is even a species called the rose aphid. They are very small insects, either green or pink, that cluster on new growth, including leaves, stems, and buds. They feed on roses by piercing and sucking out sap and can cause damage in large numbers.

You can try to minimize aphid populations by attracting ladybugs to the garden, which are natural predators of aphids. However, this will take time to be effective.

If you see aphids on your roses, use a strong stream of water from the hose to wash them off. Homemade insecticidal soap is also effective if applied directly to aphids.

2. Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetles on roses are easy to spot as they tend to group together in large numbers and have a distinctive green and bronze metallic color. Swarms of beetles will eat leaves on rose bushes and even defoliate whole plants quickly.

Although tedious, the best natural way to get rid of Japanese beetles is to pick them off by hand and drop them into soapy water. You can also treat beetle grubs in the lawn with a product called milky spore that introduces a naturally occurring bacterium to kill them before they can develop into adult beetles.

For long-term protection, include Japanese beetle-resistant plants in your garden, such as catnip, chives, and marigolds.

3. Spider Mites

Spider mites on roses are very small and nearly impossible to see without magnification. One way to detect them is to shake a branch over a piece of white paper. Wipe the paper with your hand, and if mites are present, you’ll see red streaks.

Damage caused by mites appears as light spots on leaves and fine webbing on their undersides. However, left untreated, spider mites can seriously impact the health of the shrub, leading to foliage injury, leaf loss, and even plant death.

Use a strong spray of water to dislodge mite eggs from rose bushes. Insecticidal soap and horticultural oil, such as neem oil, can also be effective with regular application.

4. Thrips

Small flying insects, thrips on roses are hard to see as they live inside the flower buds and blooms.

Look for brown streaks on petals and check inside the flower for small, fast-moving specks. When a plant is infested, typically the flower buds will be deformed and not open.

Chili thrips are a type of thrip that will attack the foliage and can quickly kill the plant if not treated in the early stages.

Thrips thrive in weeds and grasses, so keep the area under rose bushes clear. Remove any damaged buds or flowers, and spray plants with a neem oil treatment.

5. Scale

Scale insects affect many plants, including roses. Rose scale insects are small and immobile. You’ll typically see them on the canes, where they produce a protective coating over their bodies that may be waxy, cottony, or crusty.

Roses that are heavily infested with scale will produce little fresh growth, and if left untreated, may eventually die.

Ladybugs and parasitic wasps help control scale populations. If you have a light infestation, remove the scales by hand. You can prune off and destroy any heavily infested canes. Horticultural oils will penetrate the scale’s coating and kill it.

6. Slugs and Snails

Slugs and snails are responsible for foliage and flower damage to a wide range of plants. They are easy to identify, but you won’t typically catch them in the act of feeding, as they are active at night.

Look for ragged, random holes and slime trails on rose leaves. You can confirm slugs as the culprit if you check on your plants after dark.

Slug bait is effective in reducing populations, but a more natural approach is to use a simple slug trap board or beer trap.

However, if the damage is only minor, consider letting them be to encourage diverse wildlife in the garden. Birds, frogs, toads, and snakes all feed on slugs.

7. Leaf Cutter Bees

Leaf cutter bees are dark metallic to black in color and about the same size as honeybees. They cut semicircular pieces of leaves to use in their nests. Unlike insects that feed on leaves, these bees leave smooth edges behind.

The good news about leaf cutter bees is that they cause no real damage to plants and are essential pollinators. Since there are no realistic control methods anyway, just remove the leaves that don’t look nice.

8. Rose Sawflies

Also called rose slugs, the larvae of sawflies look like small green caterpillars. They are less than a half inch (1.2cm) long. They feed from the undersides of leaves, creating brown spots and making the leaves appear transparent.

If caught early, small infestations won't cause too much damage. However, major infestations are detrimental to the rose's health.

The most effective treatment for sawfly larvae is removal by hand. Drop them into soapy water to kill them. You can also use your hose to spray them off or use an insecticidal soap.

9. Cane Borers

A rose cane borer is the larva of a beetle, wasp, or bee that has laid its eggs inside a rose cane that has been cut. If you have cut canes, you can tell you have a borer by looking for a hole in the middle. It may go all the way to the base of the plant. Canes may also show girdling and break easily.

Shallow boreholes shouldn't cause too much damage to the rose, but deep holes can be detrimental to the plant's health.

Pruning roses early in the season will help cut ends to harden before cane-boring insects become active. Some gardeners like to seal cut canes with a dab of Elmer's multi-purpose glue. If you see a hole, simply remove that cane below the larva’s tunnel.

10. Mammals

Big pests of rose bushes include herbivores like rabbits and deer. Signs deer have been eating your roses are ragged stems and canes with the tops missing. Rabbit damage is lower to the ground and has smoother edges.

The only surefire way to prevent herbivore damage is with sturdy fencing around your rose bushes. However, sprays can be effective deterrents. Look for natural products designed to deter deer and rabbits. These must be reapplied after rain or watering.

Propagating roses from cuttings is a wonderful way to expand your plant collection and even start a rose garden for free. These prized shrubs can be expensive to buy, so learning how to take cuttings is one of the best thrifty gardening ideas to populate your garden beds and pots.

Unfortunately, many gardeners have tried and failed to grow roses from cuttings, leading them to believe it is a complicated endeavor. However, once you learn the easiest method, you'll be a step closer to knowing all the secrets of expert rose growers. All you need is time and patience.

Inexperienced gardeners often make the mistake of taking rose cuttings too early in the growing season. Young "softwood" cuttings offer the quickest route of propagating roses, but it is usually the least successful method for home growers. Softwood rose cuttings are delicate and need a lot of TLC to develop into successful plants.

Semi-ripe cuttings taken in late summer and early fall are much easier to propagate. These use the current season’s growth after it has had a chance to mature and strengthen, resulting in healthier plants.

Hardwood cuttings taken later in the fall are even more robust. They grow slowly but need no protection and can largely be ignored until the spring. Semi-ripe and hardwood cuttings can both be propagated in the same way.

Bear in mind that growing roses from cuttings is a numbers game – you can’t just do one or two and expect them to succeed. Take several good-quality cuttings from each plant, follow our step-by-step guide, and you will almost certainly triumph.

1. Take Your Cuttings

Take rose cuttings early in the morning while there is still moisture and fullness in the stem.

When selecting stems to cut, the growth must be young from the current year. If unsure, try breaking off a thorn to see if it comes off easily and cleanly; if so, it’s ripe.

