Ten
Roses For Partial Shade
I am
frequently asked if roses can be grown in the shade and if so, which
ones? First, we need to address what exactly one means by “shade"?
Grammatically speaking, “shade” means “absence of
sunlight” and but shade varies – there is full shade,
partial shade, dappled shade and so on. Frankly, I don’t know
of any roses that would bloom well in complete shade. However, if
one is referring to partial shade with at least a few hours of sunlight,
then I perhaps can offer some positive news.
The main
portion of my garden lies on a gently sloping plot of land which faces
south. The middle section (and the southern horizon) is open and receives
full sun for most of the day. On the east and west sides stand full-grown
trees, not all of which reside in my garden. These trees consist of
hackberry, black walnut, redbud and maple – not all of them
desirable, as you can see. I don’t plan to cut them down, however,
because they do provide valuable shade which is often welcome in our
hot and humid summers. The big black walnut tree blocks the sun rising
in the east, so it is not until 9 or 10 am that the light fully reaches
my roses. They continue to bask in the rays of the sun for 6-7 hours
until the sun begins to descend past the huge hackberry trees on the
west side of my property. For the most part, my roses do well in this
part of the garden, regardless of their class or type.
Roses
are also scattered throughout the garden in various nooks and crannies,
including areas near trees and structures that provide shade. Observing
these roses over the years, I’ve noticed that many develop quite
lovely blooms and show no signs of disease if given at least 3 or
4 hours of direct sun.
Of these,
the ones that perform best in partial shade are the hybrid musks,
which not only bloom profusely, but also retain their attractive arching
forms. A few of the noisettes, ramblers and Old European roses do
well also. This advice cannot, however, be applied to all the roses
in their class. Not all hybrid musk roses do well in partial shade
and only some of the noisettes, ramblers, etc. do well. They are exceptions
to the rule in all rose types. It is best to research each individual
rose carefully before placing it in this type of exposure.
The following
is a list of ten roses that perform admirably in my garden with limited
sun (some get more than others, which I will attest to in the descriptions.)
All of the roses listed here produce beautiful blooms and they do
not appear scraggly nor ramble for the sunlight. None of them have
displayed any serious diseases such as blackspot or mildew.
1.
Belinda (Hybrid Musk)
This
is one of my favorite hybrid musk roses and I recommend it highly.
I have it placed in a difficult location for a rose - an area along
my driveway which consists of a narrow strip which is shaded by a
grove of hackberry trees. A few hours of morning sun (about 3 or 4
hours total) is following by dappled shade for the remainder of the
day. If the excessive shade doesn't pose enough of a problem, the
soil here is dry and congested with tree roots. Belinda doesn't
seem to mind, however, and she never fails to produce an abundance
of bloom every spring. Hefty trusses of deep pink with a white center
adorn the bush from top to bottom. I have read that Belinda
can be used as a climber but I let her grow naturally which results
in a compact 4x4 mound. This rose would also make a wonderful low
hedge! Read more
about it...
2.
Madame Plantier (Alba)
Residing
a few feet from Belinda is Madame Plantier, an Alba
rose which was introduced in 1835. It is a large rose and makes a
neat mound about 4x5. The foliage is light green and almost thornless
and the long pliable canes would make it an ideal candidate for training
on a trellis or fence. The flowers are exquisite - pale pink buds
open to pure white flowers that are very fragrant. Read
more about it...
3.
Veilchenblau (Rambler)
This
rambler makes a breathtaking sight in early spring when it is smothered
with tiny violet blooms. It is truly unfortunate that the rose only
blooms once each year but it is something to look forward to. I have
this rose growing on an archway where it receives morning sun (about
5-6 hours) and then complete shade after 1 p.m. The long pliable canes
are thornless and the flowers have a slight fruity fragrance. The
name comes from the German and means "violet blue". Read
more about it...
4.
American Pillar (Rambler)
This is another rambler that performs beautifully with only
5-6 hours of morning sun. American Pillar is a fast grower
and can become monstrous in size. The thorny canes become stiffer
as they age so it is important to train them when they are young.
I've seen this rose used on pergolas or growing into trees. It makes
quite a spectacle when the hot pink blooms (with white and gold centers)
cover the plant in early spring. This is a once-bloomer and has only
a slight fragrance. Read
more about it...
5.
Moonlight (Hybrid Musk)
Moonlight,
shown here and at the top of the page, is another fabulous hybrid
musk which does just fine with limited sun. I have two plants - one
get 5-6 hours of morning sun and the other gets no direct sun and
a mixture of dappled shade and complete shade. Both bloom profusely.
This rose makes a large bush (6x6) and will grow into a beautiful
fountain shape if allowed the room. This is another carefree rose
that has never been plagued by disease. It is a stunning beauty. Read
more about it...
6.
Cornelia (Hybrid Musk)
Reportedly
similar to Moonlight (above) in form and habit, but I can't
positively attest to this because I keep moving mine. I now have her
sitting underneath a red maple tree. While I cannot be positive about
the size, I can say for a fact that she blooms beautifully in this
location. Here the only direct sun comes in the afternoon and that
is only for 2 or 3 hours. This is a lovely rose with deep pink buds
opening to blooms of light pink with shades of apricot and gold. I've
heard that this rose makes a good climber as well. Outstanding! Read
more about it...
7.
Mermaid (Climber)
If they
ever make a movie about a rose eating a town, then Mermaid
could win the leading role. I have a two-story house and planted this
rose on my north facing wall because I had read that it would tolerate
the shade. It does indeed but help me - this is a big and thorny rose!
It easily scaled the 15 foot trellis I made for it to grow on and
pruning it is not a fun task, I can assure you. Those thorns can be
lethal! I'm still assessing this rose and while it does bloom nicely
(the blooms are so pretty), the blooms have not been as profuse as
I expected. I will keep you posted. In the meantime, if you are up
for the challenge or have an old shed or wood pile you want out of
sight, consider Mermaid. Mine gets only a few hours of direct
afternoon sunlight. Read
more about it...
8.
New Dawn (Climber)
Please
don't accuse me of false advertisement - I will confess that the photo
at the right is my New Dawn which is growing in full sun.
However, I do have another one on my pergola which gets considerably
lesser sun (about 5-6 hours) and blooms just like this one. I have
also witnessed this rose growing in other gardens and it is one of
the best roses for partial shade. In fact, I find that New Dawn's
blooms look better with some shade because the pale pink/cream flowers
hold up better (they turn to white in strong sunlight). This is one
of the best roses period! It is versatile - can be grown as a climber
or shrub - and is completely disease resistant. Read
more about it...
9.
Madame Alfred Carriere (Noisette)
This
could be another candidate for the north wall. I have mine growing
on a pergola where it gets about 5-6 hours of morning sun. A fast
grower, it can easily reach 25 feet in just two or three years. The
canes become stiff with age so if you intend to train them, do it
immediately. The flowers are a delicate white or soft pink and intensely
fragrant. The rose is named for the wife of a French rose breeder.
Read
more about it...
10.
Lyda Rose (Hybrid Musk)
This
beautiful shrub rose is a descendent of the hybrid musk Francis
Lester. I think the blooms look like dogwood blossoms and they
do have a slight fragrance. The rose is about 4x4 and does very well
in my garden with only 4 hours of morning sun. Disease resistance
is excellent as well. Read
more about it...
Other
Roses to Consider:
