Updated July 2, 2026

 

“A rose by any other name would [still be just] as sweet!” Much like love, roses come in many different forms. From climbing roses, hybrid teas, floribundas and landscape shrub roses to grandifloras, rose trees, and cut varieties, there are endless options to feature in your landscape, porch or patio. 

The rose family (Rosaceae) contains thousands of species and cultivars, and the American Rose Society recognizes over 30 official rose classes. Whether you're drawn to old garden roses steeped in history or modern rose varieties bred for peak performance, this complete guide to rose classifications covers everything.

Before diving in, a quick primer on two terms you'll see throughout this guide: 

• Once-blooming roses flower in a single flush, usually in early summer 
• Repeat bloomers (also called continuous bloomers) produce flowers in cycles from spring through fall 

Knowing which type you're buying is one of the most important purchase decisions you'll make. Remember that modern roses tend to be repeat bloomers, while many old garden rose classes bloom only once per season. Follow this rose types guide to find your perfect match!

A Brief History of Old Garden Roses & Modern Roses

Before hybrid teas transformed the rose world, gardeners treasured what we now call old garden roses, any rose class that existed before 1867. These ancient roses include some of the most fragrant varieties ever grown, and many remain beloved today.

• Damask Roses are among the oldest cultivated roses in history. Dating back thousands of years to the Middle East, damask roses are prized above almost all others for their intense fragrance; they're the primary source of rose oil used in perfumery. The Autumn Damask is particularly notable as one of the earliest known repeat bloomers in Western horticulture, a trait that would eventually revolutionize rose breeding.
• Portland Roses descended from the Autumn Damask and were among the first compact, repeat-blooming garden roses developed in Europe. They bridge the gap between ancient damask roses and the modern roses we know today.
• Bourbon Roses emerged in the early 19th century as a cross between the Autumn Damask and China roses. Known for their rich fragrance, cupped blooms, and repeat-blooming habit, bourbon roses were wildly popular during the Victorian era and remain a treasured old rose class.
• China Roses quietly transformed the rose world when they arrived in Europe from Asia in the late 1700s. China roses introduced the repeat-blooming gene into Western horticulture; without them, we wouldn't have the continuous-flowering modern roses we enjoy today.
• Alba Roses are ancient white and pale pink roses known for extreme cold hardiness and deep fragrance. They typically bloom once in early summer but are exceptionally long-lived and low-maintenance.
• Centifolia Roses (also called "cabbage roses") and Moss Roses (a sport of centifolia) are beloved for their densely packed, globe-shaped blooms and heady fragrance. Moss roses are named for the mossy, resinous growth on their stems and buds. Both are once-blooming but produce showstopping flowers.

As these distinct historical classes evolved, gardeners also began breeding them for different shapes and habits. This gave rise to structural favorites like climbing roses.

Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are known for their tall, spreading habits that are well-suited to trellises, arbors, and porch pergolas. They can be trained to grow on almost any structure to create height, texture and visual appeal. Plus, they hold a rich history, dating back over two centuries, and continuing to stand the test of time.

Climbing roses are sometimes confused with rambling roses, but there's an important distinction: true climbing roses are almost always repeat bloomers and produce larger blooms on long canes that benefit from support. Rambling roses, by contrast, are typically once-blooming and can reach dramatic sizes, sometimes 20 feet tall or more, with clusters of smaller flowers. Both are stunning; your choice depends on space and how often you want blooms.

• Care Difficulty: Moderate; requires training and annual pruning
• Bloom Type: Most are repeat bloomers; ramblers are typically once-blooming
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Varies by variety; most in zones 5–9
• Rose Hips: Some varieties produce ornamental hips in fall

Varieties at a glance:

• Zephirine Drouhin — Bright pink with fuchsia hints, almost continuous bloom from late spring to first frost. Thornless stems, mildew-resistant. Zones 6–9.
• Pretty in Pink Eden Climber® Rose — Vivid magenta, full-petaled blooms with a gentle fragrance. Reblooms continuously through the season. Heat-tolerant and disease-resistant. Zones 5–10.
• Lady Banks Climbing Rose — Heirloom variety. Up to 50,000 petite yellow blooms per season. Virtually thornless canes. Once-blooming (spring flush). Zones 7–10.

Our Pretty in Pink Eden Climber® Rose (shown above) is a reblooming climber known for its vivid magenta flowers and abundant petal count. Reaching 10 to 11 feet at maturity, it's well-suited to fences, trellises, and walls where it can climb and fill in over time. Grown on its own roots, this variety is especially hardy and disease-resistant, holding up well across a range of climates from cold winters to hot summers.

The Zephirine Drouhin Rose is perhaps our most popular climbing rose. Its color and fragrance are one-of-a-kind, flaunting bright pink flowers with hints of fuschia that bloom almost continuously from late spring to the first frost. Perfectly suited for trellises and arbors, this variety will put on a spectacular show. Add in mildew resistance and thornless stems, and you’ve got a truly special species.

What's even better is that the Pretty in Pink Eden Climber® and Zephirine Drouhin Rose are both reblooming, so you'll get color from late spring through fall rather than a single spring flush. Once established, they grow vigorously and require only modest pruning each year for easy-care, long-lasting charm.

Polyantha Roses

Often overlooked in favor of flashier types, polyantha roses deserve a starring role in any rose garden. In fact, floribundas, one of today's most popular rose classes, were developed by crossing polyanthas with hybrid teas. Polyanthas are the compact, prolific parents of modern cluster-flowering roses.

Polyantha rose bushes are small, tidy, and absolutely smothered in blooms throughout the season. Their flowers are petite, usually under 2 inches, but appear in enormous clusters that create a cloud of color. They are among the most low-maintenance roses you can grow, and most are reliably cold-hardy.

• Care Difficulty: Very Easy
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Typically zones 4–9
• Rose Hips: Yes, small but abundant; attractive to birds

Varieties to know:

• The Fairy — A classic polyantha with soft pink rosette blooms in cascading clusters. Extremely disease-resistant and practically care-free. Grows well in zones 4-9.
• Cecile Brunner — Sometimes called the "Sweetheart Rose," this polyantha produces perfectly formed, blush-pink miniature blooms with a light tea fragrance. Growing zones 5-9.

Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid tea roses are the gold standard of the floral industry and are used by gardeners and florists alike. They boast large blooms with tons of petals and make great cut flowers for floral arrangements due to their sturdy and upright stems. They’re also perfect for planting in flower beds and creating eye-catching borders. Hybrid tea roses often rebloom after they’re cut, so you’ll have beautiful, replenishing buds throughout the season.

The hybrid tea is a modern rose class, the result of crossing old garden roses (particularly hybrid perpetuals) with tea roses from China. They debuted in 1867 with the introduction of 'La France' and have dominated the rose world ever since. Most hybrid teas are fragrant, though fragrance levels vary widely by variety; always check fragrance ratings before purchasing if scent is important to you. Most hybrid teas are repeat bloomers.

• Care Difficulty: Most require regular attention — fertilizing, pruning, spraying for disease
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Most in zones 5–9; some need winter protection in zones 5–6
• Rose Hips: Rarely — deadheading prevents hip formation in most hybrid teas

Varieties at a glance:

• Martha Stewart™ Rose — Soft apricot blooms that deepen as they mature. Complex fruity-floral fragrance, ideal for cutting. Strong disease resistance. Zones 5–11.
• Dancing in the Dark® Rose — Deep burgundy blooms with near-black edges. Light fragrance, continuous color from spring to fall. Heat-tolerant and disease-resistant. Zones 5–9.

Although most hybrid tea roses require regular spraying to stay ahead of disease, our Martha Stewart™ Rose bucks the trend with strong natural resistance built into its modern breeding. Its full, quartered blooms open in soft apricot and deepen in color as they mature, paired with a fruity-floral fragrance that makes it a natural fit for cutting gardens. Combine that with its compact, manageable size, and you have a hybrid tea that's as practical as it is beautiful.

Another standout, Dancing in the Dark® Rose (shown above) brings something different to the hybrid tea lineup: deep burgundy blooms that deepen toward black at the edges as they age. This rose delivers continuous color from spring through fall, and its low-maintenance, disease-resistant nature means it holds up well whether you're in a hot or temperate climate. From velvety, fluted petals to its versatility in beds, borders, or cut arrangements, Dancing in the Dark earns its place as a garden centerpiece.

Floribunda Roses

Although their blooms are smaller than those of hybrid teas, floribundas make no less of an impact - the sheer volume of flowers they produce is nothing but impressive! With floribundas, you’ll get a beautiful display of color that lasts longer than a typical blooming season, from spring all the way into late fall. Floribundas are easy to care for and are ideal for mixed borders or large beds due to their abundant blooming. A cross between hybrid teas and polyantha roses, floribundas also make excellent cut flowers for bouquets.

