We had over a 100 roses at one time (I’ve recently had to reduce that number to about 5) and tried to document their appearance and hardiness in the humid Southeast.  Most were old garden roses as they seemed better suited to our regime of benign neglect, although we added some English roses for variety.  For several years, we tried to grow Hybrid Teas, but after no luck and a lot of money, we gave up on the fussy Hybrid Teas and just grow old roses (more or less).  Note: a lot of growers in our area are perfectly able to grow beautiful Hybrid Teas, although they all use horse manure to condition the soil every fall/spring and spray regularly.  (Okay, you got me–I confess, I simply do not like Hybrid Teas.)

Neglect does work.  In 2001, our shrub rose, Dortmund won Best-of-Show Shrub rose at the New Bern Rose show, and our Victorian-era rose, Mme. Alfred Carriere, won Best-of-Show Victorian rose.  Many of the older roses got blue ribbons in 2001 and 2002.  So you can garden organically.  The birds really appreciate it, too.  Cardinals and Mockingbirds are eating the rose hips (or heps, if you prefer).  One pair of Bobwhite Quail are nesting at the base of our old Bourbon rose, Louise Odier.  And we have over 24 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

For those who grow roses and live in the South (zones 7-8 or deeper into the south), you may profit from our experiences.  Especially if your soil is basically gray, acidic clay.  

Own-Root Roses:  These are roses which are growing on their own roots, rather than the grafted roses you typically see at the hardware and grocery stores.  Own-root roses have a lot of advantages.  You don’t get suckers (which are actually the root-stock trying to grow on its own). And, the plants are hardier if they are grown on their own roots.  I have found they are also less prone to disease or to be carrying a disease such as rose virus.

Number 1 Recommendation:   Buy “own-root” roses.  There are a lot of varieties which will do well, including Gallicas, Bourbons, Portlands, Noisettes, Teas, Hybrid Musks or Chinas.  Floribundas and Hybrid Teas can be found, but they will require a spraying and feeding regime. 

Number 1 Rose for Beginners:  Souvenir de la Malmaison.  This rose is absolutely beautiful and very easy to grow.  It has large white to pale pink flowers and a rich scent.  If you can’t find it, my second choice  is Old Blush.  Both of these roses bloom very well and handle the climate in the South easily.  You will not have to do any pruning, except for dead wood, and very little spraying.  I only sprayed with baking soda and horticultural oil, and I fed them sporadically.  They bloomed all summer, continuously, well into November. 

Chinas:  The two roses classes that seem made for the South are the China and Tea roses.  Chinas are rather small, dainty roses and almost never need any spraying or pruning.  They are all repeat flowering, and they are never without blooms from April through December.  One lovely feature is that their blooms tend to get richer in color as they age, unlike most roses which fade.  In the South, they can grow to be quite large, especially Old Blush and Mutabilis.  Ducher is a superb white China that will bloom continuously until forcibly stopped by freezing weather.