How do I Use Roses in Landscape Plans?

Roses are versitile plants that have a lot of landscape uses.

Roses are versatile plants that fill almost any need in the landscape. The key to successful landscaping with roses is to match the type of rose to the situation.

Bush Roses

Bush roses include hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, patio roses and miniatures. Except for hybrid teas, all of these roses have a full, bushy habit. Use them as you would any flowering shrub. Hybrid teas produce large, long-stem roses and should be planted in groups rather than rows that emphasize their sparse habit. Grandifloras and floribundas are used as foundation plantings, hedges, accents and background plants. Miniature and patio roses make excellent edging plants and also work well in groups in mixed borders or massed in beds.

Specimens and Accents

Any showy rose looks great as a specimen or accent plant, But tree roses steal the show as stand-alone specimens. Tree roses are usually bush-type roses grafted onto tall trunks.

Arbors, Fences and Trellises

Climbing roses need a supporting structure. They bloom continuously and look great along fences, trellises and arbors. Use them to hide unsightly views, on walls and in front of decks and porches. Climbing roses aren't as cold hardy as most other roses and die back during severe winters. When they die back, they won't bloom the next year. Many gardeners substitute rambling roses for climbers. Rambling roses are larger, faster growing and more vigorous than climbers, but they bloom only once a season.

Old Roses

Old or antique roses form a large, mounded shrub that may be 10 feet or more in diameter. Use them as large hedge plants or background plants. They have a short bloom season, but sometimes re-bloom. The dense, rich foliage makes an excellent backdrop for perennials.

References

• Mississippi State University Extension: Using Roses in the Landscape
• University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Roses