Yes, You Can Grow Roses

Many Good Choices Both Old and New

Many Good Choices Both Old and New This is by no means a comprehensive list of roses, and your favorite may not even be listed here, but these are good, easy-care roses that will grow in most climates. They are listed by class or family since the classes indicate how the rose will grow and in most cases what it looks like. Several roses on this list are included in the list of Earth-Kind® roses compiled by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The Earth-Kind® roses have been found to demonstrate superior pest tolerance combined with outstanding landscape performance. Earth-Kind® roses do well in a variety of soil types, ranging from well-drained acidic sands to poorly aerated, high-alkaline clays. Once established, these roses also have excellent heat and drought tolerance. Earth-Kind® roses are easily grown with sustainable practices that protect our natural resources. At the end of this list you will find good advice from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service for planting and growing your roses. All of the roses on this list can be grown with sustainable, organic practices. There is no reason to introduce toxic chemicals and strong fertilizers into your garden for growing roses or any other plant. Antique and Old Garden Roses This is a huge group of roses that have been passed down for generations for their beauty and sturdiness as garden plants. You can find pictures of all these roses and more on the Internet. Bourbon Unlike the beverage of the same name, Bourbon roses are not named for a county in Kentucky. Instead, they are named for the Ile de Bourbon, a French island east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and now known as Reunion. The Bourbon roses are said to have originated from a chance Antique and Old Garden Roses 53 cross between Autumn Damask and Old Blush China rose, both of which were used as fencing on the island. Dating from about 1816, the original cross was taken to France and more hybrids were developed. The Bourbons inherited their wonderful fragrance from their damask parent and the free-flowering characteristic from their China parent. Typically, Bourbon roses have very full flowers with many petals and a wonderful scent. They are very heat tolerant and prefer to grow in zones 5–7. Most flower repeatedly throughout the growing season. Bourbon roses make excellent cut flowers on their own or to combine with other garden flowers. Autumn Damask. Photo by Henry Flowers 54 Many Good Choices Both Old and New souvenir de la malmaison was named for the rose garden built around 1800 by Napoleon’s wife, Josephine, just outside Paris. Although this rose was not in that garden, it would have been if it had been available at the time. Introduced in 1843, this is a favorite of most growers of old roses. It is a very full, pale pink rose with a classic, enchanting rose scent. Available in both shrub and climbing forms, the plant blooms repeatedly throughout the growing season. The shrub generally grows 3–4 feet tall, and the climber will grow 8–12 feet tall. kronprincessin viktoria is the white sport of Souvenir de la Malmaison. A sport is a branch that comes from an original plant that is just like the plant except for one characteristic, for example, color. Souvenir has produced more than one sport, demonstrating the different forms that can come from one original plant. Kronprincessin Viktoria grows 3–4 feet tall and flowers freely. Zephirine Drouhin. Photo by Bob Helberg Antique and Old Garden Roses 55 Souvenir de la Malmaison. Photo by Bob Helberg souvenir de st. anne’s is another sport of Souvenir de la Malmaison. St. Anne’s is a semi-double with a very pale pink flower. It is a lovely, fragrant rose that grows 3–4 feet tall. It was found in St. Anne’s Park in Dublin and offered for sale in 1950. St. Anne’s is on the list of EarthKind ® roses. zephirine drouhin is a climbing Bourbon that has the extra advantage of being virtually thornless. The beautiful bright, cerise-pink flowers have a strong fragrance that makes them a favorite in the house as well as in the garden. The sturdy stems are often a reddish color that contrasts nicely with dark green leaves. The plant grows 8–12 feet tall and is perfect for a well...