Julia Child is a floribunda with gorgeous golden blooms, lovely fragrance, and multi-layered petals. Also known as the Absolutely Fabulous Rose, Julia Child is unique not only because of its uncommon hue, but its high-gloss foliage and sweet licorice scent. Even better, it produces continuous blooms that last for weeks at a time. Like many floribundas, Julia Child Roses are disease-resistant and can thrive in even the harshest climates.

• Care Difficulty: Moderate — easier than hybrid teas, minimal spraying needed
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer (continuous from spring through fall)
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Most in zones 4–9
• Rose Hips: Occasionally, if not deadheaded, generally modest hip production

Varieties at a glance:

• Julia Child (Absolutely Fabulous) — Golden blooms, sweet licorice fragrance, glossy foliage. Continuous blooms for weeks at a time. Disease-resistant. Zones 5–9.
• At Last® Rose — Apricot-orange clustered blooms, fragrant. Disease-resistant, no spraying needed. Compact, 2–3 feet tall. Zones 5–9.

Another standout floribunda is the At Last® Rose (shown above), which blooms in loose clusters of apricot-orange flowers from June well into September. Each bloom carries a sweet, classic rose fragrance that intensifies on warm days, making this variety a favorite for cut arrangements as well as garden color.

At only 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, the At Last® Rose is compact enough for borders, containers, or smaller garden beds, yet it produces a steady abundance of new buds throughout the season. Its built-in disease resistance means no spraying is required to keep it looking its best, and like other floribundas, it asks for little beyond seasonal pruning and regular fertilizing.

Landscape/Shrub Roses

Shrub roses, also called landscape roses, vary widely in size, shape, growth habit, color, and fragrance, but they’re generally known to be hardy, disease-resistant, and continuous bloomers from late spring into fall. Although they typically have smaller blooms than hybrid teas and floribundas, they bloom in greater quantities and grow in clusters. Because of their abundant blooms and shrub-like shape, they make excellent screens, ornamentals, hedges, and borders.

Shrub roses are arguably the most practical rose class for today's gardeners. Many modern shrub roses, including the famous Knock Out® family, were specifically bred to resist powdery mildew, black spot, and other common diseases without chemical sprays. Groundcover roses fall under the shrub rose umbrella and are an especially useful subcategory: their low, spreading habit makes them perfect for slopes, banks, and front-of-border plantings. Most shrub roses are reliably hardy across a wide range of USDA zones, and many produce ornamental rose hips in fall that provide food for birds and visual interest well into winter.

• Care Difficulty: Very Easy — the most forgiving rose class for beginners
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer / continuous bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Most in zones 4–9; some to zone 3
• Rose Hips: Yes, many shrub roses produce showy hips, especially notable on wild rose relatives

Varieties at a glance:

• Double Knock Out® Rose — Double the petals of the original Knock Out®. Longest blooming period in the class. Black spot, rust, and mildew resistant. Light to dark red blooms. Zones 5–9.
• Easy Bee-zy™ Knock Out® Rose — Vibrant yellow blooms, lightly fragrant. Continuous flowering from spring through frost. Drought-tolerant and disease-resistant. Zones 4–11.
• Peach Drift® Rose — Pale peach blooms, largest of the Drift® varieties. Groundcover habit, 1–2 feet tall, spreading 2–3 feet. No spraying needed. Zones 4–11.

One of our favorite shrub roses is the Double Knock Out® Rose (shown above) that produces double the petals and double the flowers of the original Knock Out® Rose. With one of the longest blooming periods and unmatched disease, black spot, rust, and mildew resistance, the Double Knock Out® is virtually maintenance-free and requires no pruning. Even better, it thrives both in containers and in-ground for landscaping versatility. Plus, you’ll get blooms ranging from light to dark red, adding an element of variety to your garden.

Another standout shrub rose is the Easy Bee-zy™ Knock Out® Rose. Also part of the Knock Out® family, this variety produces an abundance of fragrant yellow blooms from spring through the first frost, drawing in pollinators along the way. Its compact, upright habit (3 to 4 feet tall) fits neatly into beds, borders, or foundation plantings, and like other Knock Out® roses, it holds up to drought and resists disease without regular spraying, making it a reliable, low-maintenance choice for nearly any garden.

