Are there any roses that are easy to maintain?
By far the easiest roses to maintain are the species roses, particularly those which are native to British Columbia. They are hardy, vigorous and fragrant and require very little in the way of maintenance. There are several growing in the ditch in front of my house and I can't claim to do anything to maintain them but, year after year, they flower beautifully.
Shrub roses, in general, grow well in our climate. Rugosa roses are probably the hardiest of the bunch, but all shrub roses are drought-tolerant, disease resistant and undemanding. Though not as spectacular as the better known hybrid teas or floribundas, they make up for it by being well-scented and producing lots of rosehips, which are useful for making teas rich in vitamin C.
The so-called Old Garden roses (rose varieties in existence prior to 1867) are good choices and those with a species name of “alba” or “gallica” grow well in this province. They are fragrant and produce attractive flowers that range in colour from white to pink and last for about a month out of every year.
David Austin roses are designed to mimic the look and smell of Old Garden roses without sacrificing the wide-ranging colors and long-standing blooms of the modern hybrid teas. They can be quite vigorous and disease resistant, but that depends largely on which variety you choose. Researching these roses before you head out the garden centre definitely pays off. Recommended varieties include the pink-flowering 'Gertrude Jekyll', the apricot-flowering 'Abraham Darby' and the red-flowering 'L.D. Braithwaite'.
The main problem with growing roses is that gardener's have been seduced by the charms of hybrid teas and floribundas. They are by far the most popular types of roses – and have been for longer than I've been alive - in large part because their flowers come in a spectacular array of colors that tend to bloom for longer than any other rose type. They are, however, notably weak on scent. They are also high maintenance and not necessarily the best choices for anyone who is either new to growing roses or who doesn't have time to devote to their proper care. That care includes watering, fertilizing, pruning and spraying to keep them looking their sharpest. If they're left to fend for themselves, they often end up looking quite nasty, their beautiful blooms notwithstanding.
If you have any questions or comments, please send them to me at vanessa@gardenmuse.ca.
