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.
More Like This
If you've bought the bareroot roses from a mailorder company, contact them for the best advice--they normally ship at times that are best to plant in your area.
In general, bareroot roses should be planted as soon as possible, but can be kept in their packaging in a cool, frost-free area for a few days, making sure that the roots are moist (check them when they arrive, add water as necessary, and then reseal the package). Just before planting, soak them for several hours in water.
Because your plants have started to break dormancy, you might try planting them directly in the ground according to directions provided with your plants (soaking them for a few hours first), and then provide protection each time that frost is a threat. To do this, cover the base root area with about 5 or so inches of soil, compost, or mulch (being sure to cover the graft union at the base of the plant). Then place a cylinder of wire, or stakes wrapped in fleece or burlap, around the plant. Fill in loosely with shredded fall leaves, mulch, and/or straw, being sure to cover the stems, emerging leaves, etc. Once the threat of frost is past, uncover the plant, but leave a few inches of mulch at the base of the plant (but make sure the graft union is uncovered). Water the area thoroughly, and as needed, so that the roots do not dry out.
Or, you could try planting them in large pots and setting them in a cool, sheltered area--either inside (make sure it has light), or outside with protection as needed during threats of frost, until such time as you can plant them in the ground. Keep up with the watering so that the roots don't dry out.
You have different varieties of roses and some may start growing leaves earlier than others.
It's recommended that you feed your roses when you prune in the spring. You can add compost to the soil or use rose food or an all purpose fertilizer. You can also give the roses a handful of Epsom salts for an extra dose of magnesium.
You can propagate roses from stem cuttings and sometimes roses in a bouquet will root. Cut off the dried tops and plant the rose in a pot with soilless potting mix. To speed things along you may also want to dip the bottom end in a rooting hormone (available at garden centers). Be aware that most roses are grafted onto the rootstock of a different kind of rose, for hardiness, strength and disease resistance, so your rooted rose may not resemble the parent rose at all.
You bought a bareroot rose. Many people have an unfortunate experience with a garden store in that they have bought a rose bush whose roots have dried out so the plant is essential dead from day one. You mentioned "hard" and that is what triggers our response. The bark should be soft and greenish in color. If it is hard and brown with wrinkly lines, then it is dead or dying. We hope this advice helps you spot a healthy plant and advise you return the dead sticks to the garden center.
- « Previous
- 1
- 2
- …
- 10
- Next »
Comments