Shrub Roses
This class of modern rose was created by the American Rose Society to include plants with
a large and bushy growth habit that eluded other categories. Almost without exception,
shrub roses are tough, winter-hardy plants that can tolerate neglect and poor
growing conditions. Use shrub roses as landscape plants, mass plantings, hedges,
ground covers, or shrub borders. For the most part they are large plants whose
decorative flowers bloom in clusters all summer, followed in many cases by showy
hips.
The shrub class has many subclasses, including hybrid blanda,
hybrid hugonis, hybrid laevigata, hybrid macounii, hybrid
macrantha, hybrid moyesii, hybrid musk, hybrid nitida, hybrid
nutkana, hybrid rugosa, hybrid suffulta, and kordesii. However,
many of these subclasses are obscure and have no members that are
commonly grown or sold. Roses that don't fit into any subclass
are called simply shrub.
The most commonly grown shrub roses come from the hybrid
moyesii, hybrid rugosa, kordesii, hybrid musk, and shrub categories.
Hybrid moyesii are large, stiff, winter-hardy plants that usually
grow to 6 feet in height. All have uniquely attractive red hips
following the bloom, and most are very disease resistant. Hybrid rugosa roses
are hardy, disease resistant, easy to care for, and tolerant of salt air.
They have wrinkled foliage, dense growth, and attractive hips.
Kordesii are modern shrubs and low-growing climbers that are
very hardy and offer a variety of flower forms and colors. Hybrid
musk roses have large clusters of flowers that have a heavy fragrance.
Most, although not all, have single flowers. Hybrid musk roses are tall,
disease resistant, and winter hardy. Members of the catchall shrub
category have varied backgrounds but are generally large,
winter hardy, and disease-resistant plants.
Many shrub roses hail from the turn of the century, but in recent years there
have been many new introductions as growers rediscover their beauty, charm, and
value as landscape plants.
- 'Abraham Darby' Roses (Introduced - 1985)
- One parent of 'Abraham Darby' is the climbing hybrid tea 'Aloha',
so although this rose may be maintained as a large
shrub, with a little training it will also perform well as a climber.
Its large, double, cupped, apricot-pink flowers suffused with yellow
will cover a trellis or wall and perfume your garden.
Like most English roses, 'Abraham Darby' combines an
old-fashioned look and fragrance with the everblooming habit of a modern rose.
It's a good choice for temperate parts of the Northeast and Midwest, and a
superb one in the Mid-Atlantic states, Pacific Northwest, and Southwest.
- 'Alba Meidiland' Roses (Introduced - 1989)
- White with a hint of pink, the continually flowering 2-inch double blooms of
'Alba Meidiland' rose appear in small clusters on plants that
grow 2 feet high and spread 6 feet wide. Useful as a ground cover
or in a massed planting, this shrub rose has small, dark green foliage.
- 'Alchymist' Roses (Introduced - 1956)
- The breeder of this rose didn't start with lead, but he did
produce true gold, something the old-time alchemists could only
dream of: tall and rangy, 'Alchymist' may be grown as a shrub or a fountain of
arching canes, or this rose can be tied in as a climber to shinny
up a pillar. The flowers, as the name suggests, have golden
over-tones, but the yellow is mixed with apricot to give the blossoms a
luscious warmth. The flowers are quartered -the petals arranged
in a cruciform -which gives them an old-fashioned look, and the
shrub behaves like an antique, flowering heavily in early summer but
very little or not at all subsequently. Like all the Kordes shrubs, this
one is notably cold hardy.
- 'All That Jazz' Roses (Introduced - 1990)
- 'All That Jazz' rose has an outstanding and prolific flowering effect against
glossy, dark green foliage that is very disease resistant. The open
flowers have 12 petals and are 5 to 6 inches across. They are
a coral-salmon blend with a moderate damask fragrance. Plants
grow upright to 5- feet in height.
- 'Assiniboine' Roses (Introduced - 1962)
- This is a rose for northern gardeners, especially Canadians of
the prairie provinces, who can claim this introduction from the
Morden Research Station in Manitoba as one of their own.
'Assiniboine' doesn't need to appeal to patriotism, however, for gardeners
south of the border will be just as appreciative of this hardy,
healthy, reliable shrub that survives intense cold unprotected. Its
only fault (if it can be called one) is that the rebloom is
intermittent; this shrub blooms in surges rather than continuously. While
not as showy as the blossoms of the typical hybrid tea, the flowers
are definitely worth waiting for. They are large, semi-double, and
wine red.
- 'Ausburn' Roses (Introduced - 1986)
- 'Ausburn' (also known as 'Robbie Burns') is a diminutive modern shrub rose
with small, single flowers, each having five petals. Like many of the English
roses bred by David Austin, this rose is reminiscent of older rose types, with
a commanding fragrance and an old-fashioned character.
The blooms are light pink with a white center, and the
small leaves are a medium matte green.
The small size of this rose makes it a useful addition to beds and borders,
where it can be used in the foreground. This rose is very effective planted in groups.
- 'Autumn Delight' Roses (Introduced - 1933)
- Hybrid musk. Single, fragrant, white, 3-inch flowers have red stamens and are
borne in large clusters all summer on 4- to 5-foot plants.
- 'Basye's Blueberry' Roses (Introduced - 1982)
- If you're tired of pruning thorny branches, this modern shrub
rose is for you. Its rounded leaves, thornless stems, and reddish
fall color give it the look of a blueberry bush. The difference lies
in the flowers: 'Basye's Blueberry' bears large, fragrant, pink,
semi-double flowers with bright yellow stamens repeatedly throughout
the growing season.
Though it is hardy well into the North, 'Basye's Blueberry' was
bred in central Texas by the late Dr. Robert Basye of Texas A&M University, and
it flourishes in that region's heavy clay, alkaline soils. An outstanding shrub
for the Southeast, this rose should prove a good
choice for the Southwest and Rocky Mountain West, too.
- 'Belle Story' Roses (Introduced - 1984)
- The sweetly scented flowers of 'Belle Story' are large and
semi-double, resembling peonies. A David Austin rose,
this is a heavy bloomer, repeating well through the
season. The wide-spreading, soft pink petals curve inward,
fashioning a broad cup that accentuates golden yellow stamens.
The abundant foliage is light green and semi-glossy.
Plants are vigorous and healthy. They grow as broad
as they do tall, forming a rounded 4-foot shrub that is
well suited to a bed or border. Like many others of David
Austin's English roses, this one is very hardy.
- 'Bishop Darlington' Roses (Introduced - 1926)
- Hybrid musk. Oval buds appear all summer, opening into cream-colored
to flesh pink flowers with a yellow glow. The 3-inch blooms are
semi-double (with 17 petals), cupped, and have a fruity fragrance.
Foliage is soft and bronzy on a plant that grows 4- to 7- feet tall and
can be used as a freestanding shrub or low-growing climber.
- 'Bloomfield Dainty' Roses (Introduced - 1924)
- Hybrid musk. Long, pointed, deep coral to orange buds open into canary
yellow, single, 2-inch, fragrant flowers that appear in clusters all
season. The bright yellow fades to soft creamy pink with deeper
pink at the edges of the petals. Glossy leaves cover the 5- to 7-foot plant.
- 'Bloomin' Easy' Roses (Introduced - 1988)
- Bright red, double, 3-inch flowers bloom in small clusters all season
on bushy plants that grow 4 to 6 feet high and have dark green,
disease-resistant foliage. This variety is a dense grower ideally
suited for a hedge.
- 'Bonica' Roses (Introduced - 1982)
- This is the rose that, more than any other, persuaded gardeners
to look again at roses for use as landscape shrubs. In 1987,
'Bonica' became the first shrub rose ever to be named an
All-America Rose Selection. That is an honor awarded to just a couple
of new roses each year, after a selection process based on evaluation
in certified gardens all over the United States.
Vigorous and outstandingly healthy, 'Bonica' makes a fine
accent in a mixed border, is a low-maintenance hedging plant,
and works well with other shrubs in a foundation planting. Its
1-2 in (2.5 -5.0cm) diameter, medium pink, double flowers with
lighter edges are produced in dusters in midsummer, with excellent
repeat bloom.
- 'Bonica '82'' Roses (Introduced - 1981)
- This shrub is so named to distinguish it from another rose called 'Bonica',
although it is often listed in catalogs simply as 'Bonica'. Warm pink, 1- to 2-inch flowers with
light pink on the edges and the outsides of the petals appear in
profusion on spreading, arching, 3- to 6-foot plants. Each flower
has 40 or more petals. The tiny foliage is dark green, glossy, and very disease
resistant.
- 'Carefree Beauty' Roses (Introduced - 1977)
- This is the best known of the hardy "prairie roses" that Griffith
Buck bred at Iowa State University. His goal was to combine
cold tolerance with disease resistance and abundant flowering. This rose bears large (4
1/2 in [11.5cm]), fragrant, semi-double, light
rose flowers in clusters on vigorous canes, and blooms into the fall
to bear an attractive crop of hips.
- 'Carefree Delight' Roses (Introduced - 1994)
- Carefree Delight lives up to its name in its resistance to the
most troublesome diseases: mildew, blackspot, and rose rust. The clusters of
single, 3 1/2 in (9cm) wide, carmine-pink flowers,
each with a creamy white center, show up strikingly against the
dark green foliage, and they appear and reappear throughout the growing season.
Like the rest of the Meidiland roses, bred in France by the
Meilland family nursery, 'Carefree Delight'
rose requires no more
maintenance than an azalea or a lilac: just an early-spring feeding
with a slow-release fertilizer and a light shaping with the pruning
shears a month or so later. For a carefree flowering shrub or hedge,
this plant has few equals among roses, or indeed among any other
kind of garden shrub.
- 'Carefree Wonder' Roses (Introduced - 1990)
- Bred from one of Dr. Griffith Buck's roses ('Prairie Princess'),
'Carefree Wonder' rose has that parent's hardiness and disease resistance,
combined with a truly spectacular display of flowers. In midseason large, medium
pink, double blooms begin to open in sprays of one to four, each with a lighter
pink reverse and a white eye. In cool weather, the petals develop a deep pink
etching. In 1991, this became the second shrub rose ever to win an All-America
Rose Selection award, and this rose is superb as a low-maintenance landscape
shrub or an informal, unclipped hedge.
- 'Champlain' Roses (Introduced - 1982)
- 'Champlain' rose is not only extraordinarily hardy, it's also a remarkably
generous shrub, producing clusters of rich, velvety red blossoms
nearly continuously from early summer until the first hard frost of
fall. Each of these blossoms is a doubled cup of petals with a tuft
of golden stamens at the center. This rose would be a winner even
if it weren't so disease resistant and tough. Its only fault, if this is
indeed a fault, is that this shrub is slow to make new growth, and is
not an outstandingly vigorous grower.
- 'Constance Spry' Roses (Introduced - 1961)
- The first of David Austin's English Roses, 'Constance Spry' rose
was only a partial realization of the nurseryman's dream. His
goal (which he has since achieved) was to combine the classic
form and beauty of the old garden roses with the everblooming
habit of contemporary ones, but 'Constance Spry' rose blooms just
once a season. Even so, this rose has been a great success, winning
enduring popularity among a generation of gardeners with its
large, cupped, double flowers. Ranging in color from pale to
medium pink, these blossoms have the elegant form of an old
rose -and the sweet fragrance, too.
Had the flowers been less appealing, 'Constance Spry' rose would certainly have
won a following with its carefree, reliable nature. This rose just grows well.
Its long canes can be contained through pruning, and this rose can be grown as a
large-flowered specimen shrub. If allowed to stretch, this rose
makes an outstanding, vigorous climber.
- 'Country Dancer' Roses (Introduced - 1973)
- If your space for roses is limited and you want a single rose that
will function as a practical, attractive landscape shrub and
provide cut flowers for the house, 'Country Dancer' rose is the cultivar for
you. Its fragrant, deep rose, semi-double flowers bloom all summer
on a healthy shrub with glossy dark green leaves. The individual
blossoms have an elegance and visual impact that makes them
effective contributors to a floral arrangement, and as cut flowers they are
unusually long-lasting. This rose's compact size makes
it ideal for smaller spaces.
- 'Fair Bianca' Roses (Introduced - 1982)
- The English roses tend to be more expansive in our sunnier
North American climates than in their native Britain, so fitting
them into a small garden can be difficult. 'Fair Bianca', however,
offers a good solution to that problem. Even at the Huntington
Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, where many of the
English roses perform more like climbers than shrubs, 'Fair Bianca'
roses remains a compact, reblooming shrub. Its heirloom-type flowers are
fully double and cupped, with small green eyes at the center. The
perfume is powerful and reminiscent of anise.
- 'Flower Carpet Pink' Roses (Introduced - 1989)
- When this rose was introduced onto the market, it was trumpeted as "the
environmental rose", a shrub that flourished without the protection of sprays.
In fact, it is a hardy, reliable rose where the weather is cool. In the
Southeast, however, this rose is not
immune to blackspot and mildew, and this rose grows best with some
protection from the afternoon sun.
Where it likes the climate, 'Flower Carpet Pink' rose is a terrific shrub to use
as a low hedge or ground cover or to combine with perennials in a mixed border.
The rose bears 1 1/2 in (3.8cm) wide, deep
pink, semi- double blooms in clusters of 15-25 flowers well into the
fall. These late flowers show up vividly against this rose's autumn
foliage of red and bronze.
- 'Frühlingsmorgen' Roses (Introduced - 1942)
- The Kordes nursery, Germany's leading producer of roses, has
kept as its goal through several generations of family
ownership to produce roses adapted to northern Europe's often harsh
climate. Yet 'Frühlingsmorgen', despite a robust nature, has a deceptively
delicate appearance. The name means "spring morning ', and in fact this rose is
one of the first to bloom in the spring. With its simple charm, this rose
is reminiscent of a species type, and like the wild
roses, it does not rebloom. (There may be a few additional flowers
later on in the year, but the gardener should not count on this.)
The large, single flowers have rose pink to cherry pink petals with
primrose yellow centers surrounding bright maroon stamens. This
rose makes a fine informal flowering hedge, but it also works well
as a specimen shrub.
- 'Gartendirektor Otto Linne' Roses (Introduced - 1934)
- The ruffled blossoms of 'Gartendirektor Otto linne' are
borne on long stems in slightly pendulous clusters of up to
30 blooms. Individual flowers are double and have a
moderate, carnation-like fragrance. The carmine-pink petals are
edged with a darker pink and are yellow-white at the base.
Foliage is leathery and bright apple green.
This rose is vigorous and bushy. The rose can be used to create
an elegant hedge and in mild climates can be trained as a
climber. Disease resistance is very good.
- 'Golden Unicorn' Roses (Introduced - 1984)
- Dr. Griffith Buck's vision for the rose was a populist one: he
sought to create a strain of shrubs that would flourish with
minimal care in the climatic extremes of this continent's heartland.
It's ironic that today his rose should be known mainly to
connoisseurs. That is changing, however, as a new generation of nurserymen
reintroduces them to the general public. It still takes some hunting
to locate 'Golden Unicorn' rose, but hopefully that is changing.
It should, for this rose is a wonderfully hardy shrub that bears large, fragrant,
shallow-cupped blossoms of yellow edged with orange-red. This shrub's disease
resistance and abundant, recurrent bloom make it a terrific landscape rose for
northern gardens.
- 'Golden Wings' Roses (Introduced - 1956)
- 'Golden Wings' has long been considered a valuable landscape shrub because
of its hardiness, disease resistance, and recurrent bloom. One of the first
roses to bloom in spring, this rose attracts the
foraging honeybees with its 2 1/2 - 3 in (6.5 - 7.5cm), pale yellow,
five-petaled disks. These flowers are highly fragrant, and the knots of
saffron-colored stamens at their centers give them a special interest.
The light green foliage is notably disease resistant but may prove
susceptible to blackspot in humid climates.
Attractive as a large, upright shrub, 'Golden Wings' rose can also be
trained to climb a wall or run along a split-rail fence.
- 'Graham Thomas' Roses (Introduced - 1983)
- Named for the great British plantsman and rose historian,
'Graham Thomas' rose was the first truly yellow English rose, and many gardeners
today consider it the finest yellow rose of all. Its double,
cupped, 4 in (10cm) flowers are a luminous deep gold, and
they have a warm tea rose fragrance. To create his English roses,
nurseryman David Austin crosses old, once-blooming roses with
modern everbloomers, and the frequency with which his roses
rebloom varies from cultivar to cultivar. 'Graham Thomas' rose falls
somewhere in the middle: it bears a large flush of flowers in late
spring or early summer and then reblooms somewhat irregularly. A
large and lanky shrub at the northern edge of its range, it makes a
wonderful climber in warmer climates.
- 'Grootendorst Supreme' Roses (Introduced - 1936)
- Hybrid rugosa. This sport of 'F. J. Grootendorst' is identical to
it in all respects except that its flowers are a deeper and brighter
crimson-red.
- 'Hanseat' Roses (Introduced - 1961)
- Single, five-petaled
flowers are bright rose-pink with a lighter pink center surrounding
bright red stamens. The blooms are cupped, 3 inches across, and
fragrant, appearing all summer on 6-foot plants.
