Shrub Roses
This class of rose is a "catch all" for roses that do
not fit well in other classes. This "duke's mixture" of
a class includes everything from hybrid rugosas developed in the
late 1800s, to hybrid musks developed in the 1900s, to floribundas
and the latest and newest introductions in landscape roses.
"Shrub rose" may be a poor choice of words, and as a
result the term is largely artificial because all roses are in fact
shrubs –just as is a lilac or a forsythia. "Shrub,"
as applied to roses, is more a case of definition by usage rather
than by description.
Shrub roses are noted for their well-rounded shape, their exceptional
winter hardiness, and their better than average disease resistance.
Today's gardeners are finding the task of maintaining quality roses
a bit easier with the introduction of many shrub roses into the
market. Shrub roses are also very free-flowering, producing a good
supply of fragrant flowers all summer. Shrub roses are bred and
selected for planting "outside" the rose garden, blending
well into a mixed border of flowers, as landscape hedges, and into
the landscape at large.
One may find reference to both old and modern shrub roses. Both
classes have merit. The old shrub roses are tall (6+ feet) and need
a lot of space. They are also extremely hardy and pest-resistant.
Modern shrub roses tend to be more compact while still maintaining
the qualities you would find in older shrub roses. Modern shrub
roses can be found carrying class names and terms such as "English
Garden Roses," "David Austin Roses," "Sub-Zero
Roses," "Dr. Buck Roses," "Kordesii Roses,"
"Canadian Explorer Roses," "Parkland Roses,"
"Meidiland Roses," "Hybrid Rugosa," and "Hybrid
Musk."
Learn more about shrub roses in these Hort Corner videos.
Species
Roses | Old European
Garden Roses | Hardy Repeat-blooming
Old Roses | Modern Roses
| Shrub Roses
History |
Selecting Rose Plants | Site
Selection & Bed Preparation | Planting
| Water, Mulch & Fertilizer
| Winter Protection | Pruning
| Disease & Insect Pests
| Different Kinds of Roses | Selected
References | Societies &
Organizations | Mail Order
Sources | Video
Credits |
