How to Understand Rose Types
If you have any queries please contact your local Grow Master Garden Centre.
How to Understand Rose Types
Though old and modern roses share many of the same characteristics and may all be grown together, some are better for specific purposes than others. If you are just after color then select the roses that appeal to you but if you want a little more knowledge then this leaflet will help. Roses can be loosely grouped into a number of categories as follows:
Bush Roses
The most popular form in our gardens developing several stems at ground level. The term’ bush rose’ includes Hybrid Tea, Floribunda and Grandi flora roses. They are planted 75cm – 1.25m apart depending on their ultimate height.
Hybrid Tea Roses
These are the roses to choose if you are looking for classic, long stemmed, usually perfumed, cut flower roses. Most produce a single perfect bloom on each stem though a few will have several blooms to a stem. These are the classic cut flowers with long pointed buds opening to high entered blooms which last well when cut.
David Austin Roses – these roses are best described as”New Roses in the Old Tradition‘. They combine the perfume, variety and charm of old fashioned roses with there current flowering qualities and wider color range of modern roses. The majority have strong bushy shapes and can be grown amongst many other garden shrubs. The newer forms of David Austin Roses have been bred with disease resistance in mind. Some varieties grow quite tall under Australian conditions and are wonderful if grown as”Pillar Roses”, i.e. Small climbers. They also look quite stunning if trained to grow on a fence, lattice or verandah post.
Grandi flora Roses
Strong, continuous blooming roses producing clusters of Hybrid Tea like flowers on long, strong stems. The blooms last well in vase or garden.
Floribunda Roses – bushy, shrubby growers. Clusters of flowers on each stem. These make great color in the garden. They are used wherever a mass of color is needed e.g. as hedges or borders, to line paths, and in large containers. As their name implies they flower abundantly and are quick to repeat from early spring to late autumn.
Mini Roses
Small flowers, compact growth habit, ideal for borders or pots. You can purchase these as cutting grown plants i.e. not grafted, and these are bushy from the base up. Grafted or budded varieties have a central stem and the shoots grow from that. Both types flower prolifically although a grafted plant is generally stronger.
Patio Roses – larger flowers than mini, compact growth habit, ideal for pots. These have been developed over recent years and are really quite superb. They present well in the pot and make a truly excellent gift.
Rambling Roses
The most vigorous of the climbing – type roses. They may spread up to 10 meters by producing long, flexible canes and are there fore excellent for covering and highlighting large areas. Climbing Roses – less vigorous than ramblers tending to put out stiff canes that instinctively grow upwards. To maximise flowering, climbers need to be tied down to a more horizontal position. Great for training on large fences, wall sand pergolas. Most climbing roses will need support in the form of wire or trellis. Masonry nails may be needed on brick walls or fences.
Pillar Roses
The third group and least vigorous of the climbing roses. Pillar roses generally flower on canes of varying length giving a ‘fully clothed’ appearance from the ground up.
Standards or Tree Roses
Grafted on to a straight stem of varying heights but generally 1 or 1 1/2 meters high. Upright growth habit. Used for a formal effect along drives, amongst shrubs and as hedges. They save space by taking the growth up or away from the ground enabling other plants, such as seedlings or bulbs, to be planted underneath.
Weeping Standards – as above, but on tall standards, 2 or 3 meters high. Weeping habit.
Old World Roses
The term ‘Old World’ is subject to many interpretations but generally they are considered to have been established prior to Hybrid Tea and Floribunda Roses. They are often in formal, large bushy plants 2 to 3 meters tall, although some are quite small. There is a limited colour range but flower shapes and perfume are superb.
Ground cover or Landscape – versatile and hardy. Includes Flower Carpet, Magic Carpet™ and Meidil and varieties. Very colorful and long flowering roses – almost continuously in flower from spring to late autumn. Ideal for edging a rose or garden bed, border, pathway or can even be used as a low fence. Mainly vigorous growers that can be kept trimmed to nearly any shape you want.
Please ask Grow Master staff for color recommendations. We have a large range of roses in stock most of the year. Roses are available in pots, in flower, from late October to around May.