- 'Hawkeye Belle' Roses (Introduced - 1975)
- This rose descends in part from the great grandiflora rose
'Queen Elizabeth' (the original rose of that class). Through a
series of crosses involving his own 'Prairie Princess', Griffith Buck
created something that, like the grandiflora roses, bears roses of the hybrid
tea type but is considerably hardier. His new rose, 'Hawkeye Belle', is a
healthy landscape shrub that bears flowers like those of a hybrid tea. The long
pink buds open to large (4 1/2 in [ 11.5cm ]),
double, white flowers with an azalea pink flush. These blossoms are
strongly fragrant and borne abundantly over a long season. The
shrub itself is relatively compact, a 4 ft (12m) mound of foliage
and flowers.
- 'Heidelberg' Roses (Introduced - 1959)
- Kordesii. Clusters of 4-inch, bright crimson-red flowers with a lighter red reverse bloom
on bushy, 7- to 15-foot plants that can be used as shrubs or
trained as climbers to a pillar or a trellis. Blooms are high
centered, have 32 petals, and appear atop glossy, leathery foliage.
- 'Heritage' Roses (Introduced - 1984)
- The blush pink double flowers of this David Austin rose
are colored a bit deeper toward their centers. Their form
is exquisite, with the outer petals forming a deep cup
around precisely arranged and folded inner petals.
Profusely borne in clusters throughout the summer, they
create a cloud of rich scent that is a blend of myrrh and
lemon. Foliage is dark green and semi-glossy. The canes
have few thorns.
The plant is a robust grower with a bushy, upright habit.
This rose is a fine addition to beds or borders, makes a wonderful
hedge, and provides a long season of cut flowers. Plants
are fairly disease resistant but may be susceptible to rust.
- 'Illusion' Roses (Introduced - 1961)
- Another good shrub for the north country, 'Illusion' bears
bunches of medium-size, lightly fragrant, double, red flowers
in early summer. After reblooming moderately in midsummer, this rose
starts flowering heavily again at summer's end and into the fall.
Nurseryman Wilhelm Kordes bred this from two exceptionally
hardy and disease-resistant species. In the warmer part of
Connecticut range, 'Illusion' develops long, flexible canes that
can be trained along a fence or up a trellis.
- 'Immensee' Roses (Introduced - 1982)
- The small flowers of 'Immensee' are pale pink to
almost white, single, and quite fragrant. The blooms appear
in profusion in the spring and repeat well throughout the
season. The leaves are small in proportion to the flowers and
are dark green and glossy.
This rose has a low-growing, spreading habit; canes may spread as wide as 13
feet. This rose is useful as a flowering ground
cover. This rose, bred by Kordes of Germany using R.
wichuraiana, is very hardy and resistant to disease.
- 'John Cabot' Roses (Introduced - 1978)
- The rose pink to cherry red blooms of 'John Cabot' are
produced in abundance over a 6-week period in the
summer and then sporadically into the fall. Each 2 1/2-inch
double flower has 30 to 35 petals arranged in a loose cup
around yellow stamens. Blossoms are borne in clusters
and show up well against medium green foliage.
'John Cabot', a kordesii shrub in the Explorer series, can be grown as a shrub
or a climber. As a shrub it can be maintained at a height of 4 to 5 feet but
needs considerable room to spread. The plant is very vigorous, with an upright
habit and long, arching canes. If grown as a climber,
this rose takes about four seasons to reach its ultimate
height of 8 to 10 feet. Foliage is disease resistant. This is an
exceptionally hardy rose.
- 'John Franklin' Roses (Introduced - 1980)
- Clusters of up to 30 medium red flowers are produced
continuously on this rose. The semi-double blooms are
2 1/2 inches across, and each has approximately 25 petals.
Flowers are fragrant. Leaves are round, and canes bear
yellow-green prickles tinted with purple.
The upright, bushy plants are easy to use in the
landscape. Their extended bloom period make them an asset in
beds and borders. An Explorer series rose, 'John Franklin'
tolerates both heat and cold and is disease resistant.
- 'Kathleen' Roses (Introduced - 1922)
- Hybrid musk. Single, richly fragrant blush pink flowers are small (1 to 1 1/2 inches), but
bloom in large clusters all summer. The prominent stamens give
the blooms the appearance of apple blossoms. Vigorous plants
grow 6- to 12- feet tall and have disease-resistant foliage. Orange
hips form in the fall.
