It is surprising to me that more shrub roses are not grown in our gardens. I feel that even some real “down-to-earth” rose lovers do not realize how versatile, hardy, and easy to grow they can be.
They differ from the familiar hybrid tea and floribunda roses in that they are taller and generally produce many more canes that often bend to the ground.
These “shrubs” include both species of “old roses” and hybrids. With the many new hybrids, we can continuously bloom all summer.
And although many of the “old roses” bloom only once during the season, their flowering period is of long duration and, while it lasts, gives a great profusion of bloom, generally with pronounced fragrance.
Also, whatever they may lack in continuous blooming, they make up in grace, charm, and the beauty of their attractive foliage. Their ornamental red and orange hips (fruits) further add to the fall and winter scene.
Purpose Of Shrub Roses
Shrub roses can be used as backgrounds and screens, hedges, and coverings for banks or slopes, and they can be trained as climbers and pillars. Many of them, especially the old rose species, are fine for naturalistic settings.
Smaller ones may be used to complement a sundial, and last but not least, they may be planted as a specimen or accent plant in any part of the garden.
The following are some roses I grow in my Missouri garden and enjoy more yearly.
Rosa Hugonis
The first usher in the season is Rosa Hugonis, also called the Golden Rose of China, and Father Hugo rose.
This rose will bloom in the early part of May in our Missouri climate. This early bird is delightful with its single, bright yellow blossoms, resembling a golden shower, produced along the gracefully arching canes.
Rosa Hugonis makes a very effective specimen plant and is of the easiest culture. I find it needs no spraying and grows in poor soil without fertilizing.
Rosa Harisoni
Another early bloomer is Harrison’s Yellow rose (R. Harisoni). This rose is a hybrid of the Austrian Brier (R. foetida) and the Scotch Rose (R. spinosissima).
The rose originated in the garden of George F. Harison, an attorney of New York City. Commercial distribution was inaugurated by the Prince nursery of Flushing, New York, in 1830.
The variety quickly won recognition, and within a few years, it could be purchased from almost every nursery in the United States and a considerable number in Europe.
Many old plants are still thriving. It bears deep, bright yellow, fragrant semi-double blossoms on stout upright stems growing up to 6’ to 8’ feet.
These two yellow roses are favored because of the sunshine they bring to the early spring garden, and although they bloom, their beautiful fern-like foliage makes them attractive all season.
Rosa Spinosissima
While May is still with us, we can also enjoy the charming, single, fragrant, white blossoms of the Scotch Rose (R. spinosissima) produced freely on a well-formed, rounded bush of compact growth.
When this rose is in bloom, the garden will be filled with a delightful fragrance. And after the blooming period is over, it will add beauty and charm to the garden with its delicate foliage.
The birds greatly relish the black hips that develop later in the season. R. spinosissima altaica is considered the best of the white Scotch Roses as it has the largest and most attractive blooms.
Rugged Rugosas
I know of no shrub we can grow in our gardens that requires less care than these three roses, as their foliage is disease-resistant.
As a group, the rugged rugosas (R. rugosa) is favored by many as the best shrub roses.
They were introduced to America from China and Japan and are extremely hardy. With the many new hybrids in this group, we can have all types of bushes and beautiful fragrant (lowers in shades of white, pink, rose, red, and lavender all the season.
Rosa ’Agnes’
Aside from their continuous bloom, the rugosas are also noted for their richly textured, wrinkled, shiny, dark green foliage and their bright red fruits.
Agnes is the first of the rugosas to bloom. It is a hybrid, its parents being R. rugosa and Persian Yellow rose.
It starts blooming during the middle of May and is covered with delightful coppery-yellow buds that open up to pale amber double blossoms that are heavily perfumed.
Although it blooms once during the season, the roughly ribbed dark green leaflets are especially interesting and will always attract attention.
Rosa ‘Grootendorst’
Grootendorst is another favorite. Clusters of small, fringed, red flowers resemble those of a carnation and are freely produced throughout the summer.
A sister plant, Pink Grootendorst, is a picture in bloom with its clusters of small, soft, pink blooms.
Hansa is a favorite of mine due to its intense, clove-like fragrance— the most fragrant of all the rugosas.
I believe. It produces reddish-violet blossoms all season which is especially good for making potpourri.
Frau Dagmar Hartopp
All the rugosas mentioned above grow to a height of about 6’ feet, but for a low-growing one, try Frau Dagmar Hartopp.
This is a beautiful rose with single flowers of silvery pink produced from late May until frost. The long pointed buds are particularly attractive.
