You may think that a rose is just a rose, and all roses look like the one you may pick up at the
grocery store florist on Mother’s Day or just before a date, and that all roses grow the same way
that the commonly thought of rose bush grows. While common roses are just that, there are
many kinds of roses other than the iconic red rose with a thorny stem.
Knockout roses
These roses are the easiest roses to care for that you can find. Specifically engineered to
maintain themselves, a Knockout rose is a great selection for an all purpose flowering shrub.
Knockouts are self-cleaning, which means that as blooms die off, you don’t have to trim the
stems of the rose bush for blooms to continue to grow. Knockout roses are closest to what you’d
think of when imagining a gifted single stem rose, and will reliably bloom throughout the season.
Hybrid roses
We also carry a selection of hybrid roses, which come in a variety of colors and fragrances.
Hybrid roses are a little bit more specific in terms of maintenance needs, and as such, may be
better suited to the slightly more experienced rose grower. Fear not though, as the varieties that
we carry are chosen to thrive in northern Illinois’ growing zone, with a little bit of care.
Drift roses
Drift roses are a wonder in the landscape, and behave similar to their namesake. These roses
will wander from where they’re planted, and stay close to the ground as a groundcover plant. A
truly spectacular use case for these roses is when planted near a ledge or boulder wall, they will
spill over the edge, creating a beautiful waterfall effect. If you want to try a groundcover with
more color than the commonly used junipers and evergreen cover, these are an excellent
choice.
In the case of these shrubs, the Shakespeare quote, “what’s in a name? That which we call a
rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,” rings true. The quote is meant to mean that
things are what they are, less by name. In this case, a rose is a rose, but different kinds of roses
are different. If you’re a beginner, try Knockout roses. If you’ve grown roses before and have
something specific in mind, try a hybrid. Different from both, Drift roses have a specific purpose.
As always, if you have any specific questions about growing roses, our expert staff is here to
help.
Whispering Hills Garden and Landscape Center is a full service landscape center and nursery
located in Cary, Illinois. Give us a call or stop in today to see our full selection.
