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• Using Roses in the Garden and Landscape

• But Aren't Roses Difficult?

Not so long ago, there were gardeners and then there were rose gardeners---dedicated, hardcore enthusiasts in pursuit of cosmetically perfect blooms on long, straight stems to enter into competitions at a local, regional, or national rose show. Times have changed, and today there are far more rose lovers who simply want to enjoy the queen of flowers in their gardens. Well, what's old is new again, and this return to how things once were (before the reign of the hybrid tea) is refreshing, opening up the world of roses to perennial gardeners, homeowners looking for attractive landscape options, and many other gardeners who had previously written off roses as too difficult, esoteric, or irrelevant.

Because of (or, as a result of?) this renaissance in the rose world, roses are now available in an astonishing variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and other characteristics. You won't find any blue roses yet, but every nuance of color from purest white to deepest purple-red is represented. And while many fine hybrid teas are being developed still, in addition to these you'll also find robust climbers and ramblers, vigorous ancient shrub roses, modern, reblooming English roses (bred by David Austin), groundcover roses, and more.

Using Roses in the Garden and Landscape

While hybrid teas---even exceptional ones---are still best suited to dedicated rose gardens, it's not difficult to find a rose today for almost any situation or purpose. Climbers and ramblers are great for romantically enveloping the side of a garage or old shed, or scrambling up an arbor or trellis. Shrub roses make excellent focal points in mixed borders, and many shrub roses also work well in multiples to form a casual flowering hedge. Groundcover roses are good choices for the front of a mixed border, or can be used in place of grass on a steep slope that's difficult to mow.

But Aren't Roses Difficult?

While it's true that some of the older hybrid teas can be a bit fussy, the more recent hybrid teas, as well as most of the shrub, modern, and climbing roses, are relatively undemanding. Just choose a site with moist, well-drained soil, preferably in full sun (a half day is usually fine, but more sun means more flowering), and provide plenty of water and nutrients. Take care of these basics and your roses will reward you with vigorous, healthy growth, scads of blooms, and years of satisfaction and delight.

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