I have grown hybrid tea roses for years but I am tired of the repeated spraying needed to keep them free of black spot and mildew. My friend says there are varieties of roses that are resistant to disease. Do they still give the same satisfaction for cutting and display?
Landscape roses or shrub roses, in my opinion, look better in a yard than other varieties. Although their stems are not as long and their flowers are not as large, they do make an acceptable display as cut flowers.
The first group I became familiar with were the Floral Carpet roses from Australia. I feel they were poorly named since they grow to 3 to 4 feet in height. They have a low petal count, which limits their usefulness in bouquets. However, they’re very resistant to rose diseases and needed little if any spraying.
Two American series have improved upon them. The Knockout, Double Knockout and Easy Elegance varieties are widely available in full-service garden stores this time of year. I have been very happy with the red Easy Elegance variety named Paint the Town. Other varieties have been developed, including shorter varieties referred to as ground covers.
