Traditional Roses vs. Groundcover Roses
Traditional roses usually include Hybrid Tea roses, Floribunda Roses, Grandiflora roses, and Climbing roses. These types of roses are often fragrant and can be cut for flower arrangements. Hybrid Teas and Grandifloras are traditionally the best for long stem roses, while Floribundas often flower in bunches, which means no long stems, but one stem can be a whole bouquet of flowers. Traditional roses require regular pruning for optimum flowering. These roses generally are available as bareroot plants or in containers. The bareroot season usually begins in the middle of December and ends around the first part of February. During the bareroot season many new varieties become available for the first time. As mentioned, these roses are also available in containers, with the widest container availability in mid Spring to early Summer.
Groundcover roses are a relatively new breed of rose, having been hybridized to give great color in the garden while requiring minimal maintenance. Two of the most popular types of groundcover roses are the Flower Carpet® Roses and the Drift® Roses. These types of roses come in various colors and are fairly disease resistant and hardy.The Flower Carpet® roses generally grow to about 3 feet tall while the Drift® Roses are about 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet tall. Both require minimal pruning and are not generally used as cutflowers. These roses are available year round in containers.