Choose a nice straight stem about 8-10 inches (20-25cm) long. Ensure the stem is not damaged or diseased. It is fine if it has a spent flower at the end. Ideally, it should be the thickness of a pencil. If the stems are slimmer, just choose the best available, as a spindly stem is less likely to grow into a strong plant.

Using sharp, sterilized hand pruners, take at least three cuttings from the plant.

If you are not potting up your cuttings immediately, then seal them in a Ziploc bag to retain freshness and moisture. Pot them within 24 hours.

2. Prepare Cuttings For Planting

Trim each cutting at the top and bottom. Make the cut just above a budding point – or node – at the top of the stem, and just below one at the bottom. The top of the stem should be cut with a 45° angle, to aid water runoff, and the bottom should be cut flat.

Pull off all the leaves from the lower two-thirds of the stem – you only need to leave the top set, and even these aren’t critical. Remove any thorns at the same time by applying pressure to the sides. Wear thick gloves to prevent injury.

Using your hand pruners or a small knife, nick some of the nodes that will sit below the soil line: this will help to encourage roots to grow from those points.

An optional step is to dip the bottom of the stem in rooting hormone gel or powder. Many seasoned gardeners skip this step, as it isn’t strictly necessary. However, if this is your only shot at replicating Grammy’s cherished rose bush, then it won’t hurt your chances.

3. Pot Up Your Cuttings

Choose a good-sized pot – a 1-gallon pot (3.8L) around 8 inches (20cm) tall is ideal for rooting three cuttings, or you can add five to a larger pot. Fill the pot with well-draining compost, with perlite or vermiculite mixed in. Water well before adding the cuttings.

Insert the stem most of the way in, leaving a short section with the top leaves above the soil line. Position the stem toward the edge of the pot, rather than in the middle, with three cuttings evenly spaced out in one pot.

Choose a protected spot that receives some shade from the midday sun. While not essential, you can partially bury the container in the ground, to keep it secure from winds and to help retain moisture.

4. Caring For Cuttings

All you need to do to look after your cuttings is to ensure the soil doesn’t dry out, then wait for spring.

In around April, examine your cuttings. If they have been successful, they should have developed shoots at the top, and you may see roots coming out of the holes in the bottom of the pot.

Where there are long new shoots at the top, prune them back to about 2 inches (5cm). This will encourage the rose to develop new shoots from the base, resulting in a stronger plant. It is also one of the ways to make roses grow faster.

At this stage, you can repot your cuttings into individual pots. To do this, remove the compost mound from the pot and gently tease the cuttings apart, preserving as much of the roots as possible. Plant each cutting into a pot filled with well-draining potting mix and water well. Position in a sunny spot.

Once the cuttings have become well-established in their new containers, they are ready to be planted into their permanent position in the garden.

Enjoy watching your cuttings grow in beautiful free rose bushes!

Roses are cherished for their unparalleled beauty and fragrance. However, the shrubs can fall victim to a host of problems that impact their health and appearance. It takes a dedicated gardener to grow a rose garden full of perfect specimens, but learning how to save a rose is extremely rewarding.

Depending on where you live, roses may be more susceptible to certain pests and diseases. Cultural conditions such as watering regimes, pruning methods, and rose deadheading mistakes are also potential issues that can cause a shrub to decline in health.

The first step in reviving a struggling rose is to identify the underlying issue. Regularly inspect your plant for any signs of stress, pests, or diseases, and assess environmental factors. Early detection and intervention are key to maintaining healthy roses.

Tackle these common issues, and with a little patience and consistent care, you will be able to save your rose and enjoy its beautiful blooms once again.

1. Rethink Your Watering Routine

Watering roses is a vital part of their care. Get it wrong and plants will soon experience health issues.

Underwatering is a common cause of plant decline, resulting in leaf wilt and stunted growth. The edges of the leaves will often turn yellow, and the area will get crusty and dry. Flowers will also be affected, going limp and fading prematurely.

When plants underperform, however, gardeners may overcompensate with too much moisture. Overwatered plants will have yellow veining or chlorosis in the leaves. They may also develop root rot.

Roses need water every other day on average in the summer. Water deeply to encourage deep root growth, and avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal diseases. Use a targeted drip system to direct moisture to the roots.

Rather than watering to a schedule, regularly check the top two inches of soil for moisture. Push your finger down to the knuckle – if the soil feels dry, then it's time to water.

Maintaining consistent soil moisture is also important, especially during dry periods. Mulching roses can help retain moisture and keep roots cool.

2. Check Light Levels

When a rose is struggling, sometimes the simplest explanation is that it doesn't have enough sunlight. Roses are happiest in full sun and planting them in a shady spot will result in weak, stunted growth and fewer flowers.

Check your rose's position and ensure the plant receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.

If your rose is in a shaded location, consider transplanting it to a sunnier spot. The best time to do this is in early spring, before the plant puts on new growth. However, if the shrub simply can't wait, you can move it in summer, avoiding periods of high heat and drought.

3. Improve Soil Health

Healthy soil is crucial for the revival of a struggling rose plant. Roses will grow in various soil types, but they prefer well-draining loamy soil that is rich in organic matter.

When they sit in clay or heavy soils the excess water may not percolate away, leading to root rot.

You can amend soil around existing plants by mixing in compost or well-rotted manure. This will improve soil structure and fertility.

Also, check the soil pH – roses ideally need a pH of 6-6.5 for healthy growth. If the soil is too acidic or too alkali, it can result in poor plant health and stunted growth. Acidic soil can be amended with lime; alkaline soil with sulfur.

4. Add Fertilizer

Roses need plenty of fuel to grow leaves and stems – but also those magnificent blooms. When a plant isn’t receiving its nutrient needs it will develop symptoms such as chlorosis, buds that fail to form, and limited growth.

Poorly fed roses are more at risk of pest and disease problems than a plant that has the right amount of nutrients available.

If you haven’t fed them recently, you may be able to encourage fresh growth by fertilizing roses. Use a balanced fertilizer formulated for roses to deliver the right type of nutrients. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application rates and times.

Fertilize in early spring and continue feeding every 4-6 weeks until late summer. Avoid fertilizing in the fall, as this can promote new growth vulnerable to winter damage.

However, don't overfeed roses. When the plants are excessively fertilized, the roots can burn, the foliage will develop dark patches, and an overgrowth of leaves will take over with few flower buds.

5. Prune Damaged Areas

Roses really need pruning. Not only do we prune to remove dead wood and shape the plant, but more importantly they need to be pruned at the right point on the stems to promote flowers.

Remove the growth by a third in late winter, cutting canes just above a growth node. Slant the cut so water and dew will fall away from the injury and not sit upon it.

