Hybrid Tea Roses
Hybrid Tea Roses are not usually known as “easy care roses” – many people think of them at the opposite end of the spectrum – fussy and high maintenance. Thankfully, for all of us who love them, in recent years more varieties have been developed with increased disease resistance and better winter hardiness.
'Love and Peace' Hybrid Tea Rose
These beauties are the classic type of rose – a single, exquisite flower on each long stem – excellent for cutting and putting on display. I’m not going to lie to you – they do need more attention than say a “knock out” rose or hardy shrub rose.
Hybrid Tea Roses are not reliably winter hardy in my area (Zone 5 – Chicago suburbs) so they require winter protection. Also, they need good cultural practices to keep them healthy. That being said, they are so worth the effort! Don’t be afraid to plant them in your garden. The pluses so outweigh the minuses with these gorgeous members of the rose family.
Here are some recommended hardier than average Hybrid Tea Roses (all have been selected by the AARS All-America Rose Selections for their high marks in disease resistance, flower production, color, and fragrance):
Elle – Shell Pink
Strong fragrance combined with high centered classic rose buds. Soft but non-fading color contrasts nicely with the dark shiny foliage. Above-average disease tolerance to mildews and black spot. More compact, fits well in small gardens or even large containers. AARS winner 2006.
Love and Peace – Golden yellow edged with pink
Gorgeous offspring of the legendary “Peace” rose. Love & Peace will mesmerize garden enthusiasts with its fruity scent and looks. The high center, spiral formed blooms of Love & Peace open to reveal five-inch, breath-taking large flowers of golden yellow edged with pink. This classic upright, disease-resistant, hybrid tea grows to 4-5 feet by 3 feet. AARS winner 2002.
Midas Touch – Bright yellow
Brilliant, golden yellow blooms that remain unfading right up to petal drop and seem to be showier because they are always borne on top of the plant. Vigorous, free branching, with shiny dark green foliage that really sets off the flowers. Striking color, disease resistance, and a hardiness that most roses this color don’t enjoy. AARS winner 1994.
'Opening Night' Hybrid Tea Rose
Opening Night – Bright red
You’ll love the brilliant color Opening Night hybrid tea rose will add to your yard and garden all summer long. The flower color is a clear fire engine red that glows in the sun. You’re going to love cutting the huge roses for enjoying in vases in your home. Red hybrid tea roses are a classic joy and so magnetic. Opening Night is heat tolerant with a mild fruity fragrance. AARS winner 1998.
Tahitian Sunset – Peachy apricot pink with strong yellow base
Tahitian Sunset offers a little slice of paradise to your garden. This brightly-hued hybrid tea features splendid blossoms starting from high-centered orange-yellow buds that open fully to a peachy apricot-pink with yellow highlights. The vigorous plant produces 14-16 inch stems with large blooms up to five inches in diameter. With its complex color, delightful licorice fragrance, and semi-glossy foliage, this perfectly formed rose makes a strong focal point. AARS winner 2006.
Whisper – Creamy white
One of the most stunning white roses introduced in the past decade. Whisper enchants the viewer with classically formed flowers of creamy white with dark green, semi-glossy leaves. Very resistant to disease this sophisticated rose is almost never out of bloom and produces long-lasting flowers. Slight musk fragrance. AARS winner 2003.
Cutting Roses For Indoor Enjoyment
Helpful Hints For Cut Roses:
* For the flowers to last the longest, it’s best to cut them in the morning. The buds should be just beginning to open at the tips.
* Cut the rose stem just above a five-leaflet leaf (“five”) near the center of the stem, leaving at least two “fives” on the plant.
* Immediately immerse the cut stems in warm water mixed with floral preservative.
* You can place the vase of flowers in the refrigerator for 4 hours to harden them (trick of florists – for longer lasting cut flowers)
* Take roses out of refrigerator and put on display. Enjoy!
Best Roses For Containers
Don’t think you have room to grow roses? Think again…small space gardeners can definitely have roses too! Simply grow them in containers on your patio or deck. It’s a great option for those who garden on balconies, folks living in condos or townhomes, or other limited space situations. Growing roses in containers is also easier for people with limited mobility and senior citizens.
Even if you have a large yard with plenty of room, containers of roses make lovely patio plants and bring the garden (and fragrance) closer to the house. They add color and beauty to any sunny spot. Almost any rose can be raised as a container plant, but I suggest to choose smaller shrub roses or better yet miniature roses for the best results.
Here are some of my favorite miniature roses for container planting: (they look great planted separately or mixed with other flowers AND don’t you just love the names of the minis!)
* Cupcake (light pink mini rose)
* Daddy’s Little Girl (raspberry pink & cream)
* Gingerbread Man (apricot-amber blooms)
* Gizmo (orangey scarlet)
* Happy Chappy (apricot, orange, pink combo) Photo above
* Ruby Ruby (you guessed it – ruby red! ; )
* Teeny Bopper (scarlet and white)
* Winsome (lavender-purple-magenta)
Notes: I recommend that you put wheeled pot trolleys under your containers – so much easier to move them around. Make sure the pots you use have good drainage because roses don’t like wet feet.
