Floribundas and grandifloras are functionally the same as hybrid teas. Here are some of the ways that growing shrub roses differs from growing those modern bush roses.

Austin roses and others classed as shrubs are very diverse and hard to generalize about. However, they will usually be slightly hardier than hybrid teas, so you can expect little winter damage in zone 6b. You would usually prune them to 3' or 4' depending on the variety. Starting out with a good-sized plant in spring, you get a much better spring flush and larger, fuller, more graceful plants compared to the stiff, low, "dotty" look of a hybrid tea garden in spring.

You have to be more careful about spacing and be sure you have some idea how a particular shrub variety will grow in your climate.

With higher pruning, blackspot disease can take hold earlier in the season, because it carries over mainly within the bark of canes.

Unlike HTs that you just whack back in spring, shrubs call for observation and judgement in pruning. Some shrub varieties will make excessively long canes in summer that need to be cut back periodically to make a fuller and more shapely bush. As opposed to grafted hybrid teas, shrubs take years longer to come into their own and develop a well-branched, shrubby structure.

Under good conditions, HTs will grow larger and bloom more as the season progresses, but some larger shrubs are only partial repeaters that, after the first flush, tend to make vegetative growth at the expense of bloom. However, with patience and good pruning, repeat bloom usually improves as the shrub matures and becomes bushier.

In 6b you are in marginal territory for certain other types of roses such as teas, chinas, hybrid musks, and short-caned bourbons that are about as cane-hardy as modern bush roses but do not recover from cane damage during the season as well as do HTs etc. They will not perform very well if they have to be cut back severely in spring.

This post was edited by michaelg on Thu, Sep 18, 14 at 9:55

Michael just gave you a pretty good summary of the differences. I might add that you need to be just as careful to find bs-resistant Austins and other shrubs and OGRs as you do hybrid teas. As I understand it, teas and chinas and such OGRs are fairly bs-resistant, but those of us gardening in Zone 6, as you and I do, probably can't grow those since they wouldnt' make it through our winters--or at least some of our winters. Other OGRs can sometimes have MORE bs-problems than our modern HTs do. I have two hybrid perpetuals, for instance, that are fairly good on bs-resistance, but most of my HTs are better at bs-resistance.

If you want to include roses other than HT types into your gardens, I think you need to start designing your beds more as "cottage style" gardens--then everything, including the kitchen sink (which my neighbor uses as a flower container!) can be included. If your rose bed started out just for HTs, it might be hard to convert over to cottage style.

I was gardening for decades before I got into rose gardening and my gardens have gone through many changes throughout those years as I incorporated new interests into them. What I have now goes something like this (roughly):

Way in the back, out by the alley, I have a row of free-standing older types--mostly hybrid musks and rugosas (and a couple other big non-rose bushes). Along the west side of the backyard, I have a long strip which sports several large hydrangeas (growing under some dappled tree shade) and a couple other non-rose bushes. A few polyanthas grow on this westside strip in some sunnier spots (part sun/part shade)--cuz that was the only place I had left to plant the polyanthas.

Over on the east side of the backyard, I have only a narrow strip available for growing anything--so I put in all HTs--they were picked to be more vertical and taller than average. That is all that is in that narrow bed (other than some blue pansies at their feet).

In the center (kinda off-center) of the backyard are two "island" beds, the smaller one being mostly floribundas, with one Austin and one short Bourbon and some minis (and a few mums). That is the newest bed.

The larger "island" bed in the center is an extension of an old perennial bed. It has a giant hydrangea in it and irises, daisies, daylilies, bulb lilites, geraniums, anemones, etc.. A few roses worked their way into the more perennial part of the island, but the extensions to the west and to the north were dug increasingly to accommodate more roses--mostly HTs (my perfume path goes through the middle of this bed), floribundas and modern shrubs and one Austin shrub, plus a couple climbers one of which is an Austin. That garden is getting closer to the cottage style.

I have one other bed in another corner that is the most cottage-garden appearing of all--because it was my original perennial bed I first planted 35 years ago. With a little strategic pushing and shoving of some plants, I eventually made room for Earth Song, 3 shorter Austin shrubs and 1 Austin climber and an hybrid musk--all sorts of peonies and garden phlox and yarrow and iris and lilies and salvia, etc. also in that bed.

