Of all the rose types, shrub roses (aka landscape roses) are the easiest to grow. They are tough, cold hardy, and they are by far the best for beginners, lovers of low maintenance, or garden enthusiasts who simply want to enjoy an abundance of rose blooms. The best part about growing shrub roses? The truth is, there is very little care needed!
Easy-Peasy Varieties
Shrub Roses
Tips & Tricks
Shrub Rose Care
Watering | As with most roses, they prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Consistent watering is helpful when they’re newly planted and being established (1″ of water, 1x per week), but they are mostly taken care of by Mother Nature after that.
Fertilizing | Yes, a regular application of Rose-tone® from May to August is appreciated, but if forgotten, it’s not a problem.
Winter Care | Shrub roses are so vigorous and hardy because they grow from their own roots – no grafting, no bud union, and no winter protection needed. They’ve also been bred to be vigorous and abundantly free flowering.
Pruning | Deadheading helps because it induces more flowering, keeps the rose clean, and helps prevent disease, but most shrub varieties will keep blooming, even through the worst conditions, and they offer excellent disease resistance to boot!
shrub rose varieties
No matter the spot or use in the garden or landscape, it’s likely there’s a shrub rose that will work. These tough-as-nails varieties produce a rainbow of colors and single, semi-double, even fully doubled blooms to entice the onlooker. The roles they can play in the sunny landscape are so versatile – think petite edging, short or tall hedges, middle of a mixed shrub border, a perennial companion in the cutting garden, or a sprawling groundcover.
Miniature Shrub
Sunblaze® Roses
A superb selection of miniature powerhouses with dozens of colors, bi-colors, and blends from which to choose. Average petal count on their abundant, adorable flowers is 25! Fantastic in containers or as an edger in the landscape with full, bushy habits, growing 12-18″ tall and wide. They are so easy we grafted them on top of rose trees, blooming a 3-5′ height all season.
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Groundcover Shrub
Drift® Roses
A cross between a full-sized, rugged groundcover rose and a tidy, miniature variety. They grow low, and they’re manageable, not rambling, around 1-2′ tall and wide. Covered in a plethora of medium sized blooms throughout the growing season. Again, flower type is variable with color and petal count, but all eleven varieties are stunning in perennial borders or in aiding to control erosion on a sunny slope.
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Shrub Rose
Knock Out® Roses
Used in the garden for more than 2 decades! A household name, for sure, known for their medium-sized, rounded habits, growing approximately 3-4′ tall and wide. Some flowers are singles with plenty of pollen to share with the bees, while others are doubled with cherry red as the predominant color. Pinks, coral, yellow, and white varieties are also available.
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Petite Knock Out® Rose
The newest addition, Petite Knock Out®, delivers copious amounts of miniature, doubled, scarlet-red blooms on a tidy, petite mound that grows to 18″ tall and wide at maturity. Perfect for containers, short hedges, or tree roses.
Proven Winners
Oso Easy® Roses
A unique series of durable landscape roses with varying growth dimensions (hardiness, color, and flowering type). All featured are cold hardy in Northeast Ohio. Sizes range from groundcover heights of 1-2′ tall and wide, such as the case with ‘Mango Salsa’, up to 3-4′ tall with ‘Double Red’.
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Reminiscent™ Roses
The Reminiscent™ series is brand new from Proven Winners® for the 2023 gardening season! Three varieties offered this season (Crema, Pink, and Coral), were developed by breeders in Serbia. These new roses are touted to achieve a successful combination of old-world beauty and fragrance with modern, repeat-blooming, disease-resistant performance. We are looking forward to witnessing these beauties in our garden centers and gardens this growing season!
a video guide to
growing shrub roses
Of all the rose types, shrub roses (aka landscape roses) are the easiest to grow. Watch this video with Noelle, Horticulturist, and Education Manager with Petitti Garden Centers, to learn more about growing Shrub Roses in Northeast Ohio. She gives a detailed explanation of some of our favorite shrub rose types, including Knock Out®, Sunblaze®, Drift®, and Oso Easy® roses. They are tough, cold hardy, and they are by far the best for beginners, lovers of low maintenance, or garden enthusiasts who simply want to enjoy an abundance of rose blooms. Plus, Noelle also explains the best time to fertilize using Espoma Organic® Rose-tone®.
bringing it all together
No matter the variety you choose, there’s always a shrub rose that can meet your need! Now, shrub roses may not produce the largest, most fragrant blooms, but for reliability and longevity, they receive high marks!
Learn more about all Roses