12 Types of Roses to Plant in Your Garden

Is there any flower more classic, and more beloved, than a rose? Ree Drummond started growing her own roses after marrying Ladd, and for her, they symbolize both wildness and refinement—which is why she has included the flower in so many of her Pioneer Woman dish patterns. “I love how they can grow in neat bushes and behave themselves, or they can crawl up a trellis and take off in different directions. And they’re tough!” she says.

Because roses have been cultivated for so long (the first rose gardens appeared in China about 5,000 years ago), there are now hundreds of types of roses. In general, you’ll find three groups: old garden roses (aka heirloom or antique roses), which have a strong fragrance and bloom once per season; wild roses, which are almost always pink; and modern hybrid roses, which are sturdy and bloom continuously but often have a lighter fragrance.

No matter what type of roses you choose to plant in your garden, there are some basic things you should know to get your garden growing. First, find the right spot. Roses like lots of sun—at least six hours a day—and well-drained fertile soil. Go easy with watering (daily for new plants and weekly watering after that), and use a bloom-boosting fertilizer just once a month. Many roses suffer from fungal infections like black spot and powdery mildew, so it's worth it to apply a fungicidal spray in the spring to prevent problems all summer. And insects love roses almost as much as people do, so check your roses often: Hose off any aphids with a strong stream of water, and handpick beetles off the plants.

Now, you're ready! Gather up your gardening tools, slip on some gardening gloves, and get to planting these gorgeous, popular rose varieties.