All-America Rose Selections
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ROSE FOR YOU
As the wintry days spent dreaming of the garden recede, the reality of spring is now upon us. We’ve finally come to that glorious time of the year when roses are available, and they’re arriving in a variety of forms that’s sure to please every gardener.
One of the biggest delights a gardener has is perusing mail-order catalogs for the latest and greatest roses, such as the 2007 AARS winners. Mail-order catalogs give the gardener the first glimpse at what will be in the stores later in the season. But with more than 10,000 rose varieties on the market today, selecting the right rose bush is a daunting task. Even if you are drawn to the beauty of a bloom, its enchanting color or exquisite fragrance, there are other, more practical, things to consider when selecting the best rose for you.
From Bare Roots to Blossoms
No matter how you get to the bountiful blooms – either from dormant bare-root plants, or more mature specimens already leafed out in large containers – the end result is among the most rewarding in any garden.
Bare root plants may look like a bundle of sticks, but with the arrival of warmer weather they soon fulfill their promise of extraordinary beauty known to inspire love and poetry. Bare-root roses require a little more care at first, but that’s a small price to pay for beautiful roses that bloom all summer. Follow the planting and care instructions accompanying the bare root, or click here to learn more
In most parts of the country, another type of dormant plant is now (or soon will be) in stock: the packaged rose. These dormant plants are planted in moist organic material that keep their roots protected and ready to grow. Most every type of retail outlet—garden center, home center, mass merchandiser—that carries plants will stock this product. As with bare roots, it’s important to follow the care and planting instructions on the package.
For those gardeners wishing to buy a plant in full growth, potted roses are available in these same outlets once the threat of cold weather passes. Many rose growers find that potted roses are convenient because they can be planted over the course of the growing season. Click here for planting information.
 Additionally, potted roses can simply be dropped into a stylish container, and covered with Spanish moss for instant (and portable) satisfaction.
Visit the AARS Where to Buy section of www.rose.org to find your local nursery.
A Classy Affair
Roses come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and fragrances. They are classed according to their growth habits. Becoming familiar with the different classes will help gardeners select roses with the desired form and habit for their gardens.
Hybrid tea roses bear the familiar florist-look blooms, described as “high-centered,” usually one per stem on upright bushes.
Floribunda roses are bushy shrubs that produce clusters of 3 to 15 blooms, typically smaller than hybrid teas. Floribundas are great for mass plantings and mixed perennial beds because of their constant bloom production.
Grandiflora roses have attributes of both floribunda and hybrid tea roses: they are large bushes that produce large, hybrid-type blooms that grow in clusters.
Shrub, Landscape, or Groundcover roses are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, typically compact and low-growing. Clusters of blooms cover the disease-resistant plants all season, making them good choices for mass-plantings, borders, and containers
Climbing roses produce long, arching canes with abundant blooms. They are great for use along fences, arbors and trellises.
Miniature roses are appealing for their petite rose blooms and small leaves. Miniature rose plants can grow up to three feet tall.
Location, Location, Location
 Before you plant your new rose, choose a location that offers the optimal growing conditions. All roses require lots of sun, protection from bitter winter conditions, proper spacing, and well-drained, fertile soil. Ask yourself these questions before planting:
Where’s the sunny side? Although some roses will tolerate as little as three to four hours of full sun, most require at least six hours in order to produce abundant blooms and ward off disease.
How cold does it get in winter? Some roses are hardy in climates where winter temperatures dip down as low as -30° to -20° F (USDA Zone 4), but others will only survive in temperatures of 0° to -10° F (USDA Zone 6). Ask your local garden center to recommend roses that will perform best in your zone. Find your zone.
How close are your quarters? Roses come in a wide range of sizes and growth habits, so if you only have a small space or large container, choose a compact rose. Miniature roses are great for small spaces! Some groundcover and shrub roses stay two feet tall by two feet wide or a little wider. If you have more room, you may want to choose a large floribunda, grandiflora, hybrid tea, or climbing rose.
Is there plenty of elbow room? Air movement around and through plants is important for good health, so be sure to provide ample space around your roses. Ideally, you should allow three to five feet between hybrid teas; two to four feet between grandifloras; two to three feet between floribundas; four to eight feet between shrub roses; and six inches to one foot between miniatures.
Proven in AARS Gardens to Flourish in Yours
Rose breeders strive to combine the best attributes—beauty, adaptability, hardiness, and disease resistance—into every rose they develop. But not all roses are created equal. For nearly 70 years, All-America Rose Selections (AARS) has evaluated roses on characteristics that gardeners want, including vigor, fragrance, disease resistance, foliage, flower production, growth habit, bud and flower form, opening and finishing color, and fragrance. Experts at 23 official test gardens in climate zones all over the country scrutinize roses during two-year trials. Roses that boast the AARS endorsement are your best bets for plants that will perform in your garden. Look for the AARS red rose seal to know you’re bringing home the best roses you can buy.
For tips on planting both bareroot and container-grown plants and details about All-America Rose Selections winners, visit www.rose.org
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