Roses for a dry land: Species, old garden roses are tough, low-water

Which rose?

In Colorado, where the stunning landscape is also challenging and water consumption is a perennial concern, knowing which roses will fare well with the least amount of water can be the best way to narrow the field

People assume that all roses take a lot of water but the truth is that a lot of the species roses, as well as a lot of the modern shrub roses, really require less water than traditional hybrid tea roses, says Matt Douglas, owner of Denver's High Country Roses.

"Many roses, primarily the species roses, can be incorporated into landscaping in nearly xeric conditions," he says. "These include the Rosa glauca and the Rosa woodsii. The drought-resistant woodsii is not considered the most beautiful, but it fits the bill for low water needs."

His personal favorite is Rosa glauca, or redleