Roses have a reputation for being high-maintenance plants. From pruning and fertilization to insect and disease control — roses need intensive care to flourish, right? Not necessarily.

Cultivated for 5,000 years, roses continue to evolve. Today's roses have been bred to resist disease, grow in difficult conditions and bloom more often. While still not maintenance free, there are many that are well-suited to the typical landscape and others for clients who enjoy maintaining their landscapes.

Cherry Parfait

But where to begin? One place is the All America Rose Selections (AARS) Region's Choice program. AARS operates a plant trial program via a network of more than 20 test gardens throughout the country that represent all climate zones.

About Face

But AARS' award winners are only one place to evaluate roses that would please landscape clients. Visit local nurseries for their recommendations. Breeder's catalogs also call out roses that are bred to be landscape-friendly.

There's no need to cringe when a client requests a rose garden. Below are some of the many excellent roses available for the landscape today.

Elle

About Faceis a bi-color with a golden-orange on the inside and a distinct darker bronze-red outside. It has superb vigor, lush clean green leaves and great bloom.

Fourth of July

Cherry Parfaitis a grandiflora that grows 5-ft. high and has long-lasting blooms of white flowers edged with red. It is an effective container plant.

Crimson Bouquetis a bright-red rose that produces brilliant clusters of flowers. The plant is well shaped and not as tall as most grandiflora, but has above average resistance to common rose diseases.

Hot Cocoa

Double Knockoutis a series of carefree red and pink landscape roses introduced by The Conrad-Pyle Company. They have twice as many petals as the Knockout rose. They are hardy, drought tolerant upon establishment, and disease resistant. Double Knockout roses do not require deadheading to continue blooming.

Elleis a hybrid tea rose with a strong, spicy citrus-like fragrance. It produces shell-pink flowers with deep yellow undertones.

Marmalade Skies

Fourth of Julywas named for its red and white striped blooms. This climbing rose is well-suited to the landscape. It provides long-lasting blossoms and reblooms readily. Its canes climb 12 to 14 ft. and it flowers in semi-double clusters.

Honey Perfume

Flower Carpetis a series of ground cover roses from Anthony Tesselaar with white, pink or red flowers. Flower Carpet has great disease resistance and pruning can be accomplished by cutting it back by about a third each year. It grows about 2 ft. high and 3 1/2 ft. wide.