Back in the day, hybrid tea roses were quite demanding, needing a lot of TLC to produce stunning flowers. Fortunately, times have changed, and breeders have been hard at work developing roses that are both visually appealing and effortless to cultivate and preserve.
Modern rose varieties require minimal maintenance compared to their predecessors. Nowadays, you can enjoy fragrant and abundant roses without the need for regular spraying. The roses featured in this article only require simple upkeep such as mulching, watering, and occasional fertilization to maintain their beauty. Discover 24 of the easiest roses to grow, including resilient Canadian explorer roses, fragrant rugosa roses, and the low-maintenance Knock Out® family of roses. Additionally, we showcase the hardy and disease-resistant Parkland series roses and old antique roses known for their exquisite beauty and fragrance. In the 1960s, Agriculture Canada initiated a breeding program to develop roses that can survive severe Canadian winters, while also boasting continuous blooms and excellent disease resistance. Today, you can find some exceptional varieties from this program that are worth adding to your garden.
Meet the robust Canadian rose known as Jens Munk. This shrub rose boasts a sturdy build and prickly thorns, while still displaying many of its original rugged features such as its crumpled leaves and frilly pink blooms. During the summer season, it produces a profusion of sweet-smelling pink flowers before yielding a striking harvest of red rose hips in autumn. Its resilience allows it to thrive in cold climates up to zone 2.
Lambert Closse is one of those underrated rose varieties that deserves more recognition. With its medium-sized shrub and delicate pink blossoms, it resembles the classic antique roses. The abundant petals of this rose are fragrant and eye-catching, making it a remarkable addition to any garden. Despite being prone to blackspot, the Lambert Closse blooms continuously through the summer and well into fall. This rose variety is part of the Explorer series and is known for its exceptional hardiness.
Alexander MacKenzie is quite an impressive spectacle to behold. This sturdy shrub rose bears bunches of deep red blooms, reminiscent of those found on a hybrid tea rose. However, the similarities end there. The plant’s shiny leaves are highly immune to blackspot and powdery mildew, while also thriving in freezing temperatures that would typically render a regular hybrid tea rose virtually lifeless.
Let’s take a closer look at the beautiful Henry Hudson rose. This particular semi-dwarf shrub rose grows into a neat and tidy little mound, and is known for its stunning pure white blooms with delicate pink touches, resembling the beauty of apple blossoms. Not only are they visually stunning, but they also emit a lovely fragrance. Even better, this rose is built to last, thriving in zone 2 and enduring even harsh winter conditions with minimal damage.
The rose, William Baffin, is known for its exceptional resilience and delightful fragrance. It has proven to be the toughest of all roses, capable of withstanding temperatures as low as -40 C or F. This climber can grow up to 9 feet tall and boasts an abundance of thorny canes that resist common plant diseases such as blackspot and powdery mildew. The canes can be as thick as your arm, and they produce lovely bright pink, semi-double flowers with a yellow center and a touch of white, adding joyous color to any garden during the summer. Another fantastic line of roses to consider is the Knock Out® family.
are similar to Knock Out roses in terms of their low-maintenance and disease-resistant properties, but they are smaller in size and produce clusters of small flowers instead of large blooms. They come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and apricot.
Overall, if you want to add some beauty to your garden without the hassle of high maintenance, the Knock Out and Drift roses are definitely worth considering.
Coral Drift roses create a stunning display when planted on a well-manicured groundcover. If you prefer smaller roses, then groundcover roses may be right up your alley. The Drift Roses, specifically, are small and sprawling, making them perfect for covering ground with little pruning required. They also have an exceptional resistance to diseases and can tolerate drought, and they come in a variety of colors such as coral, red, and peach. For instance, Peach Drift has lovely flowers that come in a range of pastel colors – from pink to white to peach. Meanwhile, Rose Drift features small rose-colored petals with a pale pink eye, while Sweet Drift forms clusters of pretty pink blooms with many petals. White Drift boasts brilliant white flowers, and Popcorn Drift resembles buttered popcorn. All these charming roses bloom throughout the summer, staying petite and covering two feet of ground with a lovely spread of color.
On the other hand, the Parkland Series Roses, or Morden Roses, were bred in Manitoba to endure extreme cold tolerance and hot, humid summers. While they are not as hardy as the Canadian Explorers, these roses are still low-maintenance and easy to care for. Consider planting some of these robust roses in your garden for a beautiful, fuss-free outdoor space.
The Morden Blush rose is a stunning plant that features delicate white blooms with a subtle pink hue. This variety is an everblooming shrub that is particularly resistant to common rose ailments such as powdery mildew and blackspot, and it also holds up well in hot weather. The Morden Blush grows into a neat and tidy shrub that reaches a maximum height of around three feet. It is the most abundant bloomer of all the Parkland shrub roses and produces blossoms from late spring until the first frost. Interestingly, the color of the blooms varies depending on the temperature. In cool weather, they are a light pink shade, while in warmer temperatures, they take on a creamy white hue. Despite the heat, the plant continues to produce new flowers from June through to early October, when it finally finishes its display with bright orange-red hips.
There’s just something about roses that I can’t help but adore, especially ones like Morden Sunrise. The blend of clear yellows and oranges in its semidouble blossoms with ruffled petals is simply delightful. Not only is this little shrub rose beautiful to look at, it is also known for being disease-resistant and hardy, boasting glossy, deep green leaves. When Morden Sunrise is in full bloom, it puts on a colorful show ranging from bright yellow to yellow-orange, then transitioning to apricot and pink. And the best part? This stunning display starts early in the spring.
