Roses are very tough plants and hard to kill. But you have to have good stock to start. Skimping on bargain roses can save you money, but often leads to countless hours of caring and pampering to get them going. It is a much more prudent thing to purchase your roses from proven reputable breeders.

The one thing I get from most of my students is how afraid they are to try and grow roses. They are overwhelmed by all the information they see and intimidated by most professional rosarians. So imagine how surprised they are to find out how very easy it is to grow these wonderful plants.


One of my neighbors called me last week, in tears, because she had “killed” her third bush. After I had calmed her down, I asked her where she had purchased her roses. Well, it turns out she had bought 5 from a local garage sale. I went over and took a look at the remaining 2, which were sick, undersized and suffering with rose mosaic. Once she understood she had “bad” stock to begin with, she was able to learn from this mistake.


Roses are very tough plants and hard to kill. But you have to have good stock to start. Skimping on bargain roses can save you money, but often leads to countless hours of caring and pampering to get them going. It is a much more prudent thing to purchase your roses from proven reputable breeders. Some of the best in the business are Star Roses, Heirloom Roses, David Austin, Peter Beale, Harkness and Jackson and Perkins. Buying from these companies can save you hours of frustration. They all offer either bare root or grown on rootstock plants, have clear planting and care instructions and excellent return policies. Plus, you can often get support by phone for any rose care questions you might have.


Does this mean you should never buy “bargain” roses? No. I often shop K-Mart, Target or Wal Mart for container roses. I use them as fill ins and have found a few old standards I can’t locate elsewhere. You just have to make sure they are healthy before buying. How? First, check the soil. If it’s hard and feels like concrete: pass on it. Check the bottom of the pot for protruding roots. The leaves should be healthy, glossy and green. If you see mottling or spotting on the leaves leave it. If the leaves are pale or yellowing, you can rectify this with fresh soil and iron. Check the undersides of the leaves for orange egg- like sacs or other insects. If the plant looks like it is healthy, with strong canes and full leafage, purchase it.


Simply put: roses are a plant species. They have the same basic requirements all plants have: sunlight, water and nutrients. All you need to decide is what you want out of growing roses. Some of us dream of being championship exhibitors and others, like me, just simply want to wander our gardens, lost in their fragrantly intoxicating beauty.