Die-back is the result of unhealthy pruning practices where the cut is not made at a growth point. This unsightly situation leaves brown and black dead stems sticking out of the plant.

If a rose is underperforming in the summer, try removing any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. This will ease congestion and allow the plant to focus on new growth. Also remove rose suckers growing from below the graft line, which steal the plant’s energy and limit new growth potential.

Use sterilized, sharp pruning shears to make clean cuts. Remove any fallen debris around the plant base as well, as it can harbor pests and diseases.

6. Tackle Pests

Examine your rose plant closely for signs of pests – some are more obvious than others, but all will place stress on the plant. Inspect the leaves for bugs and damage, including the undersides, and look for flower buds that fail to open.

Common rose pests include aphids, Japanese beetles, leafcutter bees, scale, curculio weevils, and thrips

Insecticidal soap, neem oil, ladybugs, handpicking, and systemic insecticides are all ways of combating insect pests. Only use insecticides as a last resort.

However, the best pest defense is a happy plant. Providing good care and ensuring the health of the plant means it can withstand small invasions of snacking insects.

In the long term, attract beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, to help control pests. Plant a diverse mix of native plants to nurture wildlife and promote biodiversity.

7. Treat Disease

Black spot, powdery mildew, rust, canker, and more fungal diseases are all common rose problems that will affect the plant’s health. Check the leaves for signs of infection.

Foliar diseases like black spot won’t kill the plant but can reduce its vigor as leaf loss prevents photosynthesis. Cankers can allow even more diseases into the vascular system of the plant or even girdle the stems, preventing the movement of water and nutrients.

There are many fungicides for use on various diseases, including natural remedies for black spot. Keep the plants pruned for good air flow and don’t crowd them too close together. Make sure the soil drains well. Avoid watering overhead and splashing leaves and stems with muddy water.

Sterilize your pruners between cuts and remove any debris below the plant that could harbor fungal spores.

In the future, consider selecting varieties with resistance to the various diseases common in your area.

Viral diseases can also spell disaster for plants. Look out for rose mosaic and rose rosette disease. Rose mosaic produces yellow lines, rings, or patterns on the leaves in spring. Rose rosette disease produces irregular growths called witches' brooms.

There is no treatment for rose mosaic and the bush must be destroyed. Rose rosette is caused by a tiny insect, the eriophyid mite. Unfortunately, there is also no treatment for this disease and the plant must be removed.

8. Treat Chemical Damage

Spraying herbicides when it's windy out is a bad idea. The wind catches the spray and moves it wherever it wants which is not necessarily where you want the chemical. This is called drift and is a common occurrence during weed spraying.

Glyphosate and other chemicals can severely damage plants if the chemical gets on the leaves. In roses, the foliage will stunt, malform, and curl on itself. It discolors, spots, and the edges get dry and crunchy. Overall the plant is stunted and no new growth occurs as the plant valiantly tries to save itself from the poison.

If only a few branches have been affected, prune these out and baby the rest of the plant to recover. If the whole plant got sprayed there may be nothing you can do to save it.

Rose aficionados love and care for their plants like the most nurturing of parents. So when a disease like black spot strikes, it's a worrisome moment that can threaten plans to start a rose garden.

Black spot on roses is a fungal disease caused by Diplocarpon rosae. The disease won’t kill the plant but it will mar the pretty leaves and, over time, cause a decline in the plant's health. This is because the leaves begin to die and drop, slowing the production of plant sugars.

The disease presents as dark, irregularly round spots with yellow halos. It is most prevalent when the leaves remain wet too long and where old plant material is still on the site.

Many gardeners use chemical fungicides to combat the disease, but there is the potential for toxic build-up and such formulas can pose a hazard to aquatic species. These products also reduce biodiversity and may adversely affect soil health by destroying beneficial fungi.

Using a homemade, non-toxic creation is better for the environment and is usually a more cost-effective solution.

Symptoms Of Black Spot In Roses

Black spot disease usually starts on the plant's lower leaves as fungal spores are splashed up during rain or irrigation. The spots appear three days after infection with new spores forming within 10 days.

The spores grow into roundish lesions with feathered edges, measuring up to ½ inch (1.3cm) wide. Spots range from black to dark purple, with a lighter center, and may have a yellow border. In addition to the leaves, immature stems can get black lesions.

Over time, the leaves turn yellow and fall off the plant. Because the plant is defoliating, it lacks enough leaf area to photosynthesize, and a gradual decline in vigor is observed.

Natural Treatments

There are numerous organic and environmentally friendly products on the market, like this organic fungicide from Amazon, but our homes are filled with DIY solutions for plant management. Most of these are non-toxic and safe to use around children and pets and won’t harm the environment.

1. Good Hygiene

The most important thing you can do to manage black spot in roses is to practice good plant hygiene.

One of the biggest rose deadheading mistakes is not sterilizing pruners pruners when moving between plants. This can infect other shrubs.

Always clean up dead plant matter, including leaves, stems, and flower heads, from the ground, and dispose of it. If left around the plant, these will reinfect even a treated rose bush.

Never compost diseased material. Black spot can overwinter in the soil, so preventing it from spreading to other areas should be a top priority.

Prune away any canes that have signs of infection using a sterile, sharp tool, like these best-selling pruning shears from Amazon. Also, thin out over-crowded shrubs, as air cannot circulate. For this reason, you should avoid planting roses too close together.

Do not overhead water, or in cases where the leaves get wet, only irrigate when they have plenty of time to dry off. The leaf surface must be continually wet for seven hours for the disease to bloom.

2. Neem Oil

Neem oil is a natural product that has fungicidal properties. It is not a cure for established black spot infections but is a practical and effective management strategy. When used regularly, it helps to prevent the germination of fungal spores. It is also effective at treating powdery mildew in roses. You can get neem oil from Amazon.

In addition to its use as a fungicide, neem oil is a highly effective pesticide that repels and kills many common insects, without producing a toxic buildup in the environment.

Where roses are infested with pests such as aphids, thrips, and spider mites, neem oil will work double duty in tackling multiple issues.

To manage black spot and other issues, apply neem oil to roses every seven days as a foliar spray. Dilute 1-2 tablespoons of neem oil in 1 gallon (3.5L) of water, and add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap. You can also purchase neem oil spray on Amazon.

Avoid spraying neem oil solutions where beneficial insects, such as bees and ladybugs, are actively visiting the plant. Ideally, apply early in the morning or late at night.

3. Sulphur

Sulfur is an old-timer's solution to a host of garden problems. It works as a fungicide by creating an agent that destroys fungal spores. It's also a non-toxic pesticide and can be used to reduce soil pH if necessary.

