Roses That Will Survive in Colder Climates

If you live further north in the United States, or in Canada, it can be a lot harder, but not impossible, to find varieties of roses that will flourish and then return after a cold winter. Overwintering roses is hard to do in any climate, but for cold climate gardeners, it takes an especially hardy type of rose and a little extra care to get the job done. Just in the last couple years, a few more hardy types of roses have been created to give colder climate gardens more choices.

roses

The following are some roses that will survive colder climates and come back even stronger after winter is over.

Henry Kelsey

If you are looking for a variety of rose that is a climber, the Henry Kelsey is a double blooming rose that climbs, but does not get as leggy as vines so think about using it near fences, posts or a trellis. This variety of red rose is from a group known as the Canadian Explorer, and was specifically created for zones 2 and 3 where most other roses could not thrive. Even better, this variety does not require a lot of overwintering care, as long as you take the time to wrap and secure its branches from the cold and wind it will do well.

Simon Fraser

If you have a small garden, or just a small corner of the garden that you want to see a rose in, Simon Fraser is a pink single flowering rose. This variety grows just two to three feet tall, and stays in a tight bushy shape making it easy to pop into a corner without having to prune it back. Add this rose for a light scent and an option that will rebloom after the first roses have faded.

Fairy Pink Cushion Rose

This blush pink rose is an old garden rose that has always grown in colder climates and shown particular hardiness. A lot of newer colder climate roses have been crossed with this variety to bring about different colors and growth traits, but for a traditional rose bush, this is the variety that you want to try. It grows well into zone 3 and while it needs to be wrapped or covered for the winter, it is very reliable in returning year after year and producing new growth with each season.

Helen Hayes Yellow

There are not a lot of yellow rose options when it comes to cold climate hardy rose varieties, so this has become a favorite of gardeners in zone 2 to 4. These roses are perfect for cutting, producing wide four inch, fragrant yellow blooms on long stems. The tea roses will bloom over and over again all summer long and there is never the need to deadhead or cut back the stems to keep them producing. The plant can survive to 15 below zero without having to provide a lot of protection to the bush, but you might want to go ahead and wrap them with burlap to ensure that they will come back in the spring.

Comments

  1. lyndac1968 says

    this is nice to know, since roses are so delicate

  2. Good to know!! I was in debate if I would buy a few bushes this year or not, this helps!! Thank you!
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  3. Great to know, I have not had a lot of luck growing roses so I will have to check these out! (Judy Cowan)

  4. It's so interesting to learn about how flowers grow in different climates! Luckily, we don't have to worry about cold here in Florida!

  5. Thanks for the list of roses! We, well, my dad has my grandmother's rose bush in his back yard and its been there for well over 50yrs. Living here in Victoria, I guess they don't have to be that hearty, but this one survives every winter without any special care!

    Anne Taylor

  6. Thanks for the great tips! I live in Maine, so we definitely have a colder climate up here.

  7. How cool! I have never heard of any of these, I will need to check them out. They sound pretty impressive!

  8. Angela S says

    This past winter was definitely a cold one, so this is great to know for new plantings.

  9. mamatomanyblessings says

    Thank you! I always thought the opposite, I thought they died in the cold weather.
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  10. My mom has 3 beautiful rose bushes in her yard! They are so pretty.

  11. Roses are my favorite flower. The weather is so iffy in PA, that I haven't tried growing them for quite some time.

  12. I love roses. I have never heard of these varieties, but it's great that they last in colder climates.
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  13. Nice varieties! I had Fairy Roses at my old house and they grew so well, and were very pretty too. I have been meaning to plant them again, thanks for the reminder

  14. StacieinAtlanta says

    I love roses so much. I really wish that I had more time to garden and grow things.

  15. adashofsanity says

    YAY! Thanks for this post, I live in CO and the weather is unpredictable. I want roses so this makes me excited.

  16. That's cool to know about. I didn't think about those with colder climates and their roses, being in SoCal… it's not really a concern.

  17. These are beautiful! That'd be nice to be able to "stop and smell the roses" all year round.

  18. Very nice to know since the weather doesn't know what it's doing here!! We could use some nice colorful roses.

  19. I am not the greatest rose gardener but I sure do love them!

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