Compiled
by Michael Stewart
1630
Prospect Terrace ·
Peekskill, NY 10566
When it comes to growing roses, the natural environment of
my Hudson Valley home is both a blessing and a curse. The front yard’s southern
exposure floods the lawn with sunlight that most roses would normally thrive in.
Unfortunately, it is also frequented by deer, whose appetite for roses force me
to grow my plants in the safety of the back yard.
Its fenced border of arbor vita is an effective
barrier against unwelcome visitors, and provides an evergreen background for
colorful blooms. But the trees’ long shadows create a lot of shade. The yard’s
limited number of sunlit patches have already been filled to the limit with a
combination of floribundas, grandifloras, shrubs and minis; but like many rose
lovers, I can’t seem to get enough! There are always one or two (or 19) more
plants I’d like to introduce – but where?
As I pondered my dilemma during last fall’s pre-order
season, I took notice of the occasional mention of “shade-tolerant” roses in
various catalogs, and thought this might be the answer to my own ceaseless
appetite for more rose blooms. So I made a winter project of researching the
plants that the growers promote as needing less than six hours of sunlight per
day. That’s not to say they can grow in the dark; they still need sunshine to
thrive and bloom, but not as much as most other roses.
It turns out that the list I accumulated from various
catalogs, garden guides, and databases was longer than expected. It includes
235 roses among 23 classifications. In the interest of helping other gardeners
confronted with dappled or partial shade, I’ve listed the roses here by
classification. A data table describing the characteristics of about 50 of
these roses follows at the bottom of the page.
The following list of shade
tolerant roses is listed by classification (in alphabetical order), followed by
the rose’s commerical name.
Alba (6): Celeste, Felicite Parmentier, Maxima, Mme Plantier,
Morning Blush, Suaveolens
Bourbon (11): Barbara Worl, Bourbon Queen, Champion of the World,
Charles Lawson, Hermosa, Honorine de Brabant, Louise Odier, Mme Isaac Pereire,
Sophie’s Perpetual, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Souvenir de St. Anne’s
Centifolia (6): Alain Blanchard, Bullata, Duc de Fitzjames, Duchesse
d’Angouleme, Fantin-Latour, York and Lancaster
China (11): Cardinal de Richelieu, Comtesse de Lacepede, Duchese de
Montebello, Green Rose, Hermosa, Irene Watts, Louis XIV, Mateo’s Silk
Butterflies, Mme Laurette Messimy, Old Blush, Sophie’s Perpetual
Climber (11): Altissimo, Blaze, Coral Dawn, Floire de Dijon, Fourth of
July, Fred Loads Mermaid, Kiftsgate, Mlle Cecile Brunner, New Dawn, Sombreuil,
Zephirine Drouhin
Damask (5): Celsiana, La Ville de Bruxelles, Madame Hardy, President
Dutailly, Rose d’Hivers
English Rose (11): Abraham Darby, Ambridge, Charles Rennie Mackintosh,
Chianti, English Garden, Glamis Castle, Golden Celbration, Heritage Sharifa,
Swan, The Alexander Rose, The Prince
Floribunda (16): Amber Queen, Angel Face, Betty Boop, Betty Prior,
Blueberry Hill, Dolly, Gruss an Aachen, Ivory Fashion, Joseph’s Coat, Flower
Carpet, Fred Loads, Livin’ Easy, Marmalade Skies, Playboy, Playgirl, Sweet
Vivian
Gallica Rose (86): Apothecary’s Rose, Rosa Mundi, Tuscany, Jenny Duval,
William Grant, Complilcata, Adele Prevost, Empress Josephine, Agathe Incarnata,
Alexandre Laquement, Ambroise Pare, Antonia d’Ormois, Assemblage des Beautes,
Beau Narcisse, Belle des Jardins, Belle
Doria, Belle Herminie, Belle Isis, Belle sans Flatterie, Bossuet, Boule
de Nanteuil, Bouquet de Venus, Camaieux, Camaieux Reversion, Charles de Mills,
Comte Boula de Nanteuil, Cosimo Ridolfi, Cramoisi Picotee, Crimson Gallica,
D’Aguesseau, Desiree Parmentier, Double Brique, Duc de Fitzjames, Duc de
Guiche, Duchesse d’Angouleme, Duchesse de Buccleugh, Dumortier, Elegant
Gallica, Ester, Fanny Elssler, Fornarina, Gloire de Grance, Gros Provins
Panache, Henri Fouquier, Hippolyte, Ipsilante, James Mason, Juliette, La Belle
Sultane, La Maculee, La Plus Belle des Ponctuees, L’Enchantresse, Mazeppa
Mecene, Mercedes, Nanette, Narcisse de Salvandy, Neron, Nestor, Nouveau Vulcain, Nouvelle Pivoine, Oeillet
Double, Oeillet Flamand, Oellet Parfait, Ohl, Ombree Parfaite, Ancienne,
Orpheline de Julliet, Perle des Panachees, Perle von Weissenstein, Pompom,
President de Seze, Purple Climber, Rose des Maures, Rose du Maitre d’Ecole,
Pluton, Royal Marbree, Ruth, Scarlet Fire, Supasse Tout, Tricolore, Tricolore
de Flandre, Triomphe de Flore, Turenne, Superb Tuscan, Veluntinaeflora, Zoe
Hybrid Musk (21): Ballerina, Buff Beauty, Cornelia, Danae, Darlow’s
Enigma, Erfurt, Eva, Felicia, Francesca, Francis E. Lester, Kathleen, Lavender
Lassie, Moonlight, Mozart, Nymphenburg, Pax, Pink Prosperity, Prosperity,
Ravel, Robin Hood, Sally Holmes, Thisbe Vanity
Hybrid Perpetual (2): Rerine des Violette, Souvenir du Dr. Jamain
Hybrid Rugosa (2): Blanc Double de Coubert, Therese Bugnet
Hybrid Tea (2): Kordes’ Perfecta, Reveil Dijonnais (also a modern
climber)
Miniature (1): Green Ice
Moss (2): Alfred de Dalmas, Shailer’s White Moss
Noisette (6): Blush Noisette, Juane Desprez, Madame Alfred Carriere,
Marechal Niel, Narrow Water, Natchitoches Noisette
Other Old Garden / Antique (2): Eugene de Beauharnais, Reine des Violettes
Polyantha (4): The Fairy, Marjoire Fair, Pinkie, Seven Sisters
Portland (1): Rose de Rescht
Rambler (1): Alberic Barbier
Rugosa (1): Japanese Rose
Shrub (10): Abbotswood, Banshee, Basye’s Purple Rose, Carefree
Beauty, Carefree Delight, Carefree Wonder, Flutterbye, Dortmund, Fritz Nobis,
Knockout
Species (12): Alika, Anemone, Arthur Hillier, Eglantine, Headleyensis,
Mme de Sancy de Parabere, Pumila, Red-leaved Rose, Red Wing, Rosa Mundi,
Ramona, William III
Tea (1): Duchesse de Brabant
Here’s a
table with specific information on about 50 of the preceding roses.
|
Class
& Name |
Color |
Hardiness |
Dimensions |
Fragrance |
Blooms |
Albas
|
|
|
|
|
|
Felicite Parmentier
|
Soft pink |
|
4 feet high |
Powder sweet |
|
Maxima
|
Blush pink |
Durable |
|
|
Double blooms for 6 weeks, orange hips |
|
Mme Plantier |
White |
|
6 feet tall, 6 feet wide |
|
Large clusters of small pompons |
Bourbon
|
|
|
|
|
Often single blooming |
|
Mme Isaac Pereire |
Deep pink |
Zones 5-10 |
6-8 feet high, 5 feet wide |
Exceptional |
Old fashioned, double, large cupped, nodding, cabbage
rose |
Bourbon Queen
|
Pink |
|
Shrub or climber to 12 feet |
|
Repeat bloomer |
Centifola
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fantin-Latour |
Pink |
Zone 4 |
|
Fragrant |
Large clusters of double flowers; blooms
midsummer |
Climber
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Altissimo |
Red with yellow stamins |
|
12 feet high |
Light clove |
Single |
|
Blaza |
Red punch |
|
12 feet high |
|
Fast growing, disease resistant, blooms all
summer |
|
Kiftsgate |
White |
|
20 feet |
Delicious |
Blooms for a few weeks per season |
|
Mlle Cecile Brunner |
Light pink |
Zones 6-9 |
10-20 feet high |
N/A |
Small, pointed buds |
|
New Dawn (a.k.a., Dr.
W. Van Fleet) |
Light pink |
Zones 5-9 |
15-20 feet high |
Fragrant |
3 inch semi-double blooms appear late spring to
early summer |
|
Zephirine Drouhin |
Pink |
Zones 5-9 |
15 feet high |
Sweet |
Semi-double, repeat bloomer, nearly thornless |
English Rose
(Shrub)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Abraham Darby |
Orange pink |
Zones 4-9 |
4-6 feet high |
Very |
Cupped, rosette, repeat bloomer |
|
English Garden |
Apricot yellow |
Zones 4/5-10 |
3 to 4 feet high, bushy |
Light |
3 inch double, repeat bloomer |
|
Golden Celebration |
Golden yellow |
Zones 4/5-10 |
4-6 feet high, 4 feet wide |
Exceptional |
Double cupped, blooms continuously |
|
Heritage |
Soft pink |
Zones 4/5-10 |
4-5 feet high, 4 feet wide |
Strong |
Double, quartered, cupped, repeat bloomer |
|
The Prince |
Deep royal purpole |
Zones 4/5-10 |
2-3 feet high, 2-3 feet wide |
Heady |
Cupped, rosette, repeat bloomer |
Floribunda |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amber Queen |
Gold |
Zones 6-10 |
4-5 feet high |
Strong |
Double, cupped, AARS winner |
|
Angel Face |
Deep lavender |
Zones 5-10 |
3 feet high, 3 feet wide |
Exceptional |
Semi-double, blooms continuously |
|
Betty Boop |
Red blend |
Zones 6-10 |
3 to 4 feet high, 4-5 feet wide |
Slight to very fragrant |
Semi-double, blooms repeatedly |
|
Betty Prior |
Pink |
Hardy |
6 feet tall, 6 feet wide |
Light |
Blooms resemble dogwood blossoms, blooms almost
continuously |
|
Blueberry Hill |
Mauve |
Zones 6-10 |
3-4 feet high |
Very |
Semi-double, blooms repeatedly |
|
Gruss an Aachen |
Salmon-pink |
Zones 5-9 |
2 feet tall, 3 feet wide |
Fragrant |
3 inch double, long blooming period |
|
Ivory Fashion |
White |
Zones 6-10 |
1-2 feet high |
Very |
Double, blooms repeatedly |
|
Marmalade Skies |
Organge |
Zones 4-9 |
3 feet tall, 3 feet round |
Fragrant |
3 inch double, long blooming period; AARS winner |
|
Playboy |
Orange red blend |
Zones 5-9 |
4-5 feet high, 3-4 feet wide |
Slight |
Single petaled blooms, repeat bloomer |
|
Playgirl |
Fruit punch |
Zones 59 |
2.5 feet tall |
Slight |
Semi-double, blooms repeatedly |
|
Sweet Vivian |
Red |
Zones 4-9 |
3 feet high, 3 feet wide |
Tea |
Semi-double, blooms repeatedly |
Hybrid Musk (Shrub) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ballerina |
Pink |
Zones 4-10 |
3 feet high |
N/A |
Large clusters, dense flushes |
|
Buff Beauty |
Apricot |
Zones 4/5-10 |
5 feet high, 5 feet wide |
Tea |
Very double; blooms continuously |
|
Cornelia |
Apricot/pink |
Zones 5/6-10 |
5 feet high, arching trusses |
Very |
Double, blooms continuously |
|
Kathleen |
White |
|
6 feet tall, arching |
Light |
Single, reminiscent of apple blossoms |
|
Prosperity |
White, touch of pink |
|
5 feet tall and wider |
Sweet |
Small, pointed buds |
|
Sally Holmes |
White |
Zones 6-10 |
6-12 feet high, 6-12 feet wide |
Slight |
Single, semi-double, blooms repeatedly |
Hybrid Perpetual |
|
|
|
|
Most bloom twice |
|
Rose de Rescht (Damask, Portland) |
Deep pink |
Zones 4-9 |
3-4 feet high |
Very |
Double, blooms repeatedly |
|
Souvenir du Dr. Jamain |
Dark red |
Zones 4-10 |
4-10 feet |
Very |
Semi-double, cupped |
Hybrid Tea
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kordes’ Perfecta |
Pink and cream |
|
“Tall” |
Intense |
Huge blooms, can be fully double |
Miniatures |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green Ice |
White |
Zones 5-10 |
1-2 feet high |
Very |
Double, blooms repeatedly |
Noisette
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blush Noisette |
Light pink |
Zones 6-10 |
4-10 feet high |
Very |
Semi-double, double, informal |
Old Garden / Antique |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eugene de Beauharnais |
Crimson |
|
3 feet tall |
Very |
Blooms into fall |
Polyantha |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Fairy |
Light pink |
|
3 feet tall |
None |
Blooms into fall |
Rambler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alberic Barbier |
|
|
|
|
Blooms once |
Shrub |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carefree Beauty |
Pink |
Zones 4-9 |
4-6 feet high |
Very |
Blooms repeatedly |
|
Carefree Delight |
Pink |
Zones 4-10 |
3-4 feet high |
Slight |
Blooms repeatedly |
|
Carefree Wonder |
Pink blend |
Zones 4-9 |
3-4 feet high |
Slight |
Blooms repeatedly |
|
Flutterbye |
Coral |
Zones 4-9 |
6-8 feet high, 10 feet wide |
Intoxicating |
Blooms repeatedly |
|
Knock Out |
Red |
Zones 4-9 |
3 feet high, 3 feet wide |
Tea |
Semi-double, blooms repeatedly |