And then over by the garage, all by itself, is my star Austin Lady of Shalott.

What I'm saying is gardens grow--they evolve--they change from one type to another type--etc. What you have available sometimes determines what you plant--like the narrow strip available on the east side. Couldn't fit some of the big, hefty shrubs in there even if I wanted to! Hybrid musks are out in back by the alley because my neighbor's giant oak shades that area part of the day and hybrid musks are better at tolerating some shade than other roses are. And I kinda like "outlining" part of the yard with the bigger, older type roses and putting the big showy perfumed HTs right in the middle where viewers can easily access them.

And sometimes a plant goes in that spot because I can't find anywhere else to put it!

So have fun letting your gardens grow along with you over the years!

Kate

In zone 6 you can grow most classes with the exceptions that Michael noted. And I would add Noisettes to that too winter tender list. I can vouch from experience that Teas and Chinas will not winter in zone 6. Especially if the winters continue to be like last year's.

Your choices will depend on what look you're going for. Are you looking for roses that cover themselves all over in blooms, something that blooms nearly continuously, tall and narrow or low and sprawling or a big fountain shape? There is probably something that will fit what ever look you want but you need to decide first what that look will be. From there you can look for varieties that fit that look and then further screen them for hardiness and health. Even in the Austin roses there are different growth habits. Some will climb if you'll let them others are more shrub shaped. In the OGRs there are so many different growth habits to pick from. Are once bloomers OK for you or would you prefer repeaters? Is fragrance a must or not? Do you have color preferences? You really need to think about what pleases you the most and then maybe ask about those types of roses so we can narrow down our referrals some what.

Austins are as much work as HTs/GR/FL/Minis for me. I have embraced Blushing Knock Out, because the shading of the petals is pleasing to me, and the Kordes "Fairy Tale" series. Caramel Fairy Tale and Floral Fairy Tale are nearly bulletproof, a few handfuls of fertilizer and plenty of water, and they grow and bloom away, with little or no blackspot. I will still have a few exhibition HTs and mini/minifloras, but I love the Kordes shrubs.

Thank you so much everyone, this has been very informative and helpful. I'm not sure what I want. With a few of my hybrid tea roses I am beginning to realize the garish colors don't appeal to me that much, there are a couple, Buxom Beauty and Big Momma that are almost too much sometimes. I do like lots of color with most shades of pink the primary color. In the Austins, Queen of Sweden appeals to me very much, also Golden Celebration, just about all of them look beautiful to me. Kate, I admire so much your beautiful gardens. Part of my problem is that around the perimeter of my house I have good soil and of course my front rose bed has been amended, but for the most part my soil is rocky, it would take lots of work. That is the main reason I've been thinking about container roses, so I guess most of what I add in the future needs to be something that would be suitable as a container rose. Diane, I've been thinking a lot about the Kordes Fairytale roses too, they are lovely. There really is a lot to consider.

Sara, add some mini's!

Kentucky_rose - I am considering minis and minifloras. Your arrangement is absolutely gorgeous! You have some beautiful roses, I've enjoyed them so much!

Thanks, Sara...have fun deciding on your new rose venture!

Get Pink Pet. A really easy OGR To grow. It came through last winters record cold with no die back at all. Nice early winter foliage. I also have Blushing Pink Knock Out in the garden. A great garden display and when mature it throws nice sprays that mix well in a bouquet. Souv de la Malmaison is a great OGR. There are several Portland's and Hybrid Perpetuals that are very good. You mentioned Austins Queen of Sweden. Get two bush's of it and plant them close together (12/16" apart) for a big, full bush effect with tons of blooms. Mini's/ minifloras, Kristen is a fantastic mini when grown it a 7 1/2 gal. pot. I also have the growsery store mini Kiss Kordana. Had it in a 7 1/2 gal pot for 4 years and had to split it in half this past spring. Now I have two pots of K.K. Beautiful deep red. Conundrum make a beautiful full bush in a 10 gal. pot. These few ought to get you started. Have fun.

Thanks again Kentucky_rose. Ken, some great suggestions. I do already have two SDLM in containers, they are doing great. I really do appreciate this, thanks.