- 'La Sevillana' Roses (Introduced - 1978)
- With the vermilion, semi-double flowers that this rose bears in large clusters in early
summer to midsummer, 'La Sevillana' makes a bold statement massed as a ground
cover or landscape shrub. In autumn, this rose blooms
all over again, making this a great rose rather than merely a good
one. It can add a flamboyant splash of color to a summer border
and more than holds its own in a foundation planting or as a low
hedge. The foliage is attractive, too: a dark bronze-green.
- 'Lavender Dream' Roses (Introduced - 1984)
- Masses of 2- to 3-inch, semi-double (16 petals), medium lavender-pink
flowers that bloom in sprays all season cover long, arching canes
that grow 5- feet high and more than 5- feet wide.
- 'Leander' Roses (Introduced - 1982)
- 'Leander', a David Austin rose, produces a dizzying profusion
of deep-apricot-colored flowers in spring and early
summer. Borne in clusters, the blooms are small and very
double, and have a fruity fragrance. Although the rose
is not considered a repeat bloomer, flowers may
reappear later in the season. Semi- glossy leaves are medium in
both size and color.
This rose has a full habit, growing nearly as wide as it is tall, and makes a
fine large garden shrub. This rose is among the
most disease resistant of the English roses.
- 'L.D. Braithwaite' Roses (Introduced - 1988)
- This vigorous, open shrub looks best at the back of a border,
where its somewhat sparse foliage will not appear as a defect
and its clusters of large, fully double, fire-engine red flowers can
preside over the surrounding blossoms. 'L.D. Braithwaite' rose blooms
consistently throughout the season, but in the heat of midsummer
the color may fade to cerise-pink.
An unusually dependable rose, 'L.D. Braithwaite' blooms well even in situations
where this rose receives as few as five hours of direct
sunlight a day.
- 'Malaguena' Roses (Introduced -1976)
- Double flowers with
28 petals are 4 inches wide, shallowly cupped, slightly fragrant,
and pale to medium geranium pink. Spots like freckles appear on
the inner petals. Blooms appear heavily early in the season and
intermittently the rest of the season. Foliage is large, dark green,
and leathery, and covers an erect, bushy, 3- to 4-foot, very hardy
plant.
- 'Mary Rose' Roses (Introduced - 1983)
- This neat shrub has
sprays of rich pink, 4- to 5-inch double rosette-shaped flowers
with a strong damask fragrance and moderate repeat bloom.
Plants grow 4- to 6- feet tall.
- 'Maytime' Roses (Introduced - 1975)
- Carmine-rose to soft
coral flowers with yellow bases are single (with 6 to 10 petals),
shallowly cupped, fragrant, and 3 1/2 to 4 inches across.
Long-lasting flowers appear all summer on bushy, 3- to 4-foot, very
hardy plants with dark bronzy green, leathery foliage.
- 'Morden Blush' Roses (Introduced - 1988)
- A bit freer in its flowering than some of the other Morden
roses, this shrub bears sprays of 2-3 in (5-7.5cm), flattened,
double flowers throughout the summer. Despite its name, the
flower color is more like the recovery from a blush: the blossoms of
'Morden Blush' open a light peach-pink, then fade to ivory. The foliage is matte
green and generally healthy, though in humid eastern summers this
rose may show some susceptibility to blackspot. This
shrub's low, compact growth, hardiness, and recurrent bloom have
earned it a place in smaller gardens and in cold climates, but it's
also popular in larger, warmer gardens as well.
- 'Morden Ruby' Roses (Introduced - 1977)
- This shrub outdoes itself in early summer with a heavy crop of
flowers, then settles in to bloom at a more moderate rate
through the rest of the summer and into the fall. The blossoms,
which are borne in clusters of 5-10, are large (3 in [7.5cm] in
diameter on average), very double, and, as the name suggests, ruby
red. Their fragrance is only slight.
'Morden Ruby' rose makes an imposing shrub with a spreading habit even in
adverse climates. All
in all, this is an outstanding shrub for a landscape specimen or a
flowering hedge in a cold, exposed site.
- 'Music Maker' Roses (Introduced - 1973)
- Double, high-centered, light pink flowers are 3 to 4 inches across and fragrant.
They bloom repeatedly in clusters of six to eight. The light green,
leathery glossy, disease-free foliage covers bushy, 2- to 3-foot
very hardy plants.