Meet Cuthbert Grant, a charming and sturdy shrub that boasts clusters of soft, dark red roses with a delightful fragrance. This remarkable rose variety starts blooming in June and continues to showcase its red blooms until September. Not only is Cuthbert resistant to powdery mildew and blackspot, but it’s also hardy enough to thrive in zone 2. Whether you have a small garden, want to add some front-row beauty to your borders, or are looking for a lovely addition to your large container, Cuthbert Grant is an excellent pick. Plus, its cut flowers are simply gorgeous! If you’re after beauty and fragrance, this antique rose won’t disappoint.
The Ballerina rose is a lovely hybrid musk rose that boasts abundant clusters of pink flowers with golden stamens and a white center. Its blooms are so plentiful that they almost seem to completely obscure the foliage underneath them. This stunning shrub rose blooms from June to October and can grow up to six feet tall and wide. It’s important to give the Ballerina rose plenty of space to spread out and show off its graceful beauty. Additionally, this rose can tolerate semi-shaded areas, making it a versatile addition to any garden.
The Carefree Beauty rose variety is a versatile and resilient shrub that can adapt to different climate conditions. This particular rose can grow up to five feet tall and wide, displaying beautiful dark pink flowers that emit a lovely fragrance. Additionally, its glossy leaves are resistant to diseases, making it a low-maintenance option for any garden. What’s more, the golden stamens that peek out from the blooms add a unique touch of elegance. As the blooming season comes to an end in fall, the Carefree Beauty rose develops beautiful orange hips, adding a pop of color to your garden.
The New Dawn climbing rose is a stunning sight to behold during the late spring season. This rose variety is known for its exceptional performance as a repeating climber, producing magnificent blooms from the beginning of summer until autumn. Its growth rate is impressive, and without proper maintenance, it could quickly take over your house, easily reaching 18-20 feet in height. Nevertheless, this rose is a force to be reckoned with, boasting gorgeous shell pink flowers that eventually fade to white, and emit a pleasant fragrance. The blossoms grow in abundant clusters, creating an awe-inspiring view. Moreover, the rose’s glossy foliage is naturally resistant to diseases, and it grows tremendously big. It is important to note that the plant’s thorns are quite significant. However, if you have sufficient space, the New Dawn climbing rose is a clear winner and will undoubtedly bring life to any garden.
The pleasant fragrance of the Rosa Mundi rose is not limited to its foliage alone. The striped flowers of this rose variety are the real attraction. This particular species of rose, Rosa gallica versicolor, predates 1583 and originated from a mutation of the Apothecary rose, Rosa gallica officinalis. The Apothecary rose typically bears dark red or purplish blooms, but one plant gave rise to a branch that produced a unique bloom with a dark red stripe on a white base. Cuttings from this branch were propagated, leading to the development of the beautiful Rosa Mundi rose.
Rosa Mundi roses are small shrubs that grow up to three feet tall and wide. They produce fragrant, striped blossoms and leaves, but unfortunately only bloom once a year during late spring and early summer. However, when they do bloom, their semi-double, striped flowers are pure eye candy and emit a heavenly scent. It is recommended to prune the Rosa Mundi after flowering has ended, as with most once-blooming roses.
The scent of antique roses, such as the Comte de Chambord, is absolutely divine. These roses are also known for their resilience against diseases, making them a great choice for any garden. The Comte de Chambord, specifically, is a Hybrid Perpetual or Portland rose that can grow up to four feet tall. Its large, damask pink blossoms emit a strong and delightful fragrance that will have you wanting to inhale deeply. This rose typically blooms in the spring or summer, producing a beautiful flush of blossoms, with scattered blooms later in the year. It thrives best in cooler weather, adding to its charm as an old-fashioned antique rose.
The Graham Thomas roses possess a unique charm that blends modern disease resistance with antique rose elegance. These David Austin roses are a result of breeding between vintage and contemporary roses, resulting in hybrid roses that combine the best features of both. The Graham Thomas rose variety is a stunning English climbing rose that blooms with flowers boasting an alluring yellowish-orange hue and abundant petals. Although I had some trouble growing it in my Missouri rose garden due to its less hardiness, it could thrive better in England than in the Midwest. Nonetheless, the enthralling beauty and sweet fragrance of the blooms make it a worthwhile addition to any garden.
Growing on garden arches or over fences, these roses are a sight to behold. The Lady Banks’ Rose (Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’) is a sprawling climber that has been gracing the gardens of China for centuries. Depending on the variety you choose, this rose produces an abundance of fragrant yellow or white blooms. In Tombstone, Arizona, a white Lady Banks’ rose has been growing on a lattice since 1887 and measures an impressive 8,000 to 9,000 feet wide. Originally from Scotland, the plant was a homesick immigrant’s effort to bring her favorite rosebush to her new home. Nearly thornless, salt-tolerant, and capable of growing up to 20 feet tall (or even taller!), this rose is a great choice for any garden. With 24 simple-to-grow varieties available, creating a low-maintenance garden full of beautiful and fragrant blooms has never been easier. Whether you’re a fan of hardy Canadian selections, fragrant English roses, or other strong options, there’s sure to be a rose perfect for your garden somewhere in this wild world. Happy gardening!
