Garden Container Garden Ideas 14 Container Roses That Are Especially Fragrant and Beautiful From miniature varieties to climbers, these rose varieties will thrive in pots and containers. By Haniya Rae Haniya Rae Haniya Rae is a gardening writer with nearly a decade of experience writing about plants, gardening, and landscape design. She's worked on plant and garden features for Landscape Architecture Magazine, Consumer Reports, and Cottages & Gardens. Editorial Guidelines Published on August 11, 2024 Close Photo: Wieland Teixeira It doesn’t matter if you’re short on space or just love the look and smell of roses everywhere; a potted rose provides blooms and flexibility for any garden or home. Container roses aren’t difficult to maintain if you choose a pot wisely, water adequately, and make sure your growing media allows for adequate drainage. And pick the right rose. Ahead, we spoke with experts about the best variety of roses to grow in containers. Matt Douglas, head rosarian at High Country Roses Richard Stubbs, a senior rose consultant for David Austin Roses Wes Harvell, rosarian for Jackson & Perkins How to Grow and Care for All the Roses in Your Garden Factors to Consider When Growing Roses in Containers There are a few things to keep in mind when growing container roses. Choose the Right Rose Variety You'll need to choose the right types of roses if you'll be growing them in pots. "Roses are a great choice for containers, but you do need to use a little extra caution when you select plants," says Matt Douglas, head rosarian at High Country Roses. "Because the pot is above grade, you lose the insulative properties of being in the soil." If your container roses will be living outside, Douglas suggests choosing a variety that is a USDA zone hardier than the one you live in to prevent the plant from freezing entirely. You'll want to bring the pot inside once cooler temperatures reach your region if your roses aren't hardy (or hardier) to your growing zone. Select a Large Container Richard Stubbs, a senior rose consultant for David Austin, says to choose containers at least 18 inches deep by 18 inches wide—and for climbing roses, the container should be at least 24 inches deep by 24 inches wide. Use a pot with a hole at the bottom and add a drainage layer (like gravel, broken terra cotta pots, or anything porous) before adding topsoil and compost for your rose. Water Frequently "Watering varies by climate, but water at least every other day," says Stubbs. "In hotter areas, every day during the growing season." Wes Harvell, rosarian for Jackson & Perkins, recommends feeling the top inch or so of the soil to see if it’s dry; otherwise, you can leave the pot a little longer before watering. How to Grow the Best Potted Roses, According to Experts 01 of 14 Life’s Little Pleasures Ali Madjfar / Getty IMages Featuring mauve and purple blooms packed with petals, this miniature rose variety grows only a few feet in either direction. It has a moderate fragrance, but it will bloom all season long. Zone: 5 to 9Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day Find Your Growing Zone 02 of 14 Orchid Kisses Getty Images Pink and purple petals swirl around a yellow center, creating amazing contrast to the eye with this pretty mini variety. "Most of the minis get a little bigger, about 2 to 3 feet taller than most people think, and bloom reliably all season," says Douglas. "It’s a great way to add color without overpowering a pot." Orchid Kisses may even climb if given proper support. Zone: 5Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 03 of 14 Smoke Rings Getty Images The name of this variety says it all—starting at the center of the flower are yellow filaments that lead into orange petals. At the very edge of the petals is a darker hue that almost looks like smoke coming from a flame. These roses stay very compact. Zone: 4 to 9Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil, water every day to every other day How to Keep Roses Blooming All Season Long, According to Rosarians 04 of 14 Fragrant Lavender Simplicity Hedge Rose Getty Images Not quite a miniature, but still a compact rose, Fragrant Lavender Simplicity Hedge Rose packs a citrusy smell and displays blooms all season. "Choose a variety that is not too stiff and upright," says Stubbs. "It should be a more rounded shape, such as Olivia Rose Austin, as this will 'fill the pot.'" Stubbs adds that you should only put one rose in each pot as roses are "very greedy feeders and hate too much competition." This rose is fairly disease-resistant, which means it should require minimal care to maintain its beauty. Zone: 5Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 05 of 14 Life of the Party Getty Images A floribunda rose, Life of the Party features yellow petals with pink edges. With its dense foliage, these roses can easily be trimmed into a round topiary shape. The blooms are stuffed with more than 40 petals. Life of the Party can be drought tolerant and is a good choice for those in drier climates. Zone: 6 to 10Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 06 of 14 Mysterious Floribunda Rose Getty Images For those who enjoy a darker-colored rose, the Mysterious blooms in brown and red with cream-colored centers. It’s a fairly disease-resistant variety that stays compact. Zone: 5 to 9Mature size: 3 feet tall x 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 10 Disease-Resistant Plants and Flowers for a Hardier, Healthier Garden 07 of 14 Olivia Rose Austin Getty Images With a medium fragrance, the Olivia Rose Austin (named for David Austin’s granddaughter) looks to have pink cup-like blooms with more than 90 petals each. While the Olivia Rose Austin prefers sunny spots, it will also grow well if it's placed in a shadier area. Zone: 5 to 11Mature size: 4 feet tall x 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 08 of 14 Windermere Courtesy of Gardenia Beautiful white and cream petals create what looks to be scoops of ice cream dotting the plant with a medium-strong citrusy smell. This plant will stay compact, which should make trimming and maintaining its shape much easier. Zones: 5 to 11Mature size: 4 feet tall x 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day How to Prune Roses the Right Way 09 of 14 Munstead Wood Alex Mander / Getty Images This shrub features deep, crimson petals with a strong fragrance reminiscent of a berry medley. With proper care, the Munstead Wood will flower through early winter, providing interest when many other plants have begun to fade. Zone: 5 to 11Mature size: 3 feet tall x 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 10 of 14 PowerPuff Pink Courtesy of Star Roses & Blooms Peony lovers may enjoy the blooms on the PowerPuff Pink rose, as the dense petals look similar to the classic Karl Rosenfield peony. The fragrance is medium to light with this rose, but it’ll bloom all season. Zone: 5Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 11 of 14 Cherry Frost Getty Images Red blooms dot this beautiful climbing variety. It’s bred to be disease-resistant and will continue to bloom through the fall if properly taken care of. Zone: 4 to 8Mature size: 6 to 8 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 11 Fast-Growing Climbing Roses for a Lush, Cottage-Garden Look 12 of 14 Above All Courtesy of Lowes An excellent climber with stems that can reach more than 14 feet, Above All features bright orange blooms with a citrusy scent. It’s hardy to zone 5 through 10, but if you overwinter your pots properly, it can be hardy to zone 4. Zone: 5 to 10Mature size: More than 10 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil, water every day to every other day 13 of 14 Kiss Me Kate Martina Cross / Getty Images With pink blooms that smell like apple and raspberry, the Kiss Me Kate climber makes an excellent choice for a trellis or archway as long as you have a proper pot. It also has great disease resistance to common problems like black spot and powdery mildew. Zone: 5 to 10Mature size: More than 10 feet tall x 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day 14 of 14 Quicksilver Courtesy of Palatine Though Quicksilver doesn’t get quite as tall as some other climbers (it reaches only 7 feet), it's a good choice for those who are planning to move their rose pot inside for the winter. Its blooms are purplish-silver set against dark green foliage. Zone: 5 to 9 Mature size: 6 to 7 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit