Yellow roses get a bad rap. In the language of flowers, they don’t get the same romantic claims of “love” and “devotion” as their passionate red cousins do. After all, when people want to show their “friendship” or “platonic love” – or even jealousy – they send yellow roses. But don’t let that flower talk fool you! In your garden, yellow roses can take on a whole new brilliance, adding their unique rays of sunshine to everything near them.
The hybrid tea Henry Fonda has deep yellow flowers in summer.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
The David Austin rose Graham Thomas® is a named after a British rose expert.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Golden Celebration is a David Austin rose that blooms in shades of apricot and yellow.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
If you like yellow, the following list of roses will simply knock your socks off. Some are butter yellow or yellow-orange, while others take on hues of apricot. Many are repeat-bloomers, and with proper care, they’ll give you loads of color all summer long. But no matter which yellow rose you choose, you can be sure that it’ll add a bit of sun to even the grayest of days. Here are some (grouped by flower type) to get you on that sunny side of the street.
Floribundas offer clusters of blooms. These four are at the top of the yellow list:
- Golden Holstein has clear-yellow, slightly fragrant flowers with 10-12 petals.
- Honey Perfume is apricot-yellow with a spicy fragrance and 30 petals.
- Julia Child has pale apricot-yellow flowers with numerous petals and a great fragrance.
- Sunsprite has deep yellow flowers and a strong, spicy scent.
Hybrid teas look like your classic florist rose, with 30-60 petals. While there are lots to choose from, some favorite yellows are:
- Elina, which has soft yellow-and-cream flowers and a light fragrance.
- Henry Fonda, with its deep yellow flowers and light scent.
- Jean Giono®, offering a great fragrance and roses in various shades of yellow and apricot.
- Midas Touch, which has deep yellow flowers and a strong fragrance.
- Radiant Perfume, with highly fragrant, yellow-orange blooms.
David Austin roses are shrub roses that are just like old roses, with really full flowers and numerous petals. The big difference is they aren’t “old” at all. I have three favorite yellow selections:
- Charlotte is a shrub rose with pale yellow flowers and a great fragrance.
- Graham Thomas® is a large plant with clear-yellow roses and a spicy scent.
- Golden Celebration is honey-scented with yellow-apricot flowers.
Miniature roses don’t ever grow more than 2 feet tall. There’s one in particular that I like a lot:
- Beehive Gold is petite, so it’s great in a container, where you can easily enjoy its rich yellow flowers to their fullest. Like many miniatures, it has no scent.
Climbers need something to climb, so be sure to give them a solid structure. These beauties can grow from 6-20 feet tall, but the two listed here get to 6-10 feet. Two climbers really stand out in the world of yellow roses:
- Casino not only has a good fragrance, it’s got gorgeous pale yellow flowers with about 20 petals on each bloom.
- Golden Showers® has clear-yellow flowers on a strong, fast-growing plant. The blooms are lightly scented and have 20-30 petals.
Grandifloras are a cross between hybrid teas and floribundas, so you get the best of both worlds. There’s one yellow standout selection:
- Solstice grows about 5 feet tall and packs a sunny punch with its lightly fragrant, apricot-yellow flowers all summer long.
Groundcover roses do just that – they cover the ground. Here’s a great yellow bloomer to try in your sunny spots:
- Yellow Ribbons grows 18 inches tall and is covered with pale yellow, lightly fragrant flowers.
Add a ray of sunshine to your garden with one of these yellow beauties – they won’t let you down on even the darkest of days!
