6 Low-Maintenance Roses to Plant in Iowa

When you think of planting roses, you might hesitate due to their need for careful care. But not all roses are fussy. Some are easy to plant and bloom beautifully, livening up your garden. Discover six low-maintenance roses to plant in Iowa!

6 Low-Maintenance Roses to Plant in Iowa

1. The Fairy Rose

Scientific name: Polyantha rose

The Fairy is a dwarf shrub rose that can grow up to four feet tall. The blooms are small, with an intricate texture to them as they form stunning clusters in varying shades of pink. These roses need either full or partial sun and are showstoppers with a light apple-like fragrance that emanates from their many blooms.

They require moist, well-drained soil to thrive, and when they’re open, displaying their rosette-like centers, they call forth butterflies, which only add to the ethereal visual experience of having these in your garden. Each individual rose is a busy environment, densely packed with petals (up to 25 at a time sometimes!). The foliage that surrounds them is reminiscent of ferns. The dark green color serves as a beautiful contrasting backdrop for the graceful yet abundant roses that grow.

2. Carefree Beauty Rose

Scientific name: Rosa ‘Bucbi’

Carefree Beauty is a fast-growing rose shrub that stands upright against its olive-colored leaves. The blooms form several cup-shaped clusters. The pink of these flowers is neither light nor intense but rather playful, described as a bubblegum kind of pink.

To thrive, these roses need full sun and moist but well-drained soil. These sweet, fragrant flowers grow up to six feet tall, so you need to know where they’re going to go and prepare for a vigorous growing phase. Your best bet to enjoy the blooms is to plant these in the early part of spring (just be sure the last frost has come and gone).

3. Knockout Rose

Scientific name: Rosa ‘Knock Out’

The Knockout rose, as you might guess by its name, is stunning. They are different colors, including pink, red, and yellow. Sometimes, they’re bi-colored, meaning they have one color in the center and another color in the outer bits of the petals. These roses stand upright, and the flowers grow to about four inches.

The rose shrub grows up to four feet tall and this plant is self-reliant, which makes it a great choice for beginners starting their own garden. A little bit of sun for these flowers goes a long way though they do best when they get six to eight hours of sun each day. Many of the Knockout varieties are both bushy and abundant, turning rose gardens into striking visual displays.

4. Morden Rose

Scientific name: Rosa ‘Morden Sunrise’

Morden roses are distinguished by their semi-double appearance, with yellowish and pinkish colors that set them apart from other rose types. They start blooming at the start of summer and keep their gorgeous appearance for several months through to the fall season. These flowers need full sun and well-drained soil to blossom and can grow up to 24 inches tall.

In each flower, there may be somewhere between eight and 15 petals. Their pinkish color can also be described as coral-orange. In the center is where yellow stands out. These are showy, slightly fragrant flowers that are resistant to black spots, mildew, and rust. To promote early growth, be sure to prune early.

5. Easy Elegance Rose

Scientific name: Rosa EE ‘Como Park’

Easy Elegance roses require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight to bloom. They reach up to three feet tall and when in bloom, deliver a gorgeous pop of color to your garden. They contrast with their deep green foliage in vibrant colors, including red, pink, yellow, and white. These are a cross between shrub roses and hybrid tea roses, giving you an aesthetically pleasing, low-maintenance plant to work with.

These beautiful roses bloom from spring until frost, letting you enjoy their beauty for months on end. You don’t have to worry about pruning or bugs, just plant them and enjoy them. They make great bordering plants and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden.

6. Beach Rose

Scientific name: Rosa rugosa

These roses are hardy. In fact, they scoff at your pruning tools. They grow beautifully when left to their own devices. Simply let them bloom. These rose shrubs can grow up to six feet tall and the colors range from rose pink to white. They’re showy, attracting both butterflies and birds. They need full sun to thrive and do their best in slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soil.