Roses that don't need much care (cutting, Maui, house, annual)

[sheerbliss]

Here's the page of the Nashville Rose Society (I see you are in central Tennessee). They have recommended roses on their page--maybe Souvenir de la Malmaison would meet your needs. It's an old garden rose that gets 3-4 feet, according to the Antique Rose Emporium.

They have a few recommended rugosas, but they're all large to huge.

[JanND]

Originally Posted by JRR

I've got a couple of roses out front that I am giving up on. Put them in four years ago and they have pretty much declined each year. Wondering if anyone in the South has had success with growing roses that don't need a lot of care. I'm looking for something that gets three to four feet tall at the most and spreads maybe three feet. Bloom color/size is not as important as being a tough rose. Where they will be gets good sun and I am in zone 7a

Visit your local garden supply and ask for the best local roses. That will help you get the right ones for your climate. I love climbing roses, so that is what I prefer...But what you describe is specimen roses.....So ask the local Nursery folks.

[pathrunner]

I gave up on trying to grow roses here in north Alabama. If I wanted to try again, I would definitely go to a local nursery for advice and buy the highest quality bare roots possible.

[jdep378]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

You don’t say what you are doing for your roses now, OP. Are you fertilizing them regularly, but they are still not thriving? Do you have any visible insect damage or disease?

In my experience, Knock Outs are great for a few years, but then fail to thrive after awhile. What I have done for the past few years is buy inexpensive roses at Sam’s Club for about $10. My only criteria is that they smell fragrant. Some do very well, and some Peter out, but I’m not out much money.

Here in zone 8b, we hard prune around Valentine’s Day, and start fertilizing with a 3 in 1 systemic on the holidays...St Patrick’s, Memorial Day, July 4th, etc. Roses are heavy feeders. I deadhead them so they don’t waste energy making seeds.

I meant to say, I only use the systemic if there is a need, like a disease or thrips, etc. Otherwise just an all purpose fertilizer.

It is a good advise

[rabbit33]

Originally Posted by JanND

Visit your local garden supply and ask for the best local roses. That will help you get the right ones for your climate. I love climbing roses, so that is what I prefer...But what you describe is specimen roses.....So ask the local Nursery folks.

If you live anywhere near a large or small city, or even a large small town, there'll almost certainly be a rose club or a garden club. That'll be an even better source for info.

[gentlearts]

There is something else I have noticed, here in zone 8-9. My roses love the colder temperatures in the fall. They look their best then. If you are in a very hot climate and your plant likes full sun, bump it back to partial shade. Same for a partial shade plant, to shade.

This is true of any plant, not just roses. I have a bed of agapanthus in my back yard in the shade of an oak tree. They look beautiful all year, with bright green foliage. I have the same plants in full sun in front of my west facing house, and the foliage burns and turns yellow in the fall. They would be happier in partial shade, even though they are recommended for full sun.

[ersatz]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned Drift Roses. They are extremely hardy and compact. My Knockout Roses got sprawly and spindly over a couple of years (I really need to prune them back this winter.) My Drift Roses never did. Unlike the Knockout Roses, several Drift varieties are fragrant, especially the Apricot, Peach and Sweet Drift. The Drift Roses are great filler plants and the flowers turn multiple colors as they age. My Peach Drift roses have continued to bloom vigorously in my Zone 7 landscape beginning in May, even through multiple hard freezes for weeks, and they are still going into January.

[JRR]

Originally Posted by ersatz

I am surprised that no one has mentioned Drift Roses. They are extremely hardy and compact. My Knockout Roses got sprawly and spindly over a couple of years (I really need to prune them back this winter.) My Drift Roses never did. Unlike the Knockout Roses, several Drift varieties are fragrant, especially the Apricot, Peach and Sweet Drift. The Drift Roses are great filler plants and the flowers turn multiple colors as they age. My Peach Drift roses have continued to bloom vigorously in my Zone 7 landscape beginning in May, even through multiple hard freezes for weeks, and they are still going into January.

Those look very interesting and would fill the bill for me. I really like the Coral and the Sweet variety

[oregonwoodsmoke]

The secret to easy care roses is to live someplace really dry. The assorted molds and mildews that plague roses won't grow where the air is dry. You have to water regularly and prune, but spraying is not needed and bug infestations are rare. Rose diseases don't seem to live in dry air.


I'm now in an area that doesn't have that dry air advantage, so I tend the roses, believing it is worth the work to get the beautiful blooms.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

The secret to easy care roses is to live someplace really dry. The assorted molds and mildews that plague roses won't grow where the air is dry. You have to water regularly and prune, but spraying is not needed and bug infestations are rare. Rose diseases don't seem to live in dry air.


I'm now in an area that doesn't have that dry air advantage, so I tend the roses, believing it is worth the work to get the beautiful blooms.

Good point, and always water anything from the bottom.

I just saw there are dwarf red Knockouts now. I have been planning to get dwarf Encore Azaleas for a full sun area, but now I might try the roses instead.