“I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.”
– Emma Goldman
At Westwood Gardens we hear, “Are roses hard to grow?” pretty often. Answer: Some require more attention than others, but knowing the different types and the care they require is the first step to success.
We’ve created a handy guide to the main types of roses and the pros and cons to each, so you can decide where to start. Then, check out our complete list of 2017 Westwood-Grown Roses broken down by type, color and fragrance level (note: inventory varies by location and changes daily!)
Knockout Rose
Beginners: Start here! This is the easiest rose to grow, as it’s the most disease resistant. However, since it is a shrub-type rose, the flowers are on a short stem (not as easy to use as a cut flower). They’re also not as fragrant as other types.
Climbing Rose
If you’ve tackled the Knockout Rose, consider moving up to the Climbing Rose. They are still relatively easy to grow, and they–you guessed it–climb (quickly!), so you will have to train them onto a trellis, etc.
Hybrid Tea Rose/Floribunda
These beauties are the “traditional” rose. They have a long stem with a single flower at the end (great for cutting) and are very fragrant and come in lots of colors. However, they are susceptible to disease (black spot and powdery mildew), so you should plan for a preventative fungicide program if you plan on introducing these to your landscape.
Old English Rose
More disease resistant than the Hybrid Tea, but not as resilient as Knockout. The distinguishing feature of this highly fragrant rose is the puffed petals, so you’ll get lots of full blooms.
Important Takeaways:
– Plant roses in full sun
– Fertilize often
– Start a preventative fungicide program to prevent black spot and powdery mildew
Visit any of our locations and let us help you pick out your perfect rose.
Good luck in the garden!
