Top 10 Most Popular Roses

Written by Natalie Anstey

Thinking of creating your very own rose garden? Well you’ve come to the right place! Here is Flora Sense’s top 10 most popular rose types along with their uses and what you can expect! Create a romantic English garden full of heavenly fragrance to enjoy for years to come! 

01. OLD ROSES

The original rose of the rose world. The term Old Rose is used for more historical roses that could be found before the 1860s and remain popular to this day. Hailing from all over the world, these beautifully scented roses tend to only flower once. They flower on the previous year’s growth so very little pruning is required.

Popular Old Rose Varieties: “Rosa Mundi”, “Rosa Gallica Officinalis” and “Mme Hardy”.

02. SHRUB ROSES

Not an official type of rose strictly speaking but still worth a mention. These are roses bred after the 1860s. They are easy to care for and made up of a mixture of once flowering and repeat-flowering roses so make sure to check this before you choose your rose variety. The perfect addition to any flowerbed or garden, they are robust, healthy and look amazing!

Popular Shrub Rose Varieties: “Bonica” and “Ballerina”

03. HYBRID TEA ROSES

A favorite of the 20th Century. Single flowers grown on upright stems that can be cut and used in flower arranging/bouquets and are unbelievably versatile. They repeat-flower but their only downfall is that they very often have little to no scent but if fragrance isn’t an issue hybrid teas are a beautifully upright and formal looking rose.

Popular Hybrid Tea Rose Varieties: “Mister Lincoln” and “Just Joey”

04. ENGLISH ROSES

These are a favorite for rose growers new and experienced. English roses are a cross between the repeat flowering Hybrid Tea roses and the highly scented and delicate Old Roses. These  bring the best of both worlds in one healthy package. These roses are very healthy, robust and highly fragrant, bringing the charm of English country gardens to your doorstep!

Popular English Rose Varieties:  “Olivia Rose Austin”, “Eustacia Vye”, “Desdemona” and “Lady of Shalott”

05. WILD ROSES/RUGOSA ROSES

Native to Japan and Korea and practically indestructible, this is an excellent rose producing highly fragrant flowers. They grow flushes throughout the summer and gloriously large, edible rosehips in the winter. The perfect rose to create a boundary for a more informal/wild part of your garden.  

Popular Wild Rose Varieties: “Rosa Rugosa” and “Roseraie de la Haye”

06. CLIMBING & RAMBLING ROSES

What is the difference between a climbing and a rambling rose? I hear you cry! Well you are in the right place. Climbing roses produce larger, more traditional blooms and in flushes over the summer. They are used for more formal spaces such as a wall or archway and grow to a maximum of 20ft. Rambling roses are used to scramble and cover structures and are more informal looking. They produce clusters of small flowers and due to their incredibly large size only tend to produce one set of flowers a year however some of the newer varieties that have been hybridized do repeat-flower.

Popular Climbing Rose Varieties: “Gertrude Jekyll”, “Claire Austin”, and “Bathsheba” and the popular thornless rose “Zephirine Drouhin”
Popular Rambling Rose Varieties: “Malvern Hills” and “Lady of the Lake”

07. POLYANTHA ROSES

The most abundant of roses, with many flowers on a single stem creating a rich and vibrant shrub for the garden. Compact and easy to care for, they do not require pruning as with many other varieties. These have a long flowering period with gorgeous and delicate blooms which can be left to form rosehips in the winter. 

Popular Polyantha Rose Varieties: “The Fairy” or “Marjorie Fair”

08. FLORIBUNDA ROSES

Floribunda roses are very similar to hybrid tea roses in that they are upright growing and have strong stems. They are different in that they have multiple vibrantly colored flowers on a single stem rather than the single flower of a hybrid tea, making them fantastic for flower arrangements and bringing a taste of the outdoors, indoors! 

Popular Floribunda Rose Varieties: “Iceberg”, “America’s Choice” or “Sexy Rexy”

09. GROUND COVER ROSES

Ground cover roses are the perfect rose to put at the front of a border or to scramble down slopes, as they are often wider than they are tall. They form a wide mass or mount of lightly scented blooms that come in all shapes and sizes. A very hardy rose, they are able to withstand cooler temperatures and add a splash of color in areas of your garden that are on the tricky side to fill. 

Popular Ground Cover Rose Varieties: “Rushing Stream” and “Flower Carpet” (which is available in many different colors)

10. CHINA ROSES

Also known as the Bengal rose, this exquisite rose hails from South West China and were first introduced in 1792. China roses are very often used to create hedges and barriers and can be quite sparse in foliage but are popular for adding splashes of red and crimson to the garden. China roses can be tender to make sure to plant them in a warm and sunny spot.

Popular China Rose Varieties: “Gruss an Teplitz”, “Old Blush”, and “Mutabilis”

Download the Flora App for more tips and tricks on how to take care of your Roses!