Master Gardener Ann Bartlett gives us a lesson on how to manage low-maintenance roses in your garden.
For decades, rose hybridizers were unconcerned with disease resistance. They assumed that everyone growing roses followed a spray program. Then along came the Knock Out Rose. This shrub rose was developed by amateur rose hybridizer William Radler and marketed by Star Roses and Plants. The incredible popularity of this bulletproof rose opened hybridizers’ eyes to the commercial potential of low-maintenance roses.
Many gardeners want to grow roses but view them as too much work. Let’s be clear, "low maintenance" does not mean "no maintenance." In the case of roses, it means that the gardener does not have to adhere to arcane pesticide application schedules or master aggressive renewal pruning techniques to have attractive, blooming shrubs throughout the growing season.
Star Roses and Plants went on to develop another low maintenance rose, the Drift rose. These are compact, low-maintenance landscape plants. They are a cross between miniature and ground-cover roses. Unlike miniature roses, ground-cover roses are not a separate class, but they do share the characteristic of a low spreading, some would say sprawling, growth habit.
Cluster blooming Drift Roses are a compact three to four feet tall and wide. Coming in a wide array of colors, they bloom from spring until frost. Like the Knock Out family, they are self-cleaning, producing flowers on new growth every five to six weeks without deadheading. I do think they look tidier with the spent clusters removed. I wait until the whole cluster has faded to clip it at the base, taking care not to inadvertently cut off new growth in the process.
Drift Roses are certainly a good choice for containers. Like other roses, they need at least six to eight hours of sun daily. When planting, avoid sites with poor drainage. Dig the planting hole to the same depth as the root ball and twice the width. Amend the soil with organic matter.
I also add expanded shale soil amendment (available at garden centers) to ensure adequate drainage. Water your new roses at planting time and irrigate if rainfall is less than one inch weekly. Wait to fertilize your newly planted Drift Rose until after the first bloom cycle.
In mid-March, prune and fertilize to established plants. Star recommends pruning them by two thirds because of their vigorous growth throughout the season. They need only one application of a balanced fertilizer. At the same time, I like to apply a pre-emergent herbicide and renew the organic mulch to a three-inch depth.
The American Rose Society sponsors regional rose trials throughout the contiguous 48 states. In 2025, the only rose considered a winner in all six regions was Blushing Drift. These roses are readily available at big box retailers in a wide array of colors. I impulsively purchased two Apricot Drift roses nine years ago and have never had a moment of buyer’s remorse!