Roses – they’re as varied and different as they are beautiful. No matter what rose you’re admiring, it belongs to a single botanical family: Rosaceae. All roses also fall under the genus Rosa. You can find roses nearly anywhere in the world. In fact, there are more than 150 different species of true wild roses found throughout the world, spanning native locales as varied as the tropics and the arctic.
Climbing roses are excellent choices for small, sunny spaces.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Floribunda roses feature clustered blooms that repeat throughout the season.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Grandiflora roses are a cross between hybrid teas and floribundas.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
If you like cutflowers, grow some hybrid teas in your garden.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
The modern shrub “class” is a catch-all group for roses that defy other classification.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Tree roses are popular selections for flanking an entrance to a home.
Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Of course there are a few rose “posers” found in gardens that are actually hybrids between the true roses and other, closely related non-rose species and others are “sports” or genetic mutations of species roses and hybrids. But the roses that most gardeners grow are cultivars (copies of domestic plants produced by commercial growers) or hybrids (the genetic offspring of parent plants with distinctive characteristics) that are treasured for their special blooms, fragrance or for such qualities as disease resistance or tolerance to heat, humidity and cold. Collectively, these are called “varieties,” and more than 1,000 are known to exist.
Besides species, or wild roses, the major classes of garden roses are:
- Climber – long-caned cultivars suitable for training onto vertical supports.
- Floribunda – a cross of hybrid tea and polyantha roses with clustered blooms.
- Grandiflora – large-statured cross between hybrid tea and floribunda roses.
- Hybrid tea – cross between tea and hybrid perpetual roses.
- Miniature – genetic dwarf hybrids of roses of other classifications.
- Mini-flora – intermediate in size and foliage between miniatures and floribundas.
- Old garden – antique classics and favorites that predate 1867 and include Bourbon, China, hybrid perpetual, noisette, Portland and tea roses, plus Rosa x alba, Rosa x damascena, Rosa x centifolia and Rosa gallica, among others.
- Polyantha – diminutive hybrid of China tea, noisette and R. multiflora.
- Shrub – a general classification for unique roses that defy classification into the other categories.
You’ll find roses with many different growth habits in addition to their flower color, bloom size and fragrance. The most commonly available forms are spreading groundcovers, low and spreading mounding bushes, shrubs, upright shrubs, climbers and standard – often called tree – roses, plus miniature shrubs and trees. Gardeners and rosarians alike usually choose roses based on the desired effect and their intended use in the home landscape.
When planning your rose garden, first choose those rose varieties that fit your specific goals, space and climate. If your goal is a spectacular, season-long show of blooms, pick a floribunda that will produce flushes from spring till fall. For cutting stems, choose hybrid teas that produce showy, individual flowers. For fragrance, choose cultivars recognized for distinctive scents. If you’re seeking a practical rose to anchor a slope and grow without care, choose an easy-to-grow groundcover selection. To flood an arbor with color, choose repeat-blooming climbers. There are roses for every situation.
Next, consider the plant’s stature and your site’s space. The most popular roses – hybrid teas – offer vase-shaped, upright shrub or tree forms that are typically 3-5 feet tall and wide. Floribundas are similar in size to hybrid teas. Grandifloras are somewhat larger and tend to be upright plants – they’ll reach 7 feet tall, remaining the same width as a hybrid tea. For containers, edgings and foreground plantings, pick miniatures or polyanthas – both have compact, shrub and tree forms. Climbers and ramblers are the ticket to fill large areas or climb structures or pillars – some grow canes 20 feet or more long.
Finally, remember your climate, especially if it’s excessively cold, or hot and humid. Pick varieties adapted to your region. When you’ve picked your favorites out of all the different kinds, fitting the roses into a garden of your liking is the next item on the agenda!
