No, you should plant what ever appeals to you!

But I want to ask if you are in CA.
Because Knockout is said to have some real mildew problems here. That's why it has not the popularity here that it has in other parts of the country.

If you are elsewhere, Forget I asked.

Jeri

Oh dear. Yes, Jeri. I am in San Diego, the coast. About a mile from the beach. I do have mildew in my garden. This year it is no where near as bad as last year. I have had 4 of the knockouts for about a month waiting to be planted. They do have a touch of mildew, but I thought once they were planted it would go away. I am planting them in a south exposure, full sun and hot. I just don't know how far apart (or close together) I should plant them to get the full hedge look.

If Knockouts aren't good in your climate, how about Nearly Wild roses. The picture below was made a few days ago and the buds are just opening. The plant will be covered with blooms in a few days.

{{gwi:270953}}

So...hate to bump this up, but do you think 20 inches apart (on center) is too close for a hedge? If I plant them this close, I think I need to buy one or two more plants. I've never planted a rose hedge before.

nearlywild, those are BEAUTIFUL! They look like they would make a nice hedge too, and the color is right for the color of my house! If these knockouts turn out to be duds, I'll be back to ask for more info!

Are you asking this question in the Roses forum, too? While most of us grow all kinds of roses who participate in this Antique Rose forum, it may be that the folks in the Roses forum would have more experience and advice with Knockouts.

If you are interested in older roses, there are many polys and chinas that would make wonderful, colorful, carefree hedges in your climate. Things like Pink Pet, Marie Pavie, any of the little red Chinas, Hermosa, or Ducher are very nice choices for hedges.

We have Nearly Wild in the Sacramento Cemetery, but it's not nearly as healthy as specimens that I've seen in Ohio. It gets some powdery mildew and just doesn't look great. I wonder if this rose needs a colder climate - our long growing season may not be the best thing for it.
Anita

Nearly Wild does well out here on the coast. It could be it either needs less hot weather, or a different soil, or both than what you have in Sacramento. I didn't try it in Fresno, so I have no experience there, unfortunately.

But, I was thinking along your lines, a polyantha or something would be a better choice than knockout, which is not so clean in California as it is elsewhere. A hedge of something like Echo would be beautiful!

--Ron

Thanks y'all! No, I didn't ask in the regular rose forum because I generally don't read there. When I was new a few years back, I asked a question there, and my "tender" feelings got hurt. :) Then I found this forum and mostly lurk and try to soak up the vast amount of information that is always available by the friendliest, knowledgeable, and most willing to share people of all the forums I read on Garden Web.

I only grow OGR's and Austins. The only hybrid tea I have is Dainty Bess (and I consider her "old"). My gardening buddy talked me into these knockouts as a replacement for a ratty hedge of fortnight lilies that I have wanted to get rid of for years. I just thought maybe there was a formula for planting spacing to make a continuous hedge without making the roses too crowded or too far apart. Somebody had posted a picture here awhile back of a hedge lining his driveway, but I think it was Carefree Wonder instead of Knockouts and the effect was beautiful. I'd like to achieve the same look.

It amy be that these Knockouts will not do well in my climate and I will have to replace them with something else. But I have already purchsed them and I can't take them back, so I will figure it out. Thanks!

Have you planted them yet? Mine grow about (at least) 6-feet wide. We keep them pruned to about 6 x 6.

twotzus, you might want to check out Lady Elsie May, a shrub rose. I have quite a few growing along the west side of my house. They are virtually maintenance free. Lovely tight pinkish coral buds that open to a very pretty bloom.
{{gwi:272565}}
{{gwi:272566}}

My Knockout planted two years ago from a two gallon start was well over five feet tall and four feet wide this spring. It takes a hard pruning very well, but it wants to get big.

In fact, I was driving through a nearby neighborhood and saw a Knockout well over six feet tall and about three or four feet wide. And TOTALLY covered with blooms. Very striking.

I don't care for the KO as much as my OGR, but KO is an easy and carefree flowering shrub.

Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Soul

Do NOT plant them any closer than 4 feet apart. Knockouts get huge in mild climates. They do, however, take hard pruning very well in the spring.

And.....although my favorite roses are OGR, Knockouts have their place too. They give wonderful non-stop color and are great for tough areas. I wouldn't want 53 of them again, but I did break down and plant 3 under my husband's office window because he likes them. It also happens to be an area that I didn't want to "waste" an antique rose on, because it is shaded all morning (something I found roses dislike here), and has full west sun all afternoon. The Knockouts stay disease free in that situation and bloom well.

Many people say they hate Knockout because of the bright color. You know, there are some OGR with just as vibrant a color as Knockouts. Take Vincent Godsif, for instance. (And he is just as thorny).

Sandy

If a plant is 4x4 plant them 4 feet apart... 3x3 three feet apart etc...

Beware of plants that are wider than taller (i.e. my Eureka is about 4x6) so I had to actually move the roses that were near it...

Carefree Wonder makes an awesome hedge...

Thank you all for your great advice! We haven't planted them yet. Clearing out the mat of roots from the fortnight lilies proved to be quite a job. Hubby finally got that done and amended well with compost, and we will plant today. I am going with about 4 ft spacing since I think they will get larger in our mild zone. Here is a pic of where they will go. As you can see, height is not a problem, and I think we will have room for spreading out into a hedge. I will probably plant some sun annuals to fill in the dirt in front until they have matured some. Like lkplatow in PA, my thought was to add some color that was fairly maintenance free. All of my roses are in the back and that is nowhere near what I want it to be yet, so I am still concentrating there. I am planning to plant some roses in the front someday, when I can decide the "look" to go with this Spanish house. I've toyed with planting a climber (would have to be huge) to climb up and over the arch over the driveway. You can partially see it to the right in the picture below. But I haven't figured out how to support it, and more to get up there and maintain it. Thanks again for all of your comments! I swear y'all are the best!
{{gwi:272567}}src>
PS. That's one of my "guard'n" dogs in the window!