In this article I discuss what I consider some of the best roses for suburban landscapes in zone 6 today. By which I mean primarily modern hybrid shrub roses, polyanthas and floribundas, those bred to withstand challenging conditions and cold winters as well as provide easy-care color. Roses often get a bad rap for all the fuss they can take, depending on the variety.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are cultivars that are much easier to grow than others.
As of May 2023: I replaced several Knockout roses listed here that were becoming diseased with different cultivars, Clair Matin and Celestial Night, this spring. Once they establish and start blooming I’ll post an update about how they’re doing.
At the end of the article I provide a summary profile chart.
What I won’t be covering:
Hybrid teas like the Jackson & Perkins and Star series are better suited for florists’ cutting gardens and rose connoisseurs, not the casual home gardener. (Although if you don’t have a deer problem, you might want to try one or two.)
I don’t have room here to go into all the old English roses like gallicas, bourbons and damasks. I will share one photo of a lovely hot pink Gallica I once grew called Charles de Mills. It had very little perfume when fresh, but a very strong classic scent when dried for potpourri.
Grandifloras are basically hybrid teas that rebloom, so I consider them glorified teas. Finally, ramblers are best left to large rural and estate gardens. There are excellent books on all these types if you’re seriously interested in growing them.
Below is the old fashioned rambler Paul’s Himalayan Musk, scrambling through an old pear tree at my former residence. In flower, it’s as if the tree is in full bloom a second time!
Hail the hardy hybrids
What’s left are the newer reblooming cultivars but also shrub roses, modern climbers, and “groundcover” floribundas and polyanthas (also called landscape roses) of which there are plenty to choose from. I focus here on what’s worked for me. Every gardener’s taste is different and there’s plenty to choose from, so please feel free to experiment. This is just a starting point and very subjective!
I’ve been growing roses, or trying to, for at least thirty years. In that time I’ve learned a lot about what works. The two most important: Choose robust cultivars to begin with, and prepare the soil deeply and thoroughly. A good start in life for a rose is really important.
Modern shrub roses don’t need to be babied but they do need basic care. At minimum, prune them once a year in March or April, just before they break dormancy. During the growing season, mulch, fertilize occasionally and if needed, control for pests and disease. A second fertilization after the main flush of flowers and attentive watering will expedite performance. Healthy roses are your best defense against the elements, climate change, and pests.
If deer are present, consider deterrents such as sprays, netting, electronic alarms, a dog or a fence. Be advised that nothing short of a six-foot sturdy barrier or electrified fencing will stop starving deer in winter. Fortunately, mature roses in good condition tolerate moderate deer damage quite well. In my case, a fence is not possible due to our homeowners’ association rules. I make do, sort of, with sprays and netting. It’s young plants that need the most protection over winter.
Among the hardiest cultivars with proven performance in zone 6 are those bred by Dr. Griffith Buck in the 1950’s – 1970’s (30+ cultivars). Two favorites of mine that defy the odds repeatedly are medium pink Carefree Beauty and pale pink Quietness. There are other cultivars bred for exceptional hardiness too, but I haven’t tried them. Buck cultivars are available from mail order houses specializing in roses.
Carefree Beauty (rich medium pink)
- Pros: Robust growth, very few thorns, beautiful bud form, rich clear pink color, orange hips, nice fragrance, hardy, reblooming, free flowering, part-shade tolerant. Very tough. It will bounce back after deer browse. It doesn’t get any better than this.
- Cons: Can be prone to black spot and Japanese beetle attack; petals often fall quickly in hot weather. Growth habit is tall and slim, so the bush can get leggy. Deadheading and a midsummer pruning help.
Quietness (pale pink)
- Pros: Full bushy growth, few thorns, gorgeous buds; full, compact flowers hold their shape well. Excellent black spot resistance, profuse bloomer, hardy, and repeats. Lovely in a vase. Compact bush. Tolerates deer and winter damage well.
- Cons: A Japanese beetle magnet! Flowers fade quickly in very hot weather.
Iceberg (white)
Iceberg is an award-winning German Kordes rose, available as a floribunda or modest climber. One of the most spectacular uses of it I’ve seen was on standards lining the entrance drive to a popular California winery. It was a parade of billowing balls of white the entire length of the drive. Of course, California is not Pennsylvania, and growing roses on standards in this climate is not recommended. But what a show! Luckily Iceberg will grow pretty much all over the termperate parts of the country. I used to grow it quite well, but too much heat and humidity does seem to affect its vigor somewhat. As a result I don’t grow it now. Still a lovely choice though.
- Pros: Pure white blooms on nearly thornless canes, excellent disease resistance, and tolerance for part-shade make it a standout. Buds are elongated and elegant. I’ve had it repeat bloom in semi-shade right up until Thanksgiving some years.
- Cons: Less vigorous than in the past, for me at least. Otherwise no real problems. Worth trying with compost in a sheltered spot.
Don’t Disqualify the Knockouts
Yes, they’re everywhere, including malls and gas station islands coast to coast. And for good reason. They bloom their heads off no matter how difficult their immediate environment. All that color for plant-it-and-forget-it maintenance is a real virtue here in Pennsylvania. I decided that if I was ever to have a chance with roses at all, I would have to plant a few Knockouts just for insurance, if nothing else.
