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America's most popular flower is also one of the very oldest flowers in cultivation. There are more than 2,000 different rose varieties to lure us with their history and fragrance. This is because the rose, like the orchid, cross-breeds readily -- a trait exploited first by nature, and then by horticulturalists. Today, we can choose from old-fashioned favorites, as well as modern varieties that are the result of intensive breeding programs throughout the world. The rose is a flower with a rich past, and an exciting future.

There are thousands of beautiful roses, far more than any of us will ever have the opportunity to see, much less grow. When choosing a rose for your garden, there are five considerations that should make the selection process easier.

1. Growth Habit

Though roses are usually planted for their flowers, it is important to know what the plant as well as the flowers will look like, in order to determine where it will fit in your garden.

Tea roses and cluster-bloomers (floribundas) usually grow no more than 2 to 3 feet high. Their form is coarse, but they do produce an abundance of flowers throughout the growing season. The hybrid tea has large, single blooms on long, stiff stems, whereas the floribunda has slightly smaller clusters of blooms on stems that are not as stiff.

Miniature roses have tiny flowers, and may be only 10 to 36 inches tall. They are ideal for containers.

Climbers grow from 7 feet to 30 feet in length, and most of them benefit from some type of support.

Tree roses, or standards, are roses that are grafted into a tree-like form with a single stem and a rounded bush or weeping display of flowers on top.

2. Hardiness
Northern gardeners need to know exactly how hardy a rose is. Southern gardeners must also watch to see what zones are recommended for each particular variety, because some roses do not grow well in hot and/or humid weather.

3. Bloom Time
Many roses, especially the old-fashioned varieties, have just one flush of blooms per year. Will you be satisfied with a cloud of heavenly pink blossoms for three weeks in June, or do you need your rose to bloom all summer long? This consideration may narrow your choices very quickly.

4. Disease Resistance
Selecting a disease-resistant rose is the single most effective way to avoid problems and the need for chemicals. You might start by considering some of the old rose varieties, many of which have natural disease resistance. You can also look to many of the modern roses, which are now being bred for improved disease resistance.

5. Stem Length
This may seem like an odd consideration, but it's important if you are growing roses for cutting. The traditional florist rose is a hybrid tea, and it is the only type of rose that flowers on a long, stiff stem. All other roses have shorter, weaker stems, which gives them a more casual -- some believe more beautiful -- presence in a vase.

Dutch Gardens

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