Dr. Eckener
Another outstanding rugosa hybrid that is especially noted for its beautiful blossoms is Dr. Eckener. These blooms are as beautiful as many of the hybrid teas.
They are large, semi-double, fragrant, and are of a coppery rose on a yellow background. They are produced all summer.
This is a very vigorous shrub, growing to a height of 8’ or 10’ feet, so it can be used as a pillar or a background specimen. Dr. Eckener differs from the other rugosas in that it has smooth, shiny foliage.
It and the others I have mentioned are but a few of the rugged and fool-proof rugosa roses.
Hon. Lady Lindsay
A very beautiful low-growing rose shrub of more delicate character that has lovely blossoms of hybrid tea quality is Hon. Lady Lindsay.
The long tapering buds are buff-yellow and open to a flower with golden-pink predominating. This shrub grows about 3’ feet high and wide, is everblooming, and is very hardy.
Rosa Rubrifolia “Red-Leaved Rose”
Rosa rubrifolia should be in every garden. Visitors to my garden never fail to notice it.
This is known as the Red Leaved Rose for its beautiful soft plum-colored foliage and stems, which make an interesting contrast to the green of the other foliage in the garden.
The small, dainty, starlike, pink blossoms, encompassed in the red foliage in late spring, are a beautiful sight.
If this rose never bloomed, it would be worth growing for its decorative foliage alone. It also has dark hips or fruits for winter beauty.
‘Belinda’ Rose
The hybrid musk Belinda is unsurpassed for a shrub rose with continual color. It produces its rose-pink blossoms in huge trusses with 1-inch flowers that sometimes almost conceal the plant.
Belinda needs plenty of room as it makes a very large shrub of compact growth and grows as wide as it is tall. It makes a fine specimen plant as it never stops blooming and has smooth, disease-resistant foliage.
Rosa Mundi
There is no rose like Rosa Mundi (Rosa gallica Versicolor) with its red and white semi-double flowers for interesting and strikingly colorful blossoms.
Some petals may be all white, others all red, some half white and half red, and some others evenly striped.
Rosa Mundi grows about 4’ feet tall and is full and branching. While it blooms only once during the season, it should be in the garden because of the unusually attractive flowers. This is one of the “old roses,” dating back to the 16th century.
Sweet Brier Rose
Another “old rose” that no garden should be without is the Sweet Brier (R. Eglanteria). This rose has no rival in the garden for sweet scents.
As the name implies, it is the foliage that is fragrant. This fragrance fills the garden from early spring when the young leaves appear until Jack Frost appears in the fall.
It is especially delightful when the foliage is covered with dew after a spring or summer shower or early morning. Bacon tells us this rose is the “best perfume of the air.”
During the last part of May and the first part of June, the Sweet Brier is covered with a myriad of small, single, rosy-pink blossoms.
It will grow to a height of 8’ feet. The hybrid, Lord Penzance, has the same sweet-scented foliage, is lower growing with a more spreading habit, and has yellow blooms.
I like to plant the Sweet Briers near an open window so the sweet fragrance can permeate the inside and outside of the home.
Rosa ‘The Fairy’
The fool-proof rose unexcelled for hardiness and performance in the garden is The Fairy.
The charming rosette-like blossoms of shell-pink grow in clusters and are born in profusion from the last of May until frost.
This rose grows to a height of about 3′ feet and, if left unpruned, to a width of 5′ feet. The glossy boxlike foliage is completely disease-resistant.
Rosa ‘Golden Wings’
Golden Wings, the last and the newest of these shrub roses I will mention, is one of the most unusual and beautiful roses.
As far as the blooms are concerned, that I have ever seen are. It has single, super-sized, golden-yellow five-petaled blossoms with red stamens.
Good Drainage For Roses
All of these roses need little care and attention. Of course, we all know that all roses like lots of sun and good drainage.
After they are planted properly, they only require pruning to keep them in bounds. This consists of removing all dead and some old canes and cutting back rampant growth, thus encouraging new wood.
Avoid too severe pruning, as the plant’s natural shape could be spoiled. Many species tend to sulk or produce lush foliage at the expense of blossoms if given fertilizer.
Expand Your Rose Knowledge
Six popular rose types for gardens include hybrid tea roses, floribundas, hybrid perpetuals, climbing roses, shrub roses, and dwarf roses. Each type of rose features unique uses, characteristics, and growth habits. Find the perfect rose for your garden’s needs and conditions.
44659 by Rebecca S. Gilliam