- 'Nevada' Roses (Introduced - 1927)
- Hybrid moyesii. Pink or apricot
buds open into creamy white, 4- to 5-inch flowers that are often
splashed with red and bloom on short stems. Each bloom has
prominent, attractive, golden stamens. Plants are vigorous, grow
5- to 7- feet tall, and have good repeat bloom.
- 'Othello' Roses (Introduced - 1990)
- Also known as 'Auslo',
this rose has fully double, cupped, 4- to 5-inch flowers that are
rich crimson to burgundy with a heavy old-rose fragrance. As the
flowers fade, they turn mauve to purple. There is moderate repeat
bloom. Vigorous, thorny, spreading plants grow 5- to 6- feet tall
and are highly disease resistant.
- 'Paulii Rosea' Roses (Introduced - 1912)
- The flowers of 'Paulii Rosea' are single and a clear pink.
Their silky-textured petals are deeply notched, pleated, and
white at the base, surrounding bright yellow stamens.
Flowers, which are lightly fragrant, appear in summer only
and do not repeat. Foliage is medium green; young wood
is lime colored.
'Paulii Rosea' is low and sprawling, rarely exceeding 3 feet in height but
spreading up to 10 or 12 feet. It is useful as a ground cover on sunny slopes or
can be trained as a climber on fences and trellises. This rose prefers an open, sunny
site and rich soil, and is susceptible to mildew.
- 'Pearl Meidiland' Roses (Introduced - 1989)
- Iridescent, dainty pastel pink, semi-double 2- to 3-inch flowers bloom in
clusters all summer on vigorous, spreading plants that grow 2 feet
high and 6 feet wide and have deep green foliage.
- 'Pink Grootendorst' Roses (Introduced - 1923)
- Hybrid rugosa. This sport of 'F. J. Grootendorst' is identical to it
in all ways except the flowers are a clean medium pink fading to
dusty pink as the blooms age.
- 'Pink Meidiland' Roses (Introduced - 1985)
- Upright, repeat-blooming plants grow 4 feet high and have single, deep
pink, 3- to 4-inch flowers with white eyes. The leaves are small,
medium green, and glossy.
- 'Prairie Flower' Roses (Introduced - 1975)
- Cardinal red flowers have white centers and seven petals that open flat into
2- to 3-inch blooms. Flowers have a slight fragrance and appear
singly or in clusters all summer above dark green, leathery foliage
on bushy, 4-foot plants. 'Prairie Flower' rose is one of 11 roses (whose
names all begin with "Prairie") hybridized by Professor Griffith
Buck of Iowa State University. All are very winter hardy.
- 'Ralph's Creeper' Roses (Introduced - 1987)
- Single, bright red 2-inch flowers have a white to yellow eye and a cluster
of prominent golden stamens. They bloom repeatedly all summer.
Best used as a ground cover, this plant grows 1 1/2 feet high and
spreads to 6 feet or more. The foliage is small and glossy and the
fragrance is that of apple blossoms.
- 'Red Meidiland' Roses (Introduced - 1989)
- Deep red, single 1- to 2-inch flowers with white centers bloom continually
in heavy clusters on plants that grow 1 1/2 feet high and 5 feet
wide-dimensions that make them useful as a ground cover.
Abundant orange-red hips appear in the fall.
- 'Rosenstadt Zweibrücken' Roses (Introduced - 1989)
- For four generations, Kordes family has been breeding
prizewinning roses that have been favorites among European gardeners.
'Rosenstadt Zweibrücken' is a particularly easy one to
like. Many of the Kordesii shrubs are sprawling plants, but this
cultivar is compact, almost a dwarf; and perfectly suited to smaller gardens
or for inclusion in a mixed border. 'Rosenstadt Zweibrücken' rose bears
almost single coral-red blooms with yellow centers punctuated by
brilliant red stamens.
- 'Prospero' Roses (Introduced - 1983)
- The double gallica-like blooms of 'Prospero' open crimson
with mauve shadings and mature to a rich purple. Flowers
are flat, with small petals perfectly arranged in
symmetrical rosettes, and exceptionally fragrant. They begin blooming
in spring and repeat well throughout the season.
Foliage is a dark matte green.
This is a David Austin rose. 'Prospero' has an upright, bushy habit. Its compact
size makes it appropriate for small gardens and containers, and the blooms are
glorious in arrangements. A somewhat finicky plant, this rose requires
exceptionally good soil for satisfactory growth.
- 'Robusta' Roses (Introduced - 1979)
- The 2 1/2-inch single scarlet flowers of 'Robusta' rose are borne
prolifically throughout the season on this aptly named
plant. The blooms are pleasantly scented. Foliage is dense
and very handsome, though somewhat coarse. The dark
green, leathery, glossy leaves provide a rich foil for the
blooms. Thick canes are armed with nail-like prickles.
This vigorous rose has a full, bushy habit. This rose is ideal for use
as an impenetrable hedge when plants are spaced 4 feet
apart, and it's a good choice for a specimen shrub or for
planting along a fence.
- 'Sally Holmes' Roses (Introduced - 1976)
- The single blossoms of 'Sally Holmes' rose are borne in
profusion in large, compact clusters. Buds are apricot,
opening to creamy white 3 1/2-inch blooms that turn pure white
as they mature. Petals surround bright golden stamens.
The flowers are delicately fragrant. Foliage is leathery, dark
green, and shiny.
This robust rose can be grown as a large mounding
shrub with a height of 4 to 6 feet and an equal spread. It
makes a dramatic specimen or can be used in a large
border. 'Sally Holmes' can also be trained as a climber, in which
case it can reach 12 feet. Plants are disease resistant
and tolerant of heat and partial shade. The flowers are
exceptionally long-lasting in indoor arrangements.
- 'Scarlet Meidiland' Roses (Introduced - 1985)
- Small, cherry pink, semi-double flowers in large clusters cover this
plant in midseason, and the shrub reblooms reliably into fall.
That's when 'Scarlet Meidiland' develops its second source of
color: in fall, the shrub bears bright red hips, and these persist well
into winter. Bred for hardiness and disease resistance, 'Scarlet
Meidiland' rose also tolerates light shade. The vigorous, trailing growth
of the canes makes this a good choice for a tall ground cover or for
planting in areas that receive little maintenance. All in all, this rose
is a star, even by comparison with its remarkable relatives, the
Meidiland roses.
- 'Sea Foam' Roses (Introduced - 1964)
- The creamy white flowers of 'Sea Foam' are 2 to 3 inches across and are
borne in large clusters throughout the growing season. Buds are rounded, and
open to cupped or flat blossoms with short petals that stand out well against
the small, dark, glossy leaves. This rose has a slight fragrance.
The plant is exceptionally versatile, with a vigorous,
semi-prostate or trailing habit that, unless supported,
generally does not exceed 2 1/2 or 3 feet in height. Its long,
arching canes, however, may spread 8 to 12 feet. 'Sea Foam'
rose can be used in the landscape as a ground cover, a mounded
shrub, or as a climber on pillars or walls. Its flowers are
delightful for cutting. Plants are easy to grow and quite
disease resistant.
- 'Sparrieshoop' Roses (Introduced - 1953)
- Large (4-inch),
single, very fragrant, light pink flowers have five broad, wavy
petals and prominent golden stamens. They bloom all summer
on upright, bushy plants that can grow 5- to 10- feet high.
- 'Sunny June' Roses (Introduced - 1952)
- Deep canary
yellow flowers have five petals, are 3 1/2 inches across, and are
slightly cupped to flat. Blooms have deep red stamens and a spicy
fragrance, and appear in large clusters all summer. Dark and
glossy black spot-resistant foliage covers an upright, 8-foot, hardy
plant best grown as a pillar rose.
- 'Tamora' Roses (Introduced - 1983)
- 'Tamora' rose is easy-to-grow, and outstanding performers.
This rose produces fragrant, fully double rosettes in shades of
apricot with pink-orange shadings on a slow-growing, compact
shrub that flourishes as a container plant or in the front of a
border. Since 'Tamora' performs best in warmer climates and thrives in dry
conditions, this rose is especially at home in the Southwest.
- 'White Meidiland' Roses (Introduced - 1986)
- 'White Meidiland' rose bears the largest flowers of the Meidiland
series, and the blossoms are unusually full, with more than
40 petals each. As the name indicates, the flowers are white -pure
white -and they make a striking contrast to the dark green, glossy
foliage. Unfortunately, the blossoms don't fall away naturally as they
wither, so the bush can look distinctly shabby at the end of a heavy
flush of bloom unless you take the time to deadhead it.
This low, spreading shrub can make a spectacular display when
several plants are massed together to spill over the edge of a
retaining wall or cascade down a slope. Yet 'White Meidiland' rose serves
equally well as a specimen plant, if placed where each sumptuous
flower can be admired in detail.
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