LIGHT
Shrub rose bushes bloom the best in full sun. Choose a location with at least 6 hours of sun per day. Morning sun is more kind to the plant.
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WATERING
Watering these rose bushes one to two inches of water per week is usually sufficient, but this varies by climate and growing conditions. Hot locations and sandy soil like Colorado will need more frequent watering. Make sure to water the ground and not the leaves.
SOIL
A rich, sandy loam is the preferred soil for shrub rose bushes. Amend difficult soils with humus, or consider building up the beds to ensure good drainage. Roses will not tolerate soggy, wet roots. Mulch the plants to cool the roots and conserve water.Â
FERTILIZER
Shrub rose bushes are heavy feeders and benefit from regular applications of fertilizer. Choose a balanced fertilizer or one labeled for roses. Iron is essential if the soil’s pH is too high. If the leaves turn yellow with green veins, use an iron supplement.
SHRUB ROSE BUSH VARIETIES
BELINDA'S BLUSH
Color: Cream/Pink Blush
Fragrance: Light Fruity
‘Belinda’s Blush’ is a color sport of one of our favorite roses, ‘Belinda’s Dream’. Similar in size and growth habit, this rose offers fragrant, full blooms of a light, creamy pink that are excellent for cutting. Canes free of thorns are always appreciated.
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Fall
Plant Height: 4 – 6 feet
Plant Spacing: 3 – 4 feet
IN YOUR EYES
Color: Yellow to Lavender
Fragrance: Mild Fruity
These are not your average shrub rose blooms. In Your Eyes is also diamond–tough, disease-resistant, and wildly prolific. You’ll get big clusters of blooms in sophisticated pastel shades. The flower actually starts cream–yellow with red-eye and matures to lavender with a purple eye, but as each bloom appears and matures in its own time, the clusters will be fascinatingly multi-colored from spring to fall.
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Fall
Plant Height: 2 – 3 feet
Plant Spacing: 2 – 3 feet
PILLOW FIGHT
Color: Bright White
Fragrance: Strong Honey Rose
You might think feathers are flying when this dreamy shrub explodes into bloom. Almost like a repeat blooming snowball bush, the clusters of fragrant flowers are quite a blinding white color set against the very deep glossy green foliage.
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Fall
Plant Height: 3 feet
Plant Spacing: 3 feet