Sulfur is most commonly sold as a powder or dust for fungicide purposes, like this Earth Science Fast Acting Sulfer from Amazon. For maximum efficacy, the product must come into contact with all parts displayed. It is an excellent preventative product with few side effects, although it should be used sparingly.

Formulas mixed with copper are sprayed onto the leaves but they wash off in rain or irrigation and must be reapplied frequently.

Copper sulfate can be made into an effective Bordeaux fungicide by mixing 1 gallon (3.5L) of water with 3 tablespoons (50ml) of copper sulfate and 10 tablespoons (148ml) of hydrated lime. However, the mixture can impart a blue-green stain on plants, so avoid spraying close to surfaces such as wooden fencing.

Avoid skin contact with sulfur and copper sulfate, as the substances are toxic to humans – but safe for beneficial insects.

4. Baking Soda

Sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, is a very cheap, widely available treatment that most of us have in our homes.

It's effective as a fungicide because it alters the pH of the leaf surface, making it inhospitable to the fungal spores. However, too much baking soda on plants can lead to salt buildup, which is harmful to plants, so it should be used sparingly.

Therefore, it is best to use baking soda as a preventative measure, or when black spot is in the early stages.

It just takes a spoonful mixed with water to create an effective spray. It may also be mixed with horticultural oil, which will adhere to the leaves better than water.

5. Plant Garlic

Garlic is a natural fungicide and is disliked by many pests, so it makes an excellent companion plant for roses. Onions and chives have a similar effect.

While planting garlic nearby won't cure black spot, anecdotal evidence suggests it can reduce infection rates. Y

As garlic is not visually intrusive, and can be harvested and added to countless recipes, adding it to your rose garden is worth a try. You can get garlic bulbs for planting at Burpee.

6. Apply Mulch

Coarse, organic mulch has been noted as minimizing the presence of black spot spores. The larger pieces keep the area dryer, reducing the presence of the fungus. For example, cedar mulch tends not to be displaced in the wind as much as other materials. Home Depot carries several types of mulch.

Mulching roses is best done in later winter or early spring when the plants are pruned. Apply a layer around 2-3 inches (5-8cm) thick.

Old-Fashioned Remedies

Old wives' tales pepper the gardening community. We are a superstitious lot who stand by our ancestors' garden solutions.

Banana peels dug in around a rose bush are said to help kill the fungal spores, but there is little evidence of this. However, the nutrients released as the skin rots will enhance the plant’s health.

Milk spray is another solution put forward in the gardening community. The theory is that a 1:1 mix of milk and water will create another fungus that fends off the black spot fungus.

Compost tea can also create a beneficial fungal covering on leaves while offering nutrients to the plants.

A healthy rose plant is less likely to succumb to the effects of black spot.

For anyone who is passionate about roses, knowing how to grow a rose plant faster can quickly become a strong ambition. Whether you are cultivating a sea of roses in a dedicated bed or just after filling in that blank spot in your garden, their fragrant floral beauty will be much longed for once they are planted. So for anyone starting a rose garden, it will be hard to wait patiently for those first buds to burst forth.

Established rose specimens grace containers, arbors and borders with unmatched character. It’s easy to understand why rose growers get frustrated when new plants struggle to establish themselves, or when their growth progresses at a snail’s pace. Fortunately, a little patience and know-how can help you hone your expectations. Follow these expert tips for growing a rose plant faster.

Rose Varieties Most Likely to Grow Faster

How fast does a rose grow? It’s nearly impossible to answer this question succinctly since some species are much more likely to grow faster than others. If you’re hoping to quickly establish perennial beds you may want to choose from some different rose cultivars. Consider heirlooms, climbing or rambling roses, as well as many more recent introductions that have been specifically bred for use in the landscape.

Knowing how to grow roses faster often also involves selecting a vigorous rose variety with a reputation for blooming in a shorter time frame. Some reliable roses known to produce flowers in a relatively quicker time frame include climbing ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Eden’, or heirloom ‘Reine des Violettes’. Or why not try North American native ‘Nootka’?

How Do You Speed up Rose Growth?

Determining how to speed up rose growth is obviously aided by understanding their fundamental needs. Rose plants grow a lot more quickly if all their needs are being met with the correct frequency and at the right time. Most garden roses thrive when they receive full sun through the day. Therefore, planting rose bushes in shaded beds often results in poor flower production, or plants that are especially tall or leggy.

Moisture also plays a role in rose growth, so correct rose watering is key. If you want to know how to get roses to grow faster, these shrubs benefit from deep watering at the root zone on a weekly basis. Routine feeding supports good plant growth and the development of flowers. Use a balanced fertilizer in early spring, just as shrubs begin to leaf. Feeding can continue through summer, with four weeks between each application.

Can You Cut Roses for Faster Growth?

To speed up rose growth, you should consider pruning roses as a viable option. As well as hastening growth, this is one of the key ways to grow the best roses in your garden. Late winter or early spring is the best time to prune roses. Trimming back the plants before they have broken dormancy helps to initiate rapid growth when warmer temperatures arrive.

You can feel free to do minor pruning tasks throughout the flowering season, though. This can include deadheading or removing the blooms for arranging in bouquets or cut flower arrangements.

What Slows Down Rose Growth

As well as knowing how to nudge the blooming season along, it can also help to know some of the ways in which rose growth can slow down, or stop altogether. This can help you to avoid some of the big pitfalls of rose growth. Retardation of growth most frequently applies to rose bushes affected by disease such as rose mosaic virus, or those showing signs of severe infestation or problem insects.

Stunted growth and deformity in roses are also symptoms of different fungal infections, such as powdery mildew or downy mildew. Though minor instances can often be treated or controlled, more severe cases can lead to the loss of plants. Diagnosing problems quickly is essential to preventing their spread and securing the overall health of rose beds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you grow roses from rose hips? Though most gardeners stick with cultivars that already exist, it can be tempting to try your hand at hybridization and growing from seed. And whether you are starting a rose garden from scratch or topping up your existing collection, knowing how to grow roses from rose hips is a fun project to try yourself at home.

Roses are some of the best plants for ornamental beds, cutting gardens and even containers. Their timeless beauty and robust nature lend well to any landscape, including those of novice growers. In this article, we explore how to grow roses from hips, and suggest several techniques that can work well.

What is the Easiest Way to Grow Roses from Hips?

To grow roses from hips, you must first understand what you are dealing with. Rose hips are the bulbous fruits or pods that appear on a rose bush under the petals. These pods, often orange or red in color, hold the seeds. You will see a variety of techniques online for growing roses by harvesting the seeds from their hips. The ease and efficacy of these methods can vary wildly, each yielding different results.

