Best Roses for Pots and Containers: Types, Space, Options

When it comes to growing roses in pots, there are a few things to consider. Let’s go through a few of the considerations.

Here’s the list…

Best roses for pots include the following types:

• Groundcover roses
• Miniature roses
• Patio tree roses
• Climbing roses

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Best roses for pots – The space available

Space will be one of the primary considerations. It may be you’re looking for a large patio-type pot next to your patio furniture. In this case, you may want a short and compact rose like a shrub rose, or miniature roses.

Perhaps you have a container garden and you’re looking to add a container rose next to a wall, in which case you may want to consider a climbing rose (preferable over a rambling rose).

Or you would like a rose on your conservatory window sills, in which case a miniature rose may suit best.

The size of the pot for the space matters too

A pot that is too small will limit the size and growth potential of the rose, while a pot that is too large will make it difficult to control the watering and soil conditions.

Choose a pot that is just big enough for both the area you want to place the pot – whether indoors or outdoors, and based on the roots and eventual size of your chosen rose variety.

Best roses for pots – The type of rose you want to grow

The type of rose you choose will also play a role in how well it grows in a pot. Some varieties are simply better suited to container living than others.

This depends on your circumstances, so I’ll go into detail a little more on those.

Groundcover roses

Groundcover roses are also referred to as “carpet roses” because they have a tendency to spread outwards, making them ideal for covering large areas of ground. They’re also generally quite low-maintenance and disease-resistant, which is always a bonus.

They can be trimmed and contained very easily, and tend to have a good number of blooms. So they make one of the best roses for pots and containers.

Some great varieties of groundcover roses you can put in pots include:

• ‘Pink Drift®‘ groundcover rose
• `Lemon Drift®‘ groundcover rose
• ‘Sweet Drift®‘ groundcover rose
• ‘Peach Drift®‘ groundcover rose

Miniature roses

Some of the best roses for pots are actually miniature roses. This is because they don’t require as much space or pruning as other types of roses.

They come in a huge range of colors and are very easy to care for. You can also get disease-resistant varieties.

In addition, good miniature rose options for roses in pots are disease-resistant varieties. These will be easier to care for.

Some ideal varieties of miniature roses for pots include:

• ‘Cherry Sunblaze®‘
• ‘Autumn Sunblaze‘
• ‘Petite Knock Out`

Patio tree roses

Another good option for roses in pots is patio tree roses. These are of course taller, and larger than the previous rose options, but are still relatively small and compact.

Patio tree roses are perfect for adding a bit of height to your potting arrangement. They also have a long flowering season, so you can enjoy them for months on end.

Some perfect patio tree roses for pots include:

• ‘Brilliant Pink Iceberg‘
• ‘Hot Cocoa™‘
• ‘Julia Child‘
• ‘Miss Congeniality™‘

Climbing roses

If you’re looking for a bit of drama in your potting arrangement, then climbing roses are a great option. These beauties can grow quite large and produce an abundance of flowers.

However, because of their size, they do require some extra care and attention. Make sure to prune them regularly to keep them under control. They are clearly not as easy to move around the same as other containers, so be sure to get one that will cope with any cold weather in your region.

But also this is the type of rose you want to consider if you have a wall, structure, or partition that the climbing rose can be grown against.

Some of the most wonderful climbing roses for pots include:

• ‘Blaze improved‘
• ‘Lady in Red‘,
• ‘Zephirine Drouhin‘
• ‘Fourth of July‘.

Some tips for caring for roses in pots:

• Ensure that your pot has drainage holes in the bottom, as roses don’t like to sit in wet soil.
• Water regularly, but don’t overwater – allow the soil to dry out a bit between watering.
• Feed regularly with a good quality rose fertilizer.
• Prune roses grown in pots more frequently than those grown in the ground, as they will grow more vigorously.
• When repotting, use a pot that is only slightly larger than the previous one. This will help to control the size of the plant.

Now I’ll go through the benefits and drawbacks of growing roses in pots.

Benefits of roses in pots

• They can be moved around to suit your mood or the season.
• Roses in pots can be kept on a porch or patio, making them easy to enjoy.
• They are less likely to succumb to diseases than roses grown in the ground.
• Roses in pots can more easily be winterized.

Drawbacks of roses in pots:

• Roses in pots need more frequent watering and feeding than those in the ground. They can be more susceptible to extremes of temperature.
• Roses in pots will need more frequent re-potting as they grow.
• They will also generally require more trimming.

Tips for growing roses in pots

Here are some growing tips for roses in pots.

• Choose a pot that is at least 18 inches wide and has drainage holes.
• Use a well-draining, soilless potting mix.
• Water regularly.
• Fertilize every two weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer.
• Prune your rose bush as needed.

These are just a few tips for growing roses in pots. But also read my article on how to keep mini roses blooming for longer to get a lot more advice.

Best roses for pots – More roses help🌹

I hope this has provided you with some ideas and suggestions for the best roses in pots. Be sure to check out my other articles.