Choosing Roses for the Garden                                         New England

Did you know that the rose is our "national floral emblem?" Always a popular plant, the rose was made the official national flower by proclamation in 1986. That makes it almost unpatriotic NOT to grow at least one rose!

There are, at last count, a gazillion rose varieties, and each year rose breeders introduce new ones. How is a gardener to choose just one, or even just ten? Here are some ways to help you narrow down the field.

Award-Winners
Varieties that have won the All-American Rose Selection award have met specific standards for traits such as vigor, disease resistance, and flower production. AARS is a nonprofit association of rose growers with a network of test gardens across the country. Varieties are evalutated under a range of climates and growing conditions; of the many tested, just a few are awarded the prestigious AARS award.

Garden Centers
Visit a trusted local garden center and browse their offerings. Reputable nurseries will sell only plants that are hardy and well adapted to your growing region. They'll also have knowledgeable staff to help guide you, and they will probably guarantee the plants they sell. However, selection may be limited.

When browsing nursery catalogs, you'll find that numerous rose varieties are described as award-winning. However, this may refer to awards based on flower competitions, rather than on overall plant performance. There are many gorgeous tea roses that are challenging to grow in home gardens due to disease susceptibility, for example. Don't rely solely on the generic term "award-winning" to guide your choice of plants.