Roses (Rosa spp.) are popular garden shrubs, and with the right conditions, they are easier to grow than many gardeners expect.
Understanding a few basic growing needs—such as space, sunlight, and blooming habits—can make a big difference in how well your roses perform.
What Roses Need to Grow Well
Space and Mature Size
Roses vary in size, so it’s important to know how large a plant will be at maturity. Some roses stay compact at under 3 feet tall, while others grow much larger and need more room.
Giving roses enough space improves air circulation, reduces disease problems, and helps plants bloom more reliably.
Sunlight
Most roses grow best with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. More sun generally means stronger growth and better flowering.
Some roses tolerate partial shade, but flowering may be lighter in less sun.
Blooming Habits
Roses differ in how often they bloom. Some flower once per season, while others bloom repeatedly from spring through fall.
For continuous color, look for roses labeled repeat-blooming or continuous bloom.
While roses vary in size and bloom habits, most garden roses share the same basic growing needs, making them easier to care for than many gardeners expect.
Types
Roses can feel overwhelming when you’re new to them. No need to learn the whole rose universe right away—or start with the fussy types. Let’s begin with sturdy, low‑maintenance roses that give you the best chance of success.
Botanically, roses fall into three broad groups (species, old garden, and modern), but beginners will find it most helpful to choose by growth habit: shrubs, climbers, hybrid teas, or miniatures.
Choosing Your First Rose
If you’re new to roses, start with a shrub rose. They’re the toughest, most low‑maintenance roses you can grow.
Shrub Roses (Rose Bushes)
Shrub roses form rounded, bushy plants and are the most reliable, low‑maintenance roses for new gardeners. They bloom generously, resist disease, and need very little pruning.
Examples:
- Knock Out Roses — continuous bloom, excellent disease resistance; hardy in Zones 5–10
- Flower Carpet Roses — groundcover style, nonstop flowers; hardy in Zones 4–10
- Rugosa Roses — incredibly hardy, fragrant, and tough; many varieties (like ‘Jens Munk’) hardy to Zone 2
If you’re just starting out, shrub roses are your safest, easiest choice. See 3 easy roses for beginners!
Climbing Roses
Climbers send out long canes that need support from a trellis, fence, or arbor. They’re stunning but require training and a bit more attention, so many beginners add them after they’ve grown a shrub rose or two.
Examples:
- ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ (David Austin) — repeat‑blooming, fragrant; hardy in Zones 4–11
- ‘New Dawn’ — hardy, forgiving, blush‑pink; Zones 5–9
- ‘Don Juan’ — deep red, sweet fragrance; Zones 6–9
- ‘Iceberg’ — white, heat‑tolerant, disease‑resistant; Zones 4–9
Hybrid Tea Roses
These are the classic long‑stemmed roses you see in bouquets. They produce beautiful, elegant blooms — and they’re also the fussiest. Hybrid teas often need more pruning, feeding, and disease prevention, so they’re usually not a beginner’s first rose.
Examples:
- ‘Pink Peace’ — large, fragrant blooms; hardy in Zones 5–10
- ‘Sunsprite’ (‘KORresia’) — compact yellow floribunda; fragrant and disease‑resistant; Zones 5–9
Miniature Roses
Small, compact roses that stay tidy in containers or small gardens. They bloom repeatedly and are surprisingly tough, but need extra care if grown in pots. Most varieties fall within Zones 5–9.
See also our list of disease-resistant rose varieties.
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Comments
It all depends on your variety of rose and whether this is a container rose or a rose bush set in the ground. However, it sounds as if you are overwatering. The general rule of thumb suggests that one inch of water be applied per week during the growing season. To know if you're getting an inch of rain, you can set out an empty tuna can and see how much water falls.
Yes, all roses need a fertilization program. Usually a general-purpose fertilizer will do (such as a 10-10-10 or 12-12-12). Apply about one-half to one cup per plant in the spring. Don't get too close to the base of the plant. Start 6 inches out and work it in lightly. Then water.
You could fertilize again in mid-June. Do not fertilize after mid-August. You could fertilize one more time AFTER the plant has gone dormant in the fall so it will be available when growth resumes in the spring.
If you live in a hot and sunny place, you want to avoid having the sun rays blast your rose plant. Avoid planting in full sun or on the west side. Roses do best with afternoon filtered shade--perhaps from a tree. Or, consider making a shade cloth canopy for them for the hotter months.
Also, be sure to water at the base on the plant, not on the leaves. Use lots of organic matter. Keep those roots moist with 4 to 6 inches of mulch on top of the rose beds.
Are you over-fertilizing? Use rose food but do not use high nitrogen fertilizer; this burns your rose roots and foliage. Fertilizing should be done in the late afternoon when the sun is setting.
We hope that these tips help!
Don't prune more. Let the roses start growing and then cut out the dead branches.
In the spring, apply a general-purpose fertilizer (such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12) at about one-half to one cup per plant. Spread the fertilizer in a band starting six inches from the crown of the plant, going out to about 18 inches. Work it in lightly and water. Apply a second application at the end of the spring bloom period. For continuous-flowering or repeat-blooming roses, apply a third application in mid-July. No fertilizer should be applied after August 15 until the plants go dormant. Some gardeners apply a late fall fertilizer so that it is available as the plants start to grow in the spring.
Besides your fertilizer, watering very consistently is also an important part of a roses' wellness. Mulch to hold in moisture and avoid weed competition.
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Larisa, With roses, there are many reasons why they could die from the quality of the rose you purchased to how you planted the roses to diseases. We suggest that you take some photos of the dying bushes, some leaves and stems, and a soil sample into your county agricultural extension agent.