Marishka, I'm in Ocala, but I've seen many references to growing roses in southwest Florida. The Mabel Ringling Rose Garden in Sarasota is a test garden of the American Rose Society of new varieties. Growing the right modern cultivars on Fortuniana or Old Garden Roses of the China class as well as a few other classes on their own roots is not only possible but lots of rose growers do it successfully. I'm sure lots of our Florida regulars will be posting here to tell you their experiences.

Come on down! The more the merrier.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Deep South District of the ARS

Marishka,

Go to the Florida Garden Web list and do a search. There is a lot of information there.

My garden is still too young to give you much advice.

Here is a link that might be useful: FloraBuds

Roses do great in Florida. As stated above by Sherry you need to get them on Fortuniana rootstock. There are a few OGRs that do well on their own rootstock-- the best is Louis Phillipe, in my opinion.

Rose bushes here get very big, very fast. They grow all year, excepting when they are pruned, and for Central Florida pruning time is now.

Chili thrips have been a terrible pest here. You will need to get an insecticide with Spinosad to treat them.

Like Tom said the do great in Florida, Im from South Florida(Hialeah) and Ive had them for about 3 years, and fortuniana is a must, about OGRs I have no idea all of my roses are Hybrid Teas on fort. and chili thrips are a problem also, black spot too but not too much if you spray :)

One thing has confused me. You are supposed to grow roses on fortuniana rootstock in Florida. But people say that grafted roses eventually become own root. Won't they die as soon as they become own root?

If you didn't bury the bud union then the rose wouldn't go own root.

And you don't usually bury the graft union on roses budded on Fortuniana.