Sara Ann, I live in Zone 7A in a suburb of Tulsa. I only grow teas, chinas, hybrid musks, bourbon, and shrubs. I have nothing that requires spray.

My roses are in a set of beds all over the yard. If I were to grow a HT or David Austin (I have one left), I would group them together. When I first began purging my roses, I kept one Dolly Parton because my husband enjoyed describing it as if it were the singer. Dolly is a splashy red. Against the newer chinas and teas, it did not fit.

You ought to try some of the roses if you have not grown them. Actually I have kept a few Bucks and have some Pioneer roses too. You can take a good look at the pictures and see what appeals to you. I do not think you should hesitate to grow the china, tea and hybrid musk because of your climate. Tulsa is bad because of the sudden freezes we sometimes get in April, not the cold winters. Those sudden freezes can happen anywhere.

Sammy

Thanks Sammy. I live just a little north and about 60 miles west of you. I am going to take a chance with a couple of tea roses, to see how they do for me, there are some beautiful ones. I have considered trying some hybrid musks too, I've also ordered Earth Song for spring. From what I can tell so far the Bourbons and Hybrid Perpetuals are going to do really well for me. I am not very familiar with the China roses. Do you have any you would recommend in that class?

I saw your post about your trip to San Diego and am glad your daughter is recovering. I do hope they start getting rain soon in California.

Sara Ann, thanks for the kind words about my daughter.

The popular china and tea roses look much the same to me. The china roses seem to have more twiggy growth than the teas.

I enjoy Ducher, Cramoisi Superieur, Duchesse de Brabant, Georgetown tea, Rival de Paestum, Miss Caroline, Marie Van Houtte, and William R. Smith.

Polyantha or china: Caldwell Pink and Perle 'd Or.

Bourbon: Souvenir de la Malmaisson and Maggie

Hybrid Musk: Erfurt, Penelope, Bubble Bath, and Nur Mahal.

The catalogues tell you the height. Sometimes ours get a little taller because of the heat and our need to water. My roses do not seem to be sensitive to being cut when I want to cut them, but I continually ask questions because my needs seem to change.

The hybrid Perpetuals that I have tried do not bloom frequently.

I have not sprayed for fungus or insects in many many years. I would rather toss the rose than to spray.

Sammy

Sara-Ann,

Another thing I thought of with Austins. In the light pinks there are many look-alikes. And white-based pinks vs. yellow-based pinks. Cameras can make the first appear to be the second. That's a question to ask if you have a preference.

And it never occurred to me that Austins can have 6 small flower buds each on 4 upright stems on a main stem. Duh. But until I saw 'Windermere' it hadn't occurred to me. Here is one of my lusts growing over 5 ft. with multi mini candelabras atop a long stem. For a bouquet I have to cut one of the candelabras with buds tightly closed and opened?! I also cooled on 'Queen of Sweden' for that reason. I love my 'Apricot Nectar' sprays but those 2 Austins ..... maybe it was the formality and rigidity of how the buds/flowers were held that didn't ring my chimes.

Growth habit (Austin) was the biggest adjustment for me.

I still love the sculptured beauty of a hybrid tea bud but Austins in the blended pink/peach tones make me swoon.

Thanks again Sammy for more great ideas and thank you too Iris_gal, sounds lovely.

After I started collecting Old Garden Teas, (mostly from the 1800's) I found it hard to go back to H.T.s, as Hybrid Teas bloom less often and need more feeding, and far more pruning than Tea rosebushes.
After a decade without them, I'm finally ready to grow a few Hybrid Teas.

Lux.

I really like the variety of shape that comes with OGRs. When I very first started growing roses (not that long ago) I first bought several HTs and similar types, just because that was all that was available locally, so that is all I knew of, but after i got them all planted & paired with companion plants, I was underwhelmed by how rigidly tall and awkwardly "leggy" they were. I have since added some Austin's and a few OGRs (already have several more the way too) and I much prefer their fuller, more rounded shapes, they look pretty nice even when they aren't in bloom (something I would neve say about a HT). I guess it depends on the type of garden you want to have though, I much prefer the informal "cottage" style gardens someone else mentioned above, I think having a mish mash of color and texture is much more interesting than formal rows, where as someone else may find it sloppy.. To each their own!

Jessica