Knowing how to grow roses from rose hips is about treating the seeds correctly. On its most basic level, the seed-starting process requires one key component – ripe rose hips. Hips begin to form in summer, after the flowers have been pollinated. You may be wondering, can you plant rose hips straight into the ground? While it is possible to grow roses by simply planting the entire hip in the soil, you may not have much success in getting them to germinate. For this reason, most experts suggest removing the seeds from the hips first.

Rinsing rose seeds with water will help to clean them and remove any excess debris. Many rose growers choose to stratify their seed. Stratifying refers to a brief period, usually lasting several weeks, in which the seed is exposed to cool, moist conditions. Using dampened paper towels, you can arrange rose seeds in sealable bags, then refrigerate them until removing and planting them into trays at the appropriate time. You can also let this stratification occur naturally by planting seeds outdoors in the fall, immediately after harvest.

How Do You Harvest Rose Hips for Planting?

Determining when to harvest rose hips for seeds is relatively simple. Hips require several months to reach maturity. Most gardeners begin to harvest the hips in late summer or early fall when the pods have begun to soften, often changing color.

To grow roses from rose hips that have the best chance of success, harvesting rose seeds carefully is key. Rosarians suggest cutting away each hip carefully, removing both seed and pulp. Be sure to separate the seed only with gloved hands, as the process is commonly known to cause itching and/or skin irritation.

How Long Does it Take to Grow Roses from Seeds?

For anyone who has tried growing roses from cuttings, propagation has obvious time considerations. Put simply, growing roses from seed requires even more patience! After the seed stratification process, germination is slow and occurs only when the conditions are ideal. With ample warmth and consistent moisture, you can expect your first seedlings to emerge four-six weeks from planting.

These delicate seedlings require continued care throughout their first growing season, in beds that are well watered and free of weeds. Though some plants may produce small blooms in their first season, new roses often require at least three-four years before reaching maturity.

Storing Rose Hips for Seeds Sown Later

Though mature rose hips can technically be left on the shrub until spring, doing this runs the risk of losing them to cold temperatures or foraging wildlife. If you are cultivating a bird garden, there is certainly a chance of attracting hungry birdies!

Avoid the risk of rose hip losses by harvesting all your rose’s seed pods in late summer or fall, just as they ripen. Removing seeds from each hip is easiest at this time, though the entire pod can be dried and stored in a cool, dark place. Alternatively, store the collected seed in the refrigerator to preserve them as you prepare for planting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Growing a rose garden is one of the most glorious ways to get close to nature and enjoy a steady stream of romantic summer blooms.

Every gardener has their own ideas of the perfect way to care for their roses, but deadheading is one of the things rose experts always do to grow the best flowers.

Deadheading roses is the practice of removing spent flowers, stems, and foliage. It keeps plants happy and attractive and ensures they aren't expending energy trying to form fruit and seed. Instead, energy is redirected to forming more foliage, developing a healthy root mass, and producing more flowers.

If proper deadheading techniques are combined with good fertilizing, watering, and pest management, your roses should be prize winners and bloom all season

Inevitably, the novice gardener may make mistakes in their pruning and deadheading technique. Avoid these errors to prevent plant injury, ward off common rose diseases, and ensure more beautiful flowers.

1. Wrong Timing

When it comes to deadheading, you can pretty much prune away spent flowers at any time. That being said, there are times when the rose plant is stressed, and cutting on it can cause further stress.

Avoid deadheading and pruning during the hottest time of the day; prior to watering; when dew is still on the plant; and on overcast days, as the plant material won’t dry out.

Additionally, for roses that form rose hips, deadheading at the end of the season will remove the potential for these fruits, which are animal food and tasty when made into tea. Allow the hips to develop and wait until late winter to prune.

Finally, leaving deadheading until too late will diminish the next crop of flowers. Deadhead as the petals are faded and beginning to fall off.

2. Failing To Clean Up Dropped Plant Material

If you just let dead and spent roses, flowers, and stems lie on the ground, it could lead to future diseases and pests.

Many diseases and pests like to overwinter in their host plant’s debris. Failing to remove dead material could encourage such issues the next year. Always clean up and compost or dispose of removed rose cuttings.

3. Not Cleaning Pruners

Plant disease can occur in many ways: diseases spread by wind, insect vectors, water splash, and more. It is also possible to spread a disease from plant to plant via the pruners. This is why it is necessary to sterilize the tool before beginning to prune each plant.

Use a solution of water and bleach, or wipe the blades and handle with rubbing alcohol. There are also sterilizing solutions available for purchase.

Ideally, carry a cloth soaked in sanitizing solution as you are deadheading. Wipe the blades between each cut to prevent the spreading of disease from one part of the plant to another.

4. Using Blunt Cutting Implements

As all keen cooks know, the damage to a cut finger is much worse with a dull knife than with sharp blades. The same is true for your pruners. Rough cuts and tears on plant material invite disease and don’t close up well. Additionally, dull shears or pruners will make the job harder and take longer.

Use bypass pruners for cleaner cuts, since the anvil type crushes the plant material. Always sharpen the blades prior to cutting woody stemmed plants. There are tools for this or just run a knife steel or tool rasp along the blades.

5. Cutting In The Wrong Place

You can choose to just remove the dead rose where it attaches to the plant. This will leave a tidy appearance but doesn’t necessarily encourage new blooms.

To encourage new roses, the best place to deadhead a rose is just above a leaf node or growing joint. The little nubs on the stem are potential branches.

In some cases, you will be able to see new buds forming below the spent flower on the same stem. Cut just above this to preserve the newly forming flower.

If there are several stems of dead flowers, wait until all are dead, and then remove the main stem above the first leaf with five leaflets.

If you wish to prune the stems back to an even uniform shape, cut long stems to just above leaf or bud nodes.

6. Cutting At The Wrong Angle

Never cut a spent flowering stem off straight across; this leaves a surface for moisture to collect, potentially encouraging fungal disease.

Always cut the stem at a 45-degree angle. Make sure the angle forces water away from the bud or leaf node.

Angling it inward will cause irrigation and rainwater to flow onto the new plant material. Angle the cut so it forces water away from the bud.

There is no flower as evocative and steeped in symbolism as the rose. These fragrant beauties are on the wish-list of almost every gardener. Yet, all too often beginners are disheartened by under-performing shrubs with a lack of flowers.

However, growing roses is not the complicated art that it seems. With proper planning and care, nearly anyone can successfully cultivate these romantic cottage garden blooms.

Never forget that a garden is an ever-evolving work in progress, and you don’t have to get everything right immediately.

