When many people think of gardening, their thoughts turn first to roses, and there is no wonder. Roses are among the most popular, and certainly most beautiful, types of flowers there are. In addition, roses are a huge part of both the gardening hobby and the professional flower business. There are even rose and flowers shows were master gardeners proudly show off their lovely creations to an awestruck crowd.



Whether your ultimate goal is to take the big prize at the next rose show or just enjoy a few roses in your garden, it is important to get a feel for the many varieties of roses on the market. Roses are among the most varied flowers on the market; they come in virtually every color of the rainbow and in blooms ranging in size from a fraction of an inch to almost a foot in width. This article focuses on a few of the most commonly seen rose varieties.

impinellifolia Roses

Pimpinellifolia roses are renowned for their hardiness, and their attractive foliage and lovely blooms make them a great choice for the beginning rose enthusiast or the experienced gardener. These roses come in pink, red, yellow and white blossoms, and they grow on attractive and very compact bushes.

Boursault Roses

Boursault roses are of the climbing variety, and they are said to be the result of a cross between an early variety of China rose and the R. Pendulina rose. This cross is thought to have occurred during the reign of Napoleon, who was a well known rose enthusiast. The blossoms of this rose are somewhat large, and they grow in either small or large clusters depending on the variety. The blooms come in various shades of pink and red. Many varieties can reblossom later in the season.

Sempervirens Roses

The Sempevirens is similar to the Boursault, in that it is also a climbing rose. The Sempervirens originated in the Mediterranean region of the world, and it has large leaves accented by small white flowers which grow in large clusters. This variety of rose was studied extensively by rose enthusiasts as far back as 1820, and it continues to be one of the most popular varieties of climbing rose on the market today. This variety of rose is seen in various shades of pink and white.

Setigera Roses

The Setigera variety of rose, known to the scientific community as R. setigera, has a reputation for being a hardy and tough plant. That hardiness may be due to the fact that R. setigera comes from the prairie region of the United States, a difficult environment to say the least. The setigera rose has been used in breeding programs to create many very hardy varieties of climbing roses, most notably the crosses with the Noisettes and Gallicas varieties.

Wichuraiana Roses

The Wichuraiana rose, also known as R. wichuraiana, is a frequently seen wide spreading cluster rose. It is used both as a climbing rose and as an attractive ground cover.