I have to admit, like most gardeners, that many of the plants that I find are either found in a nursery, garden center or on the pages of a gardening magazine or book.  The Knock Out Rose is one that I saw in a Fine Gardening magazine and after seeing the plant, it has been put on my must have list.  This is surprising in itself since I am not a big rose fan.  I mean, I love them in a garden but since they are not my favorite flower, I tend to move away from them and move towards flowers and plants that I love.

The reason why I love the Knock Out Rose is simple.  It is a “Knock Out” with its dark foliage providing a breathtaking backdrop of deep green, which deepens to a dark purple in fall, for this fast growing shrub rose.  The flowers themselves are brilliant colors and you can find this rose in red, pink, blush and rainbow (pink with a yellow center) and sunny (white with a yellow center).  The rose comes in single or double blooms.

Although the color and shrubbery is wonderful, the main draw for me over this flower is the fact that it is fairly hardy and requires very little care.  Generally, you only need to prune in the spring, provide it with proper care, i.e. water, fertilizer, and that is it.  The plant does the rest right down to the deadheads.  This rose is also very resistant to black spots.  The bush itself is very hardy and can survive in Zones 4 to 10.

I honestly do not believe that you can find a rose that requires such a low amount of fuss and have as much glory with a full shrub filled with brilliant blooms.  There is nothing that I find that would deter me from purchasing this rose for my garden, well except space but I can always make more of that.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Plant of the Week: Camellia
2. Plant of the Week: Cyclamen
3. Five Red Rose Varieties for your Garden