So I did, six of them, and I’m glad I did. Knockouts will never be any rose fancier’s favorite, but they get the job done. Thanks to them I can count on plenty of color from June to September every year. Do consider them for back of the border or anywhere it’s hot as blazes all day. Mulch and feed them, and they’ll reward you with even more rebloom. Very nice with conifers.
Knockout Series (original, double red, double pink, sunny, peachy)
- Pros: Little care, heavy blooming, bushy growth, easy to find. They tolerate heat, drought and brutal winters. No deadheading needed; they repeat well. Good disease resistance all season. “Original” is a deep pink single with bronze new growth, arguably the most attractive of the five. Peachy is a new introduction in the series and also quite fetching.
- Cons: The doubles sacrifice flower form for quantity; the blooms are not very attractive individually. The red is a very saturated color bordering on harsh. Sunny has good initial color but fades quickly; dead petals tend to hang on the bush. None are fragrant. Still, all that mass color for marginal care outweighs these minor drawbacks. You really can’t go wrong.
Groundcover roses
This last group encompasses the floribundas and polyanthas, more commonly known as groundcover or landscape roses because they are often massed in municipal beds. Roughly knee-high (polyantha) to waist-high (floribunda) they bear a profusion of small blooms in dense clusters that carpet the bush all season. These diminutive yet tough cultivars are useful for hiding leggy stems of other plants and bringing soft washes of color to borders and curbsides.
Perhaps the most well-known of this group is a light pink polyantha called The Fairy. Others include the Drift roses, a popular series available in most rose colors now, along with the Flower Carpet series and Meidiland roses. They’re perfect for smaller beds and tight corners as well as massing. Very easy care, no deadheading needed.
I’ve used peach, pink and white groundcover roses in various settings, and all have thrived. I am using pink and apricot Drift roses at the base of my Knockouts at the moment.
- Pros: A great choice for the novice rose gardener and hot exposed conditions; they are very forgiving. You don’t even need to prune them except to remove breakage or dieback. A bit more versatile than Knockouts because of their smaller size and a wider choice of colors, from hot reds to all the pastel shades.
- Cons: Some are prone to mildew, and the blooms tend to die on the bush and turn brown, marring their look close up. No fragrance. Some of the bicolors are garish and artificial looking.
A word about David Austin roses
If you have more than a passing interest in roses, you’ve probably heard of the world-famous English breeder, David Austin. Austin’s roses are arguably the epitome of the English rose in every respect. Their forms are simply exquisite. And who doesn’t love English roses?
As much as I adore them, growing a David Austin rose in hot, humid, freezing Pennsylvania is a major challenge. Not to mention in heavy clay with the deer cheering from the sidelines. I’ve tried many Austin roses over the years, with mostly frustrating results. All of them struggled to establish and some didn’t survive the winter (or the deer). Our climate is simply not Britain’s, period.
BUT…they’re so lovely!
For experienced gardeners
For all of the above reasons, I can’t recommend Austin roses for novice gardeners. With summers becoming more extreme I don’t see them thriving long term in our area, even with the best care.
That said, I’ve had tentative luck so far with five out of six Austin roses here, all purchased bare root. (Munstead Wood, a magnificent dark red, failed.) Other Austins might work too but I have limited sun exposure and can only accommodate a few.
If you wish to try your hand with an Austin rose, check the David Austin (USA) website and pick a cultivar recommended for your situation. If I were you, I’d choose one bred for extra hardiness. Buy a bare root, not a potted, specimen. Select a protected spot, preferably near or on a heat-retaining wall with morning to midafternoon sun. Add compost and mulch well. The Austin website is a wealth of information on care, selection and positioning.
Here are the Austin cultivars that I’ve grown reasonably well over time. You’ll notice they are all yellow or apricot. That’s just my color preference, not a reflection of their hardiness.
David Austin roses
- Wollerton Old Hall A vigorous climber that’s doing great on an east-facing brick wall. The reason is the wall, I’m convinced.
- Abraham Darby; Lady of Shalott These were slow to establish but have now stabilized. They remain delicate. They bloom modestly but nowhere near their potential. Still, they’re lovely. Each flower is a treasure of perfect form and scent. UPDATE— As of 2022, Lady of Shalott was moved to a spot with more sun. Still very fragile. Abraham Darby is slowly improving.
- Teasing Georgia; Golden Celebration Two climbers that seem to do pretty well with basic care. Worth trying if you like yellow. UPDATE — As of 2022, Golden Celebration was put out of its misery; however it did very well for me at my previous residence, where it was on an east-facing stone wall. Teasing Georgia is doing great!
Try pairing roses with conifers, grasses, and complimentary perennials. To feature them prominently, plant at least three of the same in a triangular grouping in full sun (6+ hours). Amend the soil and choose a robust cultivar. The only reason I did not give landscape roses 5 stars is because they take a bit of care to get established.
I hope I’ve persuaded you not to be afraid of roses! Do try a few.