Rounding out the groundcover side of the shrub rose class is the Peach Drift® Rose, a low, spreading variety that blends the compact size of a miniature rose with the spreading habit of a groundcover. From April through November, it produces several flushes of pale peach blooms, the largest of any Drift® variety, dense enough to cover the entire shrub in color. At only 1 to 2 feet tall but spreading 2 to 3 feet wide, it's well suited to slopes, borders, containers, and hanging baskets, and like other Drift® roses, it requires no spraying and very little pruning to stay full and healthy.

Grandiflora Roses

Grandiflora roses combine the beautiful bloom structure of hybrid teas and the repetitive growth cycle of floribundas. Grandiflora literally means “large flowers,” so you can expect big bold blooms with this rose type! Growing on long stems, their flowers are produced in single blooms or clusters of 3-5.They’re also very hardy and tend to be larger in overall size than other rose types, so they make ideal hedges or mixed borders. Their blooms range from soft pastels to deep purples, offering a wide range of choices to meet your preferences.

Grandiflora is a uniquely American rose class — recognized by the American Rose Society but not by most international rose societies. The class was created in 1954 to accommodate the 'Queen Elizabeth' rose, a variety that combined hybrid tea bloom form with floribunda-style clustering and didn't fit neatly into either existing classification. If you're shopping by rose class internationally, note that grandifloras may be grouped under hybrid teas outside the U.S.

• Care Difficulty: Moderate — similar to hybrid teas
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Most in zones 5–11
• Rose Hips: Occasionally, depending on deadheading habits

Varieties at a glance:

• Sweet Mademoiselle™ Rose — Salmon-pink double blooms in a temperature-shifting palette. Strongly fragrant. Disease, drought, and cold-resistant. Excellent for cutting. Zones 5–11.
• Tiamo™ Rose — Deep red, cupped double blooms in large clusters. Slight fragrance, heat-stable color. Disease and pest resistant. Zones 5–11.

Sweet Mademoiselle Rose (shown above) is a standout grandiflora, with full double blooms in a pink and apricot palette that shifts with the temperature. Strongly fragrant and resistant to disease, drought, and cold, this variety delivers a season's worth of color without much fuss. Trim a few stems for indoor arrangements, and you'll bring that same sweet scent into your home.

The Tiamo™ Rose is another excellent grandiflora option, producing deep red, cupped double blooms in large clusters against glossy, dark green foliage. Its color holds up even in high heat, and a light fragrance rounds out the appeal. Bred for resistance to common pests and diseases, Tiamo is a reliable, vigorous bloomer that works equally well as a specimen plant, a background hedge, or a source of cut stems for indoor arrangements.

David Austin / English Roses

No modern rose guide would be complete without mentioning David Austin roses, often called English roses, named after the renowned British rose breeder David Austin, who began his work in the 1950s. David Austin roses are the result of crossing old garden roses (damask, alba, centifolia, and bourbon roses) with modern hybrid teas and floribundas.

The goal? Capture the full, cupped, multi-petalled blooms and intense old rose fragrance of ancient varieties, combined with the repeat-blooming habit and disease resistance of modern roses. The result is a rose class that many gardeners consider the perfect rose — old-world charm with contemporary reliability.

David Austin roses tend to bloom in soft, romantic palettes: blush pinks, warm apricots, rich crimsons, and creamy whites. Their fragrance is exceptional — often myrrh, old rose, or fruity in character. Most are classified as shrub roses but have a distinctly different aesthetic from standard landscape roses.

• Care Difficulty: Moderate — generally more disease-resistant than hybrid teas
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Most in zones 5–9; some to zone 4
• Rose Hips: Some varieties produce attractive hips; deadheading reduces hip formation

Miniature Roses

Miniature roses are exactly what they sound like — fully proportioned roses in a compact, small-scale package. Everything is miniaturized: the rose bush, the canes, the leaves, and the blooms (typically under 2 inches). Despite their diminutive size, miniature roses are tough, prolific bloomers that produce hundreds of flowers per season.

They're ideal for container gardening, window boxes, edging, and indoor growing under grow lights. Many miniature roses are surprisingly cold, hardy and disease-resistant. Like hybrid teas, they come in almost every color imaginable.