“Do not expect your roses to always be perfect,” says expert rosarian Wes Harvell at Jackson & Perkins 

“Understand that all plants have their season to shine and will not perform in certain climatic conditions; roses are no different.”

Follow these expert care tips to get the best out of your roses, and you can delight in them growing more and more beautiful each year.

1. Choose compatible roses

Your first step towards growing better roses is to only plant varieties that are compatible with your garden and lifestyle.

“Determine your goals with your rose garden and the amount of effort you want to put into it,” says Wes. “Only select rose varieties that will thrive in your USDA planting zone and meet your maintenance goals.”

If your goal is a low-maintenance garden, then opt for newer rose varieties, which have been bred to require less care with a higher level of disease resistance. Though beautiful, old roses tend to require more maintenance.

“If you find you have selected a rose variety that requires more care than you want to give it to look good, remove it and select a new variety that meets your goals,” adds Wes.

When buying rose plants, many experts recommend choosing bare root roses, which are more cost-effective than buying potted plants. They will take a little longer to establish, but tend to result in a healthier plant in the long term.

Bare root roses should be planted between fall and spring.

2. Improve the soil profile

Roses are hardy shrubs that grow well in different soil types, but prefer it to be moist, well-draining and fertile. In order to get the best performance, good rose soil preparation is key.

“To grow the best roses, you must build a quality soil profile that is high in organic material,” says Wes. “Amend the entire bed, not just the planting hole.”

Wes believes that it’s vital to promote soil micro-organisms and build a living soil profile. There are so many benefits of microbes in soil – they work to deliver the right nutrients to plants’ roots, help fight disease, and break down matter from dead plants and animals and incorporate it into the soil.

Making your own organic compost will contribute hugely towards your soil profile. You should also examine your soil for the presence of earthworms – if the soil is lacking, then consider adding worm eggs to increase the population.

The soil’s pH level is another factor that impacts on rose health, as the plants do not like it to be either too acidic or alkaline. ‘Maintain a pH of between 6.5 and 7,’ says Wes.

Test your soil and if necessary you can amend the pH level. To raise acid level, you can add sphagnum peat to the soil, and you can also water plants several times with a solution of 2 tablespoons vinegar to a gallon of water.

The most common way to lower acid levels is to add pulverized limestone to the soil. 

3. Combine roses with a diverse mix of plants

“Plant roses with a mix of perennials and annuals to promote a diverse plant mix and encourage beneficial insects,” says Wes. 

This will help to improve the overall biodiversity of your garden, but also allow for a stronger performance from your flower beds overall.

It’s also wise to think about rose companion plants that will help to hide the bare canes of roses as they get taller, and to fill in the gaps at different times of year.

“Combine them with other plants that do well when roses are slowing down,” adds Wes.

4. Prune the right way, at the right time

“Pruning roses in the late winter or early spring – before any new growth develops – will give the best results,” says Wes. This will ensure your roses have the best possible head start on the growing season. 

If you have left pruning too late, it’s better late than never, but your roses may not reach their full potential in the current growing year.

How much to prune roses is a common question. “A general rule is to cut the bush rose back by one third,” says Wes. However, if your rose requires renovation, then you will need to cut it back harder.

When pruning rose bushes, many experts advise it’s best to make the cut slightly angled (around 45°) around 1/4 inch (0.5cm) above an outward-facing leaf bud. This is to help moisture run off and to ensure a neater pattern for new growth. However, if you can't manage to be this precise, your roses are unlikely to suffer.

5. Fertilize twice

Fertilizing roses is essential in order to encourage healthy plants and maximum blooms.

“Fertilize in early spring, and again in late summer, with a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 that includes micronutrients,’ says Wes. “Do not fertilize going into summer or winter.”

Most balanced rose fertilizers will give good results. However, rotating the product on different feeds will help to avoid a build-up of salts in the soil.

You should also consider adding some alfalfa meal along with your fertilizer of choice, as it will give both the rose bushes and the soil important nutrients.

6. Water deeply

Watering roses properly will help the plants to grow well and be less susceptible to diseases.

“Roses need 1” (2.5cm) of water per week – they like to be watered less frequently but deeply,” explains Wes.

This can be done using a deep watering device, watering wand, or good old-fashioned watering can. It’s a good idea to water roses twice – allowing the first drench of water to soak into the soil, then going over again.

Rather than watering roses on a schedule, it’s best to water them when they need it. “Scratch the soil to a depth of 3 inches (8cm), and if it feels dry, water the plant,” says Wes.

Adding a thick layer of mulch around your roses will help to retain water in the soil, as well as adding further nutrients.

7. Avoid chemicals

If your rose is affected by pests or disease, it’s tempting to reach for a chemical spray. However, rose experts tend to favor organic methods of control.

“Any pesticides you use will damage the pests or diseases you are trying to control – but can kill beneficial insects and soil micro-organisms,” explains Wes.

“Hand remove, or use organic pesticides whenever possible to control pest and disease outbreaks.”

Check plants regularly for signs of disease such as black spot, or pests such as rose weevils. It is easier to control these problems organically before they get out of hand.

8. Deadhead spent blooms

Deadheading old blooms will not just keep the plants looking tidy – it will encourage the growth of new flowers.

There are two rose deadheading methods that experts use. The first is to simply twist and snap off the flowerhead. It's effective and easy, but does leave a long stem at the top.

The second option is the 5-leaf junction method, which allows more control. Simply use hand pruners to cut the old flowers off down to the first 5-leaf junction, with the cane at a slight angle. As when pruning, leave around 1/4 of an inch (0.5cm) above the junction.

It won't be long before you will have a second flush of beautiful roses to enjoy.

Countless romantic rose varieties can feasibly be given as a sign of love and affection. The gifting of roses of all kinds has long been considered the perfect way to let someone know you truly care. The same can also be said of the varieties selected for the home landscape. Modern cultivars are available in a wide range of romantic rose colors and are sure to add beauty and interest to your growing space, as well as undeniable allure.

Try These 8 Most Romantic Rose Varieties

When it comes to romantic roses, most of us envision true red types. Though these cultivars were traditionally gifted to express immense admiration or passion, many other colors and hues have gained popularity. Gardeners’ preference for overall shape and form has also seen changes, welcoming a wider variety of species into the garden. Here, we’ll explore some of the most sought-after plants for the creation of attractive, romantic beds of roses.

1. Eden Climber Rose

Pink rose varieties are known for adding elegance and charm to the growing space. This ardent climber is no exception, producing an abundance of cupped flowers. Opening in varying shades of cream and pink, Eden Climber roses are perfect for mixed borders, adding depth and dimension through the summer bloom period. Lovely in pink floral bouquets, too.

