The selection of roses you can grow in your home
garden is enormous. With so many to choose from,
finding just the right ones may seem more like work
than play. To make this process easier, here are a
few important factors to help you narrow down your
field of choices.

Color

How will the color of your roses affect your garden?
For color ideas, look at rose catalogs, at nurseries,
and at your neighbors' gardens.

You should consider the colors of nearby plants and
flowers that will be sharing the garden. Will the
assortment of colors look good together, or will they
clash? For some gardeners, color is a priority; for
others, it's no big deal.

Climate

Choosing the right roses for your particular climate
zone is essential. In order for roses to grow healthy
and bloom generously, they must be able to adjust
to your climate.

If your climate is too hot or too cold, or has the
wrong amount of humidity, it could weaken your
roses and make them vulnerable to pests and
diseases.

Size

The size of the roses you choose is also very
important. Consider the height of the rose at full
growth. If the rose grows 15 feet tall, will it look
unattractive in your garden? Remember, roses vary
in size. While some roses may grow up to 8 feet,
others can grow as high as 20 feet.

Measure the area of your garden prior to choosing
your roses. Compare your width and height
measurements with roses you'd like to purchase.
Your roses will need plenty of space to grow as well
as room for exposure to the air.

If you have only a small amount of space to dedicate
to roses, you may want to grow miniature roses.
These roses do not take up much space and they
are easy to plant and care for.

Maintenance

How much time will you be able to spend maintaining
your roses? Are you one of those people who lives
to be in the garden, or are you more of a low-
maintenance gardener?

There are several types of roses which are very
high-maintenance. Although they'll be dazzling in
your garden, they'll require a lot of your time. The
classification known as "Modern Roses" are very
stunning, long blooming, and highly fragrant;
however, they are very high maintenance and are
prone to disease.

The rose classification known as "Old Garden
Roses", on the other hand, have been bred to be
very disease-resistant and require less
maintenance. "Old Garden Roses" bloom for several
months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful
scent. The bad news is that people with strong
allergies to fragrances will have a terrible time
around them. If that could be a problem for you,
then consider any of the variety known as "shrub
roses". They are also disease-resistant and long
blooming, but produce a mild scent.

If you're new to gardening and want to try your
hand at growing roses, landscape roses may be
your best option. These roses are easy to care for
and disease-resistant. They'll look gorgeous just
about anywhere. If your garden has trellises, you
can add several climbing roses as well. Although
climbing roses look very similar to landscape roses,
climbing roses have been trained to grow upward
like vines. They add a beautiful touch to any home.

Whatever variety you choose, roses will be a
wonderful addition to your home.