Rose garden design ideas

When designing your rose garden it's very important to be somewhat familiar with the different types of roses. Although sometimes broken down into different categories, there are generally considered to be four different types of rose bushes.

* Species roses: Species roses are considered natural rose bushes and found growing in the wild throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Species roses are an incredibly large group of plants with many various types. These types of roses are usually considered to be the most hardy and resistant to disease but there is wide range of variability and not all of them will be as hardy as others. Bloom colors for species rose bushes usually range between white to crimson and produce flowers with five petals. Species roses may not ideal in every circumstance but they are often used in rose gardens because they are easy to maintain.
* Old roses: Old roses are mostly made up five classes of bushes called Gallica, Alba, Centifolia, Mosses, and Damask. These are considered the most temperamental of those roses that are cultivated and were popular in Europe before the 18th century. Ideal for rose gardening in cold areas, old roses will grow in USDA hardiness zones three through five and produce very fragrant blooms. Old roses also include repeat bloom, hardy old roses that offer winter-hardiness, disease resistance, and beautiful blooms. They won't bloom as much, if at all, in the summer but, when combined with other types of roses, make an excellent addition to any rose garden. Portlands, Hybrid Perpetuals, and Bourbons are the different types of these.
* Modern roses: The modern age of rose gardening is considered to have occurred when Jean-Baptiste Guillot produced a new class of rose in 1867. The rose was called La France and it created a class of roses called hybrid tea. The most popular modern rose classes are miniatures, grandiflora, floribunda, and the original hybrid tea.
* Shrub roses: Shrub roses are a widely encompassing category that includes everything from hybrids developed in 1800s through the 1900s. The category name is somewhat of a misnomer as all roses are considered shrubs, but shrub roses are considered to be those roses that are noted for their winter survivability as well as their disease resistance and well-rounded shape. They flower very freely and produce and abundant supply of fragrant blooms throughout the summer. Although often seen in rose gardens, shrub roses are also often used in mixed setting such as hedges or borders.

Rose bushes produce a wide range of bloom colors and this should also be taken into consideration when designing your rose garden. Cool and warm colored flowers should be grouped together but that doesn't necessarily mean that roses of the same type need to stay together. Whatever the case, rose bushes need to be in an area where the eye will perceive them as fitting into the other surrounding features. Hedges, as do borders, provide an excellent way to incorporate roses into the design of your landscape and create symmetry as well.

Roses also work well when accented with other plants or foliage. Plants that produce tiny flowers will complement rose bushes well as will flowering that produces similarly colored blooms. Using the height of your rose bushes and surrounding flowers can also be used to create unity and draw the entire garden together at a central focal point. Container gardening will also work well for rose bushes but they will need large pots that should clearly be part of the overall landscape design.