Frontenac. Almost too many rugosas to mention.

People will try to sell you on Knock Out, but if you are really 5b, they won't hold out for more than a couple of years.

I will second that.

Foghorn

Most types of shrub roses will give you what you're looking for. There are tons of them to choose from. A few might be Bonica, which is a lovely pink and I've seen many times along fence lines or Carefree Wonder, another pink, and if you see Knock Outs and like them there's one that's even better called Home Run, bright red flowers all season long. Go to your local nursery and talk with them. But don't just settle for Knock Outs (which they'll probably try to push). Shop around because there are a lot better ones out there.

I like to see the Fairy in a cottage style border along a picket fence.

Thank you everyone for your input!! This is so helpful. I can't make up my mine what to plant there. So year after year I just do nothing. I am determined that this year I am pick a type Rose bush to plant and planting them!!! Can I plant them in the spring?? Or do I need to wait for fall?

mad_gallica - I am trying to find out about the Frontenac and when I scearch for it in online rose cataloges I get nothing. Is any rose bush that is called a "Rosa" also know as a Frontenac? Sorry I am just so new at gardening :( Also Knock Outs sre what was mentioned at our local nursery last year when I talked to them in the fall. If Knock out are hardy in 5 why would they only last a few years?

seil - I love the look of the Bonica Rose!! You say not to settle for a Knock out. What is the big difference between....say the Knock out, Bonica and Fairy? Just the way the roses Look?

cecily - Thank you for sugesting the Fairy.....I LOVE IT!!! I am thinking this is the line of rose bushes I saw in front of the white picket fence where I used to drive to work every day.

Kim

There's nothing wrong with Knock Outs it's just that it's getting to the point where you can't get anything else because they've been pushed so much. They've been hyped as the silver bullet rose that is disease free and perfect for every yard. But they aren't either of those two things. Landscapers love them though because they're easy and usually cheap so they use them everywhere. But they're not the prettiest of roses, rather shapeless blooms in a ho hum red. People who love roses are getting pretty sick of them. There are so many other roses that perform just as well but are MUCH prettier but no one has pushed them like the KOs.

The difference between Bonica and The Fairy is that Bonica is classed as a shrub rose and The Fairy is called a polyantha rose. They have different growth habits. Bonica will grow more upright and have larger sized blooms in small clusters. The Fairy tends to drape it's canes more and the blooms are in large clusters of smaller flowers. They're both fairly disease resistant and are lovely roses. I don't know what zone you are in but they are both supposed to be hardy to zone 4. It just depends on which you prefer.

Do you know about the rose data base where you can look up all these roses and see pictures of them called Help Me Find? Go to: www(dot)helpmefind(dot)com(slash)roses. You can do a search for the ones named here but you can also do an advanced search with your list of requirements and it will give you a list of roses to choose from. And on each rose page there is a tab for where the rose can be purchased on line. If you can't find a rose locally you may have to order it.

You must plant in the spring! Other roses to consider include Austin roses, Kordes Fairy Tale roses, Generosa roses(Guillot), Buck roses (particularly Earthsong and Quietness) and Delbard roses. Order roses from places like Roses Unlimited rosesunlimitedownroot(dot)com.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cinderella Fairy Tale

Most garden centers know almost nothing about roses. They know what the distributors tell them. Knock Out is *NOT* reliably hardy in an eastern zone 5. I know a lot of houses that used to have Knock Outs planted, and now have something else. Bonica is a bit hardier, but not a lot. It also gets blackspot disease.

A lot of the modern shrubs start having problems between about -10 and -15, which is the same as the zone description for 5b.

The Fairy is a good choice. You may even be able to find it locally.

Frontenac is a Canadian Explorer rose from AgCanada. Mine came from Pickering. AgCanada doesn't release roses if they aren't hardy to zone 3. And they bother to actually grow the roses in zone 3 to find out.

I am going to assume your garden centers are like the ones around here. Most of the roses they get in are not suited for the climate. The few they do get that will thrive here disappear almost immediately unless they are significantly overpriced. The way around this is mail order. The best source for hardy roses is Pickering in Ontario. They ship bareroots, which should be planted in a couple of weeks.

No one has mentioned any "rugosa" roses. The older ones that have been around for years. Beautiful blooms with fantastic scent. Great foliage that stays clean. Then for the winter, a bush with red hips to give it a special look.

The rose 'Pink Pet' is disease-free in my garden without spraying, blooms practically continuously and is extremely winter-hardy (a maximum of 4 or 5 inches cane dieback for my four plants over the past 10 Winters). If more people had accurate information about this rose, it would likely replace The Fairy and compete with the Knockouts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pink Pet Photos

Bishop's Castle is a beautiful Austin rose with outstanding fragrance. It repeats well. Austins are hardy for me, make beautiful shrubs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bishop's Castle

seil - thank you for spelling out the difference between the Bonica and the Fairy. I really like both of them. These roses are going between a picket fence and a walk way ( about 4-5 feet between the two) so I am wondering if The Fairy will stay compact enough for that space. I suppose with pruning it can? Thank you for telling me about the Data Base!! I am going to take a Look at that. It just seems there are so many to choose from....overwhelming!!

predfern - thank you for the list of suggestions. I will check them out.

mad_gallica - Thanks!! I found the Frontenac at Pickering. And, yes you are correct in your assumption about the knowledge at the garden center around here!!....this is why I still have no rose bush and I am now search online!!

ken-n.ga.mts - thanks for the suggestion!! I am think it may be a little to tall.

mike_rivers - I like the Pink Pet. It's blooms look kinda like carnations to me. But it is so pretty. Does anyone know if it is Hardy in Zone 5b? Everything that I can find says it only hardy to 6.