Knockout roses: Love 'em or hate 'em?

[willow_girl]

Last week I was chatting with a client. Her butterfly bush didn't return this spring, and she decided she wanted a rosebush planted in its place. Since she hires all her gardening done (by me!) I assumed she would want something hardy and easy to care for, so I suggested a Knockout rose. I have a pink one that's 3 years old and I've been thrilled with it!

Heck, just the fact it's survived astounds me! I grow everything organically, with generous doses of neglect, and roses (hybrid teas at least) tend to be a bit ... frail. Not my Knockout, though! In fact, last summer it was nearly crowded out by an overly exuberant mallow (which has since been moved) and it even overcame THAT! When the above photo was taken, it had more than 50 flowers blooming at once.

But my client turned up her nose at the idea, stating that she wanted a "real" rosebush. Huh?

So, what's YOUR take on Knockouts? Are they the Stella D'Oros of the rose world? Should I refrain from again mentioning them in polite company? LOL

[arcticow]

I definitely do not care for 'em... Not too crazy 'bout hybrid teas either tho. Prefer older shrub types.

[Mistyf]

I've been thinking of getting some. My sister has some, and they are beautiful. She is not the gardening type, and does nothing to care for them. All of the roses that I have had in the past have had aphid problems, but her knockouts don't seem to get them. I think they are wonderful.

[7thswan]

Yes, I like them, they made it thru the winter well. Bought an Amber one this spring. I never buy Tea roses, some folks just buy them as an anual. I did not see many packaged roses this year, but alot of Carpet roses and Knock out.

[house06]

love , love love them. Anything that is low maintenance and high performance is great in my book!!!

PS willow girl I sure wish you lived close to me I would most definitely approve of your gardening choices!!!!

[newfieannie]

i love mine. it's bright red. tried to find a pink one this year. so easy to care for. the others i have to coddle them. first time i saw them was last year when i bought this one. i certainly intend buying more. ~Georgia.

I just bought a double pink and a single cream/yellow. Nice conformation, nice smell. My others are all heritage types, but these looked so nice I thought I'd give them a try.

Florida can be mighty challenging for roses and these are developing a reputation for toughness.

[NickieL]

not too fond of them.....

[Laura Zone 10]

I think they are beautiful.

I have 3 hybrids......I ignore them, bugs eat them, forget to water them, forget to feed them.....one "died" so I tried to rip up the roots and what I couldn't get up, I stomped into the mulch with my boots!!

They are all 3 hearty, healthy and blooming like crazy.
Cockroaches, twinkies, and my roses will survive the nuclear winter!!!

[ksfarmer]

For minimal care situations they can't be beat (IMO). Lots of blooms, quick growth, and winter hardy in my zone 5b. I use them in a couple of business landscapes as well as personally and haven't had a problem yet in 6 or 8 years.

[willow_girl]

ockroaches, twinkies, and my roses will survive the nuclear winter!!!

Don't forget Stinkbugs -- I think they are here to stay, too!

[How Do I]

Originally Posted by willow_girl

Are they the Stella D'Oros of the rose world? Should I refrain from again mentioning them in polite company? LOL

Yes and yes.

[Honorine]

I like them, think I have the single red and the double pink right now. Rainbow Knockout was a poor grower and prone to mildew, Sunny Knockout is a weak grower, Carefree Sunshine and Bella Renaissance are both far better plants. I like the bubble gum pink color of Double Pink Knockout, it does have to be pruned down quite a bit in spring, canes are not very hardy. Found that with many of the Knockouts. Meidilands on the other hand are often cane hardy right to the tips, and just as disease resistant as the Knockouts, I grow a bunch of the Meidilands. I also grow a number of Austins, some of which are bullet proof and ten feet tall, sometimes literally. If she wants a 'real rose' James Galway would fill the bill, but he's a monster, very hardy and gorgeous. Generous Gardener is another very healthy Austin, Sophys Rose is an excellant smaller choice. What color and size does she want?

[Limon]

Love them. I'm in an area where rose diseases are a real problem, and the Knockouts do great without any care. Zephirine Drouhin climbers are the only other variety I've found that does well without constant care in my neck of the woods. I do love the scent and look of the old-fashions, but I don't have the time for all the work they need to survive here.

[sweetbabyjane]

Willow,
I love your statue, it's beautiful!

SBJ

[lickcreek2]

Love, love, love mine! They are the only roses that have actually survived for me!!! I have 2 single reds (3 yrs and counting), 2 double pinks, and a yellow/cream (planted last year) 2 double reds that I planted just last month, and 2 more double reds and a double pink that I picked up at lunch today to plant this week in some holes I need to fill!

I'm not crazy about growing roses normally, as I don't have the time to baby them, but these are too easy to grow to not use them. If I could find them in more colors, I would probably plant even more of them!

Did I mention I love mine?

[Callieslamb]

I love them. I prefer old garden roses, but some of them don't bloom as long or as well. Knock outs give you bloom all season without the worry and expense of sprays.

[JuliaAnn]

I have quite a few old garden roses (teas, hybrid musks, chinas, etc.) a few Austins, a few misc. floribundas and grandifloras, and some Knockouts. For me, all the Knockouts are very vigorous. I like the Sunny KO but it does fade to cream by afternoon. However, it's still a good filler in a pastel pallette. Right now I have one circular bed that has two Sunny KO, one Double KO, a beautiful little Clotilde Soupert, and a tall, gorgeous tea called Marechal Niel on a pillar. The Sunny KO helps to keep that touch of yellow in that bed when MN is between spurts of bloom.

KO's are also useful in beds that are less than ideal for other roses--poor soil, harsh exposure, etc. However, they don't handle shade the way my old standby, Duchess De Brabant does.

[frankva]

If she wants to pay you to fuss over a "real" rose, well...

I think it is the shape of the flower for some people.

I do like tea roses.

[Yldrosie]

Just bought a double pink "Bubblegum". Hope it does well in the high desert.