The Many Types of Rose Bushes To Grace Your Garden

Roses are one of the most popular and beautiful flowers that can be grown in home gardens Their beauty, fragrance and variety make them a top choice for gardeners. But with so many types of roses available, it can get confusing trying to figure out which ones to choose. This article will break down the main categories of rose bushes to help you decide which types are best for your garden

Species Roses

Species roses, also known as wild roses, are the original ancestors of the domesticated roses we grow today. There are around 200 wild species most native to the Northern Hemisphere. They tend to be very hardy disease resistant and easy to grow. Some popular species rose varieties include Rosa rugosa, Rosa chinensis, and Rosa gallica. Species roses have simple, five-petaled flowers and once-blooming habit. They work well in informal, natural style gardens.

Old Garden Roses

Old garden roses originated before 1867 and include heirloom varieties like Damask, Alba, Bourbon, Centifolia, China, and Tea roses. These shapely shrubs with dense, soft leaves produce intensely fragrant, lush blooms. The colorful flowers have a timeless romance and charm. Although less disease resistant than modern roses, their intoxicating fragrance and quaint flower forms make old garden roses worth growing. They bloom once in spring or summer but may have a smaller fall bloom.

Modern Garden Roses

Modern roses were bred after 1867 for traits like repeat blooming, wide color range, and disease/pest resistance. This category contains the majority of roses grown today, including hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures, shrub, and climbing roses.

Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid teas are the classic long-stemmed roses associated with Valentine’s Day. They have large, sophisticated blooms on long cutting stems. Flowers are borne singly at the tip of each stem, creating a formal look. Hybrid teas bloom repeatedly from spring to fall and feature hybridized tea rose and hybrid perpetual genetics. They prefer rich soil, regular watering and good air circulation.

Floribunda Roses

As the name suggests, floribunda roses produce an abundance of lightly-scented blooms all season long. The moderately-sized flowers grow in small clusters along the stems, creating a colorful splash in the garden. The compact growth habit makes them ideal for borders, flower beds, containers and low hedges. Popular varieties include ‘Iceberg’ and ‘Knock Out’.

Grandiflora Roses

Grandiflora roses combine traits from both hybrid teas and floribundas. They have the elegant form of hybrid teas but with bundled blooms like floribundas. The large, scented flowers make lovely cut flowers. They bloom repeatedly from spring through frost. ‘Queen Elizabeth’ is a classic example.

Miniature Roses

Miniature rose bushes grow 12″-36″ tall and produce tiny 1″ blooms. They work beautifully in rock gardens, along walkways, in containers or as edging plants. Miniatures exhibit the same traits as their full-sized counterparts but on a smaller scale. Mini floribundas, mini hybrid teas, and more are available.

Shrub Roses

Shrub roses offer versatile, carefree landscape performance. They are hardy, low maintenance plants that add informal, natural style to gardens. Shrub roses grow 4-6 feet tall and wide. Most varieties flower just once in spring or early summer, but may rebloom lightly into fall. Many shrub roses have excellent disease resistance too. Rugosa and David Austin’s English roses are two popular types.

Climbing Roses

Climbing roses have long, flexible canes that can be trained up structures like trellises, arbors, walls and fences. They are vigorous growers that produce waves of color. Most climbing roses bloom only once in late spring or early summer on old wood. But some remontant varieties rebloom on new wood into fall. Types include large-flowered climbers, ramblers and hybrid pillar roses.

This overview covers the main categories of rose bushes available to home gardeners. Keep your specific needs and growing conditions in mind when selecting rose types. Focus on choosing disease-resistant, low maintenance varieties suited to your climate. With the right selection, you can enjoy armloads of beautiful roses from your garden every year. The wide diversity of roses lets you create a landscape as unique as your personal style.