Do you suppose she wants roses that look somewhat like florist roses? If so, I would suggest Paloma Blanca and Prairie Harvest. These are proven no-spray roses for the Midwest and elsewhere. They won't be at the garden center. Go to HelpMeFind.com for information, pictures, and vendors.

There are other easy-care roses with smaller or simpler flowers.

By gray roses, I assume you mean those that are lavender/mauve in color. Since she's interested only in plants that are highly disease resistant, your daughter should avoid all roses in that color range. For reasons that are kind of complicated (and not very interesting) the foliage of lavender roses is usually highly susceptible to black spot.

Obviously, any of the Knock Out roses are easy care, but they won't look like "florist's roses," as Michael pointed out. In addition to red and pink, they come in white and a yellow (sorta--fades quickly to whiter look).

The most disease-resistant hybrid tea I know is Elina--wonderfully lovely, well-shaped rose that is ivory white with pale yellow highlights. I liked mine so well that I went out and bought two more.

Another hybrid tea which is disease-resistant to some degree is Valencia--kinda buff/golden shade with a touch of apricot at times. It doesn't rebloom as fast as some others, but it has the BIGGEST and most long-lasting blooms I know of. Valencia is also very fragrant. (I think Elina is--but can't quite remember.)

I'm not sure you can get either one at a local garden center. For some reason, garden centers specialize in the disease-magnet roses. I got my Elina and Valencia online at Roses Unlimited (you have to order 3 minimum) and at Pickering Nursery.

Good luck,

Kate

Hello,
For easier to care for roses you may want to take a look at a few from the Easy Elegance collection:
Yellow/Centennial
Yellow/High Voltage
Yellow Submarine Rose
Yellow Brick Road
White/Snowdrift
or White/Macey's Pride
All listed as zone 4-9 & 5-9
There is a new Yellow Knock Out rose/Sunny, said to be easy to care for.
Lioness

She likes the florist-type roses. My rosa rugosas hold no appeal to her and I've also heard too, dublinbay, about yellow Knock-outs fading almost to white in the sun. I never knew about "gray" roses until she told me she liked them. Maybe because I never thought of them as "gray" roses since they look like mauve. Don't need b.s. magnets. I'll pass on all your suggestions to her. We can always go in together on an order if she only wants to start out with one or two.

In a z5, rugosas will thrive. I have them here, but it's a little too hot for them.
I do not know any gray rose (?) and I do not like yellow roses, so I can't help you there, BUT there are some beautiful white rugosas, that are 100% carefree, hardy, healthy and produce gorgeous hips in winter (what could one ask more?).

Alba (7 feet or more)
White roadrunner (4 feet)
White pavement (4 feet)
henry hudson (4-5 feet)
balnc double de coubert (4 feet, very slow grower)

{{gwi:269275}}

By "gray" roses, my daughter really means ones that are a pale mauve or lavender color. I have Rosa rugosa 'Alba', but she doesn't like the look of that type of rose. It's possible, she'd like one of the hybrids like Blanc Double de Coubert...maybe. She's a girl with very definite likes and dislikes. What I find beautiful doesn't necessarily appeal to her. Love the photo!

What jaxondel said about the problems with mauve roses is true. Maybe the best bet is 'Distant Drums', but I wouldn't call it an easy rose.

I agree with jaxondel and michaelg--in my garden, mauve/lavender roses tend to be the fussiest, least vigorous plants.

Maybe hold off on that color until her gardening skills develop a little?

When she says "gray" roses, she means those pale mauves in the Sterling Silver family.
I wouldn't think any of those'd be hardy in Z5??
Yellows are gonna be sorta tough too, I'm afraid. (And MANY yellows fade.)

I suspect Michael has made good suggestions with Paloma Blanca and Prairie Harvest.

You may have to tell her that dedicated breeders are STILL working overtime to try to create what she wants.

Jeri

You also mentioned fragrant. Silver Shadows is the rose she wants. It is a Buck rose with an intense fragrance. Blue Skies is another mauve Buck. Prairie Breeze is technically mauve but it looks more red/pink.

Florence Delattre is a mauve Generosa rose. Marths Stewart recommends Generosa roses. They are hardy to zone 5.

Martine Guillot is a white Generosa.

Madame Paule Massad is a yellow apricot Generosa.

Several people have raved about a hardy disease resistant white hybrid tea called Pope John Paul II.

Graham Thomas is a classic Austin yellow.

Jude the Obscure is a wonderful Austin yellow that smells like grapefruit.

If she can stand apricot, try Evelyn. Big, beautiful fragrant blooms.

Bolero (Romantica) is a beautiful, fragrant white floribunda.

There is a rugosa with hybrid tea blooms called Conrad Ferdinand Meyer. Unfortunately it is pink.

Here is a link that might be useful: Silver Shadows