16 Roses That Thrive in Pots and Containers

Roses in a stone container — Credit:
Wieland Teixeira

It doesn’t matter if you’re short on space or just love the look and smell of roses everywhere; a potted rose provides blooms and flexibility for any garden or home. Container roses aren’t difficult to maintain if you choose a pot wisely, water adequately, and make sure your growing media allows for adequate drainage. And pick the right rose. Ahead, we spoke with experts about the best variety of roses to grow in containers.

Matt Douglas is the head rosarian at High Country Roses.
Richard Stubbs is a senior rose consultant for David Austin Roses.
Wes Harvell is a rosarian for Jackson & Perkins.

Factors to Consider When Growing Roses in Containers

There are a few things to keep in mind when growing container roses.

Choose the Right Rose Variety

You'll need to choose the right types of roses if you're growing them in pots. "Roses are a great choice for containers, but you do need to use a little extra caution when you select plants," says Matt Douglas, head rosarian at High Country Roses. "Because the pot is above grade, you lose the insulating properties of being in the soil." If your container roses will be living outside, Douglas suggests choosing a variety that is a USDA zone hardier than the one you live in to prevent the plant from freezing entirely. You'll want to bring the pot inside once cooler temperatures reach your region if your roses aren't hardy (or hardier) to your growing zone.

Select a Large Container

Richard Stubbs, a senior rose consultant for David Austin, says to choose containers at least 18 inches deep by 18 inches wide—and for climbing roses, the container should be at least 24 inches deep by 24 inches wide. Use a pot with a hole at the bottom and add a drainage layer (like gravel, broken terra cotta pots, or anything porous) before adding topsoil and compost for your rose.

Water Frequently

"Watering varies by climate, but water at least every other day," says Stubbs. "In hotter areas, every day during the growing season." Wes Harvell, rosarian for Jackson & Perkins, recommends feeling the top inch or so of the soil to see if it’s dry; otherwise, you can leave the pot a little longer before watering.

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Life’s Little Pleasures

Featuring mauve and purple blooms packed with petals, this miniature rose variety grows only a few feet in either direction. It has a moderate fragrance, but it will bloom all season long.

Zone: 5 to 9
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

Find Your Growing Zone

02 of 16

Orchid Kisses

Pink and purple petals swirl around a yellow center, creating an amazing contrast to the eye with this pretty mini variety. "Most of the minis get a little bigger, about 2 to 3 feet taller than most people think, and bloom reliably all season," says Douglas. "It’s a great way to add color without overpowering a pot." Orchid Kisses may even climb if given proper support.

Zone: 5
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Smoke Rings

The name of this variety says it all—starting at the center of the flower are yellow filaments that lead into orange petals. At the very edge of the petals is a darker hue that almost looks like smoke coming from a flame. These roses stay very compact.

Zone: 4 to 9
Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil, water every day to every other day

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Fragrant Lavender Simplicity Hedge Rose

Not quite a miniature, but still a compact rose, Fragrant Lavender Simplicity Hedge Rose packs a citrusy smell and displays blooms all season. "Choose a variety that is not too stiff and upright," says Stubbs. "It should be a more rounded shape, such as Olivia Rose Austin, as this will 'fill the pot.'" Stubbs adds that you should only put one rose in each pot as roses are "very greedy feeders and hate too much competition."

This rose is fairly disease-resistant, which means it should require minimal care to maintain its beauty.

Zone: 5
Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Life of the Party

A floribunda rose, Life of the Party features yellow petals with pink edges. With its dense foliage, these roses can easily be trimmed into a round topiary shape. The blooms are stuffed with more than 40 petals. Life of the Party can be drought-tolerant and is a good choice for those in drier climates.

Zone: 6 to 10
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Mysterious Floribunda Rose

For those who enjoy a darker-colored rose, the Mysterious blooms in brown and red with cream-colored centers. It’s a fairly disease-resistant variety that stays compact.

Zone: 5 to 9
Mature size: 3 feet tall x 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Olivia Rose Austin

With a medium fragrance, the Olivia Rose Austin (named for David Austin’s granddaughter) looks to have pink cup-like blooms with more than 90 petals each. While the Olivia Rose Austin prefers sunny spots, it will also grow well if it's placed in a shadier area.

Zone: 5 to 11
Mature size: 4 feet tall x 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Windermere

Beautiful white and cream petals create what looks to be scoops of ice cream dotting the plant with a medium-strong citrusy smell. This plant will stay compact, which should make trimming and maintaining its shape much easier.

Zones: 5 to 11
Mature size: 4 feet tall x 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Munstead Wood

This shrub features deep, crimson petals with a strong fragrance reminiscent of a berry medley. With proper care, the Munstead Wood will flower through early winter, providing interest when many other plants have begun to fade.

Zone: 5 to 11
Mature size: 3 feet tall x 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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PowerPuff Pink

Peony lovers may enjoy the blooms on the PowerPuff Pink rose, as the dense petals look similar to the classic Karl Rosenfield peony. The fragrance is medium to light with this rose, but it’ll bloom all season.

Zone: 5
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Cherry Frost

Red blooms dot this beautiful climbing variety. It’s bred to be disease-resistant and will continue to bloom through the fall if properly taken care of.

Zone: 4 to 8
Mature size: 6 to 8 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Above All

An excellent climber with stems that can reach more than 14 feet, Above All features bright orange blooms with a citrusy scent. It’s hardy to zone 5 through 10, but if you overwinter your pots properly, it can be hardy to zone 4.

Zone: 5 to 10
Mature size: More than 10 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil, water every day to every other day

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Kiss Me Kate

With pink blooms that smell like apple and raspberry, the Kiss Me Kate climber makes an excellent choice for a trellis or archway as long as you have a proper pot. It also has great disease resistance to common problems like black spot and powdery mildew.

Zone: 5 to 10
Mature size: More than 10 feet tall x 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Quicksilver

Though Quicksilver doesn’t get quite as tall as some other climbers (it reaches only 7 feet), it's a good choice for those who are planning to move their rose pot inside for the winter. Its blooms are purplish-silver set against dark green foliage.

Zone: 5 to 9
Mature size: 6 to 7 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Ferdinand Pichard

Ferdinand Pichard's cupped, double pale-pink blooms are larger than other container roses, but these short-stemmed heirloom roses have a classic, sweet rose scent you won't want to miss. The old-fashioned Victorian-era flowers typically have crimson striping. Be sure to choose a deep pot for the roots of this particular rose.

Zone: 4 to 9
Mature size: 4 to 8 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day

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Jude the Obscure

Jude the Obscure, a medium English rose, has more of a strong and delicious fruity fragrance emanating from the flower's pale to medium yellow petals. This rose is known for its resistance to pests and diseases. Mature roses will need a 10 to 15-gallon container, and breathable clay pots are best for this rose.

Zone: 5 to 9
Mature size: 4 to 6 feet tall x 4 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil; water every day to every other day