2. Ambrose Honeymoon

White rose varieties like Ambrose Honeymoon are loved for their crisp appearance. Growers of these roses note the development of attractive shades of cream and pink as each flower matures. A vigorous climbing rose, the plants produce clusters of cup-shaped blooms. This is one of the best romantic rose varieties to grow along fences, trellises or arbors.

3. Honey Perfume Rose

Orange rose varieties, such as Honey Perfume, have gained special interest among gardeners. This hardy floribunda produces an abundance of vibrant, double blooms; each with their signature fragrance. The cultivar is also said to be highly resistant to disease, making it a good choice for beginner growers.

4. Earth Angel Parfuma Rose

When it comes to romantic roses, Earth Angel Parfuma often ranks among gardeners’ favorites. Throughout the season, this floribunda produces large, peony-style flowers. Ranging in shades from light to dark pink, these are an ideal addition to cut arrangements and are often considered a staple in bridal bouquets and centerpieces.

5. Koko Loco Rose

Truly unique, the renowned color of Koko Loco rose has rightly earned it a place among the most sought-after romantic rose varieties by growers. This repeat bloomer has proven itself a dependable floribunda, producing flowers in both early and late summer.

6. French Lace Rose

Revered for its continuous bloom, French Lace roses are amongst the best romantic rose varieties for smaller spaces. Their compact form and resistance to disease make this cultivar appropriate for gardeners of any skill level. Like many other floribundas, this rose is also well-suited to growth in pots and containers.

7. Nicole Carol Miller Rose

Lavender rose varieties, like Nicole Carol Miller, have rapidly gained popularity. Their highly saturated blooms open to display vibrant combinations of white and soft mauve. Other significant attributes include the flowers' strong, fruity fragrance and prolonged vase life when used in arrangements. 

8. Green Romantica Rose

Though green rose varieties are less common, there are several notable cultivars available to growers. Green Romantica roses are most frequently found at garden centers. A hybrid tea rose, each plant will produce stunning flowers in shades of white and chartreuse. This cultivar has been praised for its usefulness in the cutting garden, as well as its ability to add unique interest to the landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roses are often a staple in the home landscape. Shrub and climbing roses are celebrated for their magnificent bloom and effortless beauty. Though many varieties are popular in flower beds, avid rose growers may find themselves looking for cultivars with more interesting and intriguing characteristics. Below, we have compiled a list of some of the most unique roses for you to add to your garden.

Unusual Roses for the Garden

1. Cherry Parfait

Many unique roses are those that feature interesting combinations of color. Cherry Parfait buds unveil large white blooms with delicate pink edging. Boasting an impressive petal count, the full flowers make an excellent addition to formal flower beds and serve as a dependable focal plant. Since this rose remains relatively small, Cherry Parfait is a good candidate for growing in containers near porches, paths, and/or driveways.

2. Frida Kahlo

Named for the Mexican artist, this intriguing bicolor is among the most unique types of roses available to growers. The Frida Kahlo rose features flowers in stunning shades of pinkish-red, splashed with yellow and orange streaks. Rather than single blooms, growers should expect the plants to produce smaller, fragrant clusters.

3. Grace ‘N Grit

Grace ‘N Grit is a white and pink bi-color shrub. Resistant to disease, this variety has proven itself to be an excellent choice for gardeners across a wide range of climatic conditions, including those which are especially hot and humid. Growers of this variety will enjoy an extended bloom time, with flowers repeating throughout the growing season.

4. Hot Cocoa

Among the most unique roses to plant are solids in unusual colors. Hot Cocoa rose distinguishes itself in the garden by its intense orange-chocolate hue. Additionally, the large flowers offer visitors an alluring spicy fragrance, and charming dark foliage. Clustered flowers are a good choice for use in both formal flower beds and cutting gardens.

5. Oso Easy Paprika

Part of the Oso Easy series, Paprika rose is an exceptional variety of petite rose. Reaching only 24 inches (60 cm) at maturity, this mounding cultivar is ideal for use in containers, at the front of mixed borders, and as a ground cover. Attractive flowers first open in brilliant shades of orange. As each bloom ages, its center blends to a fantastic combination of yellow and coral tones.

6. Scentimental

Scentimental rose bushes produce large, full blossoms. With each flower containing over 50 petals, gardeners can expect tightly packed buds that are striped with splashes of red and white. Scentimental is well-known for its intense spicy fragrance, which may often be noticed from across the garden.

7. Summer Fashion

This multi-colored rose is prized for its unique coloration. Each flower opens in an appealing shade of pastel yellow. As the bloom continues to age, its outer petals develop to reveal deeper pink hues, creating a beautiful and multi-dimensional addition to the garden. Highly fragrant, Summer Fashion makes a memorable addition to flower beds and informal cutting patches.

8. Sweet Spot

Another compact rose, Sweet Spot is a good choice for containers and borders. Single yellow flowers open to display a deep, red center. This rose has demonstrated impressive resistance to many common rose diseases, as well as an increased tolerance to heat, humidity, and prolonged periods of drought.

Try Rose Hips For a Dose of Vitamin C

Once the petals fall from roses, the flower leaves behind the hips. Rose hips are ornamental, especially once they turn a golden orange hue.

Harvesting rose hips for tea is a very common and has a long history steeped in tradition, but you can eat the hips as well.

There are plenty of nutritional rose hips benefits and the lovely taste carries a hint of citrus.

Rose hips form on many of our rose species, but rosa rugosa, or wild rose hips are one of the largest and tastiest.

Wild rose hips have been used for centuries in many recipes. They can be used fresh or dried for later use. High in vitamins and minerals, rose hips add a delightful fragrance and flavor to daily recipes.

About Rosa Rugosa Hips

Rose hips are the ripened ovaries of the rose flower. They are essentially a fruit, and are popular with birds and other wild animals.

Many varieties of roses produce hips that vary in size and color. Wild rose hips are some of the largest and tastiest.

While hybrid roses are repeat bloomers and need to be deadheaded to promote more blooms, wild and shrub roses are not deadheaded and the hips are allowed to develop.

Ripe hips are orange to red, plump, and smooth when ready to harvest. A treat for birds, they are a wonderful food for humans, too. The fruit is tangy, citrusy, and delightful, and may be cooked or dried for different uses.

Rose Hips Benefits

Rose hips are also called rose haw, and are a great source of Vitamin C. Unsurprisingly, the citrus flavor derived from the hips is common in plants high in Vitamin C.

Hips can be preserved, used fresh or dried for tea. Common preparations are jams, jellies, syrup, and purees.

Late season is the best time for harvesting rose hips. Only use fruit that has not been exposed to pesticides or herbicides.

Wash and cut the fruit, then steep in water. This is a simple tea. Or you can add other fruit like apples, and sugar boiled down to a syrup which you can strain. Jams and jellies follow a similar approach to traditional fruit preparations.

Dried Rose Hips

After harvesting rose hips use them fresh or save them for later. Preserving the hips is one option, but they can also be dried.

Wash the hips, then either dry them whole or cut in half. This is best done by spreading the hips on screens, using a dehydrator or drying then in an oven on a very low setting. Make sure they are entirely dry before storing to prevent mold from forming.

You can store the dried hips in this form, or grind them in a mortar and pestle or other device.

Steep the dried hips in a tea ball for instantly fresh, nutritious and tangy tea.

Avid rose gardeners love the beauty and elegance of roses. With hundreds, if not thousands, of named rose cultivars to choose from it’s understandable that some may be overwhelmed by the options. Color, fragrance, and size all play a major role in selecting roses for the garden. If you want rose varieties that work well in cut flower arranging, you'll have even more to consider before planting. Learning more about the most beautiful roses available, home gardeners and florists can best choose those that are ideal for their intended use. 

Beautiful Rose Varieties

When it comes to selecting the most beautiful roses, it is essential to consider your own personal preferences and style. Choosing garden roses also requires that growers pay close attention to growth requirements for each species as well as the bloom season. Since beautiful, romantic roses are popular for use in floral arranging and design, it will be imperative to choose cultivars whose beauty and elegance combine with an extended vase life.

In addition to vase life, those wishing to grow their own roses should look for varieties that repeat bloom throughout the growing season. Tall, strong stems are essential for a cutting garden if they're being grown for arrangements. While climbing or rambling roses can be quite beautiful when grown over garden trellises, they're not ideal for use in vases. Instead, gardeners should consider shrub-form roses like floribundas and hybrid tea roses.

Gifting roses on special occasions is a great way to show loved ones that they are cared for. Unfortunately, many holidays fall during a time when garden roses may not be available locally, which is why florists are so commonly relied on to help select the best roses for Valentine’s Day. 

While the most beautiful roses come in a wide range of colors, red and pink shades of roses are by far the most popular. When choosing a bouquet, look for roses with large double blooms, which have an exceedingly high petal count. This will ensure that any arrangement will look elegant and expensive. Here's a list of beautiful roses:

Popular Beautiful Rose Varieties

• Belinda’s Dream
• Bride
• Eiffel Tower
• Fragrant Hour
• Grand Amore
• Mister Lincoln
• Paul Shirville
• Pinkerbelle
• Wedding Garland

The gift of fresh-cut roses, or those which have been used in special bouquets or flower arrangements, can have immense sentimental value. Symbolic of love and caring, it is understandable that many want to preserve these flowers as treasured keepsakes. Fortunately, there are many ways in which to dry roses so that they will be treasured for years to come. 

How Do I Dry Roses?

When it comes to learning how to dry roses, there are several options. First, crafters will need to gather the flowers. If the roses have been used in a larger bouquet or vase, they should be removed. Next, all foliage will need to be stripped from the stem to prepare it for drying. The rose drying process should begin well before the flower has started to wilt, as fresh blooms will yield the best dried roses. The same general guidelines will also apply to roses that have been picked from the garden. 

It will be important to consider exactly how to dry the roses. While dried roses created by pressing are often cherished, their flat shape may not be ideal. This technique may be more useful for flowers that are smaller or have a low petal count. Other techniques put more emphasis on maintaining the true shape of the roses. 

While it is tempting to dry roses fast, the best results occur with patience. Most commonly, the flower stems are bundled into small groups and tied with a string or rubber band. Next, the stems are allowed to hang upside down in a dry, dark place for several weeks. Doing so will ensure that the color of the dried roses is fully preserved and will help to prevent molding. 

Other rose drying techniques include the use of desiccants. These substances, such as silica gel, are used to dry roses fast. Unlike air drying, the entire stem will need to be removed from the flower. This technique is also more costly, as it requires each flower to be completely covered by the desiccant. When using this technique always make certain to read the manufacturer's label carefully in order to ensure safe use. Regardless of the rose drying technique chosen, dried roses are sure to serve as a truly valuable memento. 

Many growers consider roses to be the quintessential landscape flower. From sprawling English gardens to modest urban flower beds, roses are so common that we may even take them for granted. Though seemingly ordinary, learning to properly grow beautiful roses is actually difficult. A variety of factors can dramatically impact the health of garden roses and how well they will grow. 

Among the most important considerations is disease resistance. Choosing strong, robust varieties of roses, which are suited to your own growing zone, is crucial to the success of rose plantings. One good option to consider is the Tuscan Sun rose.

What is a Tuscan Sun Rose?

One specific rose, the ‘Tuscan Sun’ rose plant, is especially popular due to its ability to withstand adverse growing conditions. Learning more about Tuscan Sun floribunda rose can help you determine whether this cultivar is ideal for your garden. 

The Tuscan Sun rose bush is a variety of floribunda rose, which blooms in profusion. As buds begin to open, growers are greeted with vibrant shades of light and dark orange. Aging flowers gradually fade to shades of coral and soft pink. Due to this, one plant may produce a stunning range of multi-colored blooms. 

These large flowers emit a delicate, spicy fragrance that is sure to be noticed by visitors to the garden. The modest size and spread of the Tuscan Sun rose plant also make it ideal for use in borders and landscape plantings. 

Tuscan Sun floribunda rose is most praised for its disease resistance. Unlike many roses, this cultivar is able to grow in regions that experience exceptionally hot and humid weather conditions. Due to their high disease resistance, Tuscan Sun rose bushes are able to withstand both rust and powdery mildew. 

Growing Tuscan Sun Roses

Growing Tuscan Sun roses is much like growing any other cultivar. First, gardeners will need to obtain bare root plants or other large transplants from a local garden center or online nursery. Since roses will not grow true-to-type from seed, purchasing plants from a reputable source will help to ensure that your Tuscan Sun rose bush is correctly labeled, healthy, and disease free. 

Next, select a planting location that receives at least six hours of sun each day. Consider other factors such as drainage and space which will be needed at maturity. While bare-root roses will need to be rehydrated before planting, actively growing plants can simply be removed from their pots. 

Dig a hole approximately twice as wide and twice as deep as the root ball of the transplant. Place the rose bush into the hole and gently begin to backfill the hole with soil. Water the new planting well and continue to monitor the new planting as it becomes established.