5 simple roses every gardener should know

Roses are divided into a number of types based on their ancestry, growth habits, flower form, and uses in the landscape. And although some types are easily identified, such as the longstemmed roses known as hybrid teas, modern "landscape" roses are difficult to categorize. Here are five different roses you should know.

Landscape rose is a broad category used to identify roses developed within the last 15 years or so that are disease resistant and usually require only casual pruning.

• Varieties such as 'Simplicity' 'Flower Carpet' and 'Carefree Wonder' are in this category.
• Landscape roses often have little fragrance and their flowers tend to be small, but the plants can be counted on to bloom over a very long season.

English rose describes a large group of roses that combine the fragrance and flower form of old roses with the disease tolerance of modern types.

• These are typically vigorous, bushy plants that bloom heavily in late spring and lightly in summer or fall, provided they are pruned and fertilized between flower flushes.
• When disease problems arise on English roses, such as 'Heritage' prompt removal of the affected leaves can usually preserve the plants' health.

Rugosa roses are a species with tough, quilted leaves that are naturally resistant to insects, disease, and even salt spray.

• Rugosas have been used to breed varieties that tolerate both disease and extreme cold.
• In cold climates, the most dependable roses are rugosa varieties such as the white 'Blanc Double de Coubert' and deep pink 'Hansa'.
• If old flowers are not pruned off, rugosa roses produce colourful hips that are rich in vitamin C, providing food for birds in winter.

Floribunda roses load up with large clusters of flowers in late spring, with sporadic blooming thereafter.

• Fragrant and beautiful, floribundas, such as the white 'Iceberg' and red 'Europeana' are the best roses for planting along a fence, although problems with fungal leaf diseases such as blackspot or powdery mildew often follow prolonged damp spells.

Hybrid tea roses are prone to every rose malady, but gardeners forgive these flaws because of the beauty and fragrance of the flowers.

• Cultivars number in the thousands and include the revered red-flowered 'Mr. Lincoln' and coral red 'Fragrant Cloud'.
• If you cannot resist dabbling in these temperamental beauties, consult a rose society or display garden in your area to learn which varieties grow especially well under local conditions.

Any gardener who has fallen in love with roses will eventually acquire a specialized vocabulary to better understand these intriguing plants, but most gardeners can get by with a few terms. Keep these categories in mind and pick the rose that will thrive in your garden.