Discover 7 Gorgeous Roses That Grow in Arkansas

If you have ever toured the State Capitol in Little Rock you have seen the elaborate rose garden. There are more than 50 different varieties of roses in the State Capitol Rose Garden, proof that beautiful roses can be grown in Arkansas. You will find that there is actually a wide range of roses from small miniature roses to sprawling climbing roses that thrive in Arkansas. If you are looking for a classic red cut-rose, you can grow those in Arkansas too. The temperate climate of Arkansas provides a great environment to grow roses in your backyard garden, along your landscaping, or even in a container on your apartment patio. Read on to discover 7 gorgeous roses that grow in Arkansas!

1. Knock Out® Roses

The Knock Out® family of Roses has a wide range of varieties and colors, but the one thing they have in common is their easy care. They don’t require a lot of maintenance or pesticides to ward off pests. Some of the gorgeous Knock Out® roses include:

• Original Knock Out®: Red
• Blushing Knock Out®: Light Pink
• Easy-Bee-zy Knock Out®: Yellow (new, not available until spring 2024!)
• Rainbow Knock Out®: Coral-pink blooms with a yellow center
• White Knock Out®: Crisp white blooms

2. Cinderella Roses

One of the best pink roses to grow in Arkansas is the Cinderella Rose. This miniature rose has beautiful blooms that make any garden look stunning. The bushes grow to be 3-4 feet tall and are great for plant hardiness zones of 5-11. Arkansas has hardiness zones ranging from 6-8 so the Cinderella rose is a perfect fit throughout the state.

3. Snowdrift Roses

The Snowdrift rose is an easy-to-care-for creamy white rose from Easy Elegance. These classic white roses can be grown in hardiness zones 4-9, so they work really well in Arkansas. They only require moderate watering depending on average rainfall and don’t require a lot of maintenance. The full bushes produce large blooms that extend from the ground all the way to the top of the 3-4 foot bush. A nice row of these in front of your house makes a welcoming scene all summer long.

4. Coral Drift® Roses

You can certainly stick to common red, white, and pink roses, but if you want something a little different try the Coral Drift® rose. These bright coral-orange blooms look stunning cut and placed in a vase on your dining room table. Or maybe make a bouquet to place next to your tub to enjoy while you relax in a nice bubble bath after work. The Coral Drift® roses are disease resistant and can withstand some of those cooler nights that Arkansas sees in the fall. When it comes to the height of the heat in the summer, these roses fare well as long as they get enough water.

5. David Austin Roses

You may think you could never have the time or patience to grow English Roses until you learn about David Austin Roses. There are several collections of these easy-to-care-for roses. Besides the English Rose, there are English Rose Shrubs, Climbing and Rambling roses, and an Easy Care Collection. If you scroll through the website you will find yourself saying, “Yes! I want that pink English Rose…and the soft yellow climber…and the bright red shrub…how can I choose!” The good thing is you can choose multiple varieties and mix and match colors as well.

6. Belinda’s Dream

One of the most gorgeous roses you can grow in Arkansas is Belinda’s Dream. You will not believe how full and large the blooms are on this shrub rose. This variety was developed by Dr. Robert Basye from Texas A&M University to be more disease resistant and easier to grow in a variety of soil types. It is hard to accurately describe just how large these pink blooms are, but they are double bloomers with 100+ petals per bloom! They do require full sun but can tolerate the heat that Arkansas often sees during peak summer. A half-dozen Belinda’s Dream cut and placed in a tall glass vase will brighten up any porch in Arkansas!

7. Burgundy Iceberg

Another uniquely colored rose is the Burgundy Iceberg. Did you know roses come in every color except blue? Burgundy Iceberg roses round out the rainbow in a gorgeous deep purple/lavender that really gives your garden some pop! These floribunda roses will be different colors in different counties of Arkansas depending on the climate. Cooler counties will find their Burgundy Icebergs to be a bit darker while the warmer southern counties will have softer purples. Arkansas gardeners that have grown these beauties comment on how easy they are to take care of. They also like how resistant they are to the heat in the summer.

What Kind of Roses Can You Find at the Arkansas State Capitol Rose Garden?

The State Capitol Rose Garden in Little Rock has more than 50 varieties of roses including hybrid tea roses, English roses, shrub roses, and climbing roses. What is unique about the garden is that rose growers can submit 20 specimens each year to the test garden to see what does well in Arkansas. The roses grow for three years to see how they do and then are donated. Local organizations and schools in the area get to enjoy the beauty of these locally-grown roses. There are 1,500 different rose bushes at the Capitol Garden so if you want some inspiration on what to grow in your garden (or patio container) visit the garden. Bring your camera to take shots of your favorites. Check out the Central Arkansas Rose Society if you want to learn more about growing gorgeous roses in Arkansas!

Summary of 7 Gorgeous Roses That Grow in Arkansas

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Molly Shannon/Shutterstock.com