• Care Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Typically zones 4–9
• Rose Hips: Small but present on many varieties

Varieties to know:

• Petite Knock Out® Rose - The newest addition to the legendary Knock Out® family, this true-red miniature brings all the carefree, disease-resistant performance of its full-size siblings in a compact form. It blooms continuously from spring to fall and thrives in beds, borders, and containers alike. Fast Growing Trees
• Apricot Drift® Rose - Technically a groundcover/miniature hybrid rather than a true miniature, the Apricot Drift® earns a spot here for its similarly compact spirit. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall with a spread of 4 feet or more, and produces about five flower cycles through the blooming season. It's disease-resistant, recommended for zones 4--10, and works well both in-ground and in containers. Its warm apricot tones make it one of the most distinctive low-growing roses available.

Rose Trees

Rose trees provide the beautiful blooms and striking foliage of other rose types, but rather than having a freeform or shrub shape, they grow in tree form. A thin trunk is adorned with a crown of rose blossoms and green foliage. Ideal for growing in containers or planting in-ground, rose trees create height and texture where it’s needed.

Rose trees (also called standard roses) are not a natural growth form, they're created by grafting a rose variety onto a tall, straight rootstock cane. Almost any rose type can be trained as a tree rose, which is why you'll find tree versions of hybrid teas, floribundas, shrub roses, and even miniatures. Their structured, formal appearance makes them especially striking in rose gardens, entryways, and symmetrical landscape designs.

• Care Difficulty: Moderate — the graft union requires protection in cold climates
• Bloom Type: Depends on the variety grafted
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Typically zones 5–9; may need winter wrapping in zones 5–6

Varieties at a glance:

• Rainbow Knock Out® Rose Tree — Coral and yellow blooms, continuous from spring to frost. Disease-resistant, no spray needed. Compact, 3–4 feet. Zones 4–11.
• Polynesian Punch Rose Tree — Multicolor blooms shifting orange, pink, and yellow. Heavy, long-blooming season. Compact, 3–4 feet. Zones 6–9.
• Dancing in the Dark Rose Tree — Crimson-red blooms deepening to near-black. Fragrant, full upright growth. 4–8 feet. Zones 6–10.

One of our favorite rose trees? The Rainbow Knock Out® Rose Tree. This Knock Out® family member brings deep coral blooms with yellow accents, a unique color combination that emerges continuously from spring through frost. Since it carries the same disease resistance the Knock Out® line is known for, you won't need harsh chemicals or sprays to keep it thriving. It's also more compact than other Knock Out® rose trees, making it a good fit for smaller gardens, and versatile enough to grow as a tree form or trained into a low hedge.

The Polynesian Punch Rose Tree is another standout choice. This floribunda rose tree produces a kaleidoscope of color, with blooms ranging from vibrant orange to soft pink to sunny yellow, all set against dark green, glossy foliage. It arrives pre-pruned into a clean standard tree form, and its compact size makes it equally at home in the ground or in a container. It's especially well-suited to hot, dry climates, holding up where many other roses would struggle.

And the Dancing in the Dark Rose Tree (shown above) brings a striking change of pace to the lineup. Its crimson-red blooms deepen toward black as they age, creating striking, velvety texture against the foliage. This variety grows full and upright with minimal upkeep, giving you the look of a professional rose garden without the work. It's also notably fragrant, which makes it a favorite for cuttings, and it tolerates urban pollution well, so it holds up nicely along driveways, walkways, or street-facing plantings.

Cut Roses

Last, but not least, we have cut roses. Cut roses are tough and disease-resistant, and often provide the most pleasant fragrances. They exhibit long, upright stems with glossy foliage, and boast prize-winning blooms ideal for showing off in flower arrangements. Plant them anywhere and enjoy endless fresh-cut flowers that will enhance your home decor and quickly brighten your living space.

• Care Difficulty: Moderate — regular fertilizing and deadheading recommended
• Bloom Type: Repeat bloomer
• USDA Hardiness Zones: Most in zones 5–9
• Rose Hips: Rarely — regular cutting prevents hip formation

Varieties at a glance:

• Grand Champion Rose — Drought and disease-resistant. Thrives in extreme climates. Abundant 3-inch double red blossoms. Luscious fragrance. Zones 5–9.
• Princesse Charlene de Monaco® Rose — Apricot-to-shell-pink blooms with 100+ ruffled petals. Strong, sweet fragrance. Disease-resistant, repeat bloomer. Zones 5–10.

The Grand Champion Rose is a show-stopping rose made for cutting - it’s as tough as they come and gorgeous to boot. It’s extremely drought and disease resistant and also able to thrive in extreme hot and cold climates. With abundant, 3-inch, double blossoms, it’ll bring vibrant pops of red to your landscape and fill your garden with luscious fragrance!

Another stellar rose for cut flower arrangements is the Princesse Charlene de Monaco® Rose (shown above). This variety produces large, old-fashioned blooms in a romantic apricot-to-shell-pink shade, each packed with more than 100 ruffled petals. Its strong, sweet fragrance carries a fruity scent that lingers, making cut stems a natural fit for filling a room. With repeat blooming from spring through fall and solid resistance to disease, this rose keeps the color and the bouquets coming all season long.

Rose Hips: The Fruit of the Rose Plant

Most gardeners focus on the blooms, but the rose plant has more to offer. Rose hips are the fruit of the rose, developing after the flowers fade if they haven't been deadheaded. They range in size from small pea-sized hips on polyanthas to large, fleshy hips on shrub and wild roses.

Rose hips are extraordinarily rich in Vitamin C, some species contain up to 20 times more Vitamin C by weight than oranges. They're used to make teas, jams, syrups, and health supplements. In the garden, un-harvested rose hips provide critical food for birds during winter. Ornamentally, varieties like the Popcorn Drift® and many shrub roses produce clusters of hips that extend their garden interest well past the blooming season.

If you want your rose to produce hips, stop deadheading in late summer and let the plant set fruit naturally.

What to Look for Before You Purchase Roses

With so many rose varieties available, it helps to have a clear framework for choosing. Here's what to consider before adding a new rose plant to your garden:

1. Bare root vs. container roses

Roses are sold two ways: bare root (dormant, without soil — typically available in late winter/early spring) and container-grown (actively growing in pots, available spring through fall). Bare root roses are less expensive and establish well when planted during dormancy. Container roses can be planted almost any time the ground isn't frozen and give you an immediate sense of the plant's health and vigor.

2. Bloom frequency

Always check whether a variety is once-blooming or a repeat bloomer before purchasing. Once-blooming roses give you a spectacular single flush — often in early summer — while repeat bloomers deliver color in waves from spring to frost. If continuous color is a priority for your rose garden, look for varieties specifically labeled as "continuous blooming" or "repeat bloomer."

3. Fragrance ratings

Fragrance is one of the most personal factors in choosing roses. Many nurseries and the American Rose Society rate rose fragrance on a scale, from no scent to intensely fragrant. Old garden roses and David Austin roses tend to score highest for fragrance; some modern hybrid teas are nearly scentless. If fragrance is essential to you, look for varieties described as "strongly fragrant" or check ratings from the rose society.

4. USDA Hardiness Zone compatibility

Every rose has a cold-hardiness range. Planting a zone 7 rose in zone 5 without winter protection is a recipe for disappointment. Check your USDA hardiness zone before purchasing and match it to the variety's rated range. Shrub roses and polyanthas tend to offer the widest zone tolerance; hybrid teas and tree roses often require the most protection.

5. Disease resistance

Powdery mildew and black spot are the two most common rose diseases. If you prefer low-maintenance roses and don't want to spray, prioritize varieties rated "excellent" or "very good" for disease resistance — most modern shrub roses, floribundas, and David Austin roses in this category perform well without chemical intervention.

6. Size and space

Rose plants vary enormously in size — from miniature roses under 18 inches to climbing roses and ramblers that can reach 20 feet tall. Match the mature size of the rose to your available space to avoid constant heavy pruning.

Start Growing Your Rose Garden Today

Whether you’re looking for striking flower color, high bloom volume, continuous flowering, planting versatility, or disease-resistance, you’re sure to find a rose type (or several) that’s right for you and your landscape. Roses are incredibly diverse and rewarding, offering solutions to a plethora of planting needs. And with a little love and care, your roses will please and perform for seasons to come!

Keep scrolling to view the helpful breakdown of all rose types mentioned above, so you can pick the right varieties for your preferences. Plus, check out helpful rose resources for planting and care below to keep your garden in tip-top shape!

And don’t forget to shop all of our rose categories for more planting inspiration!

 

Helpful Rose Resources:

• How to Plant & Care for Knock Out® Roses
• Rose Trees Perfect for Patios
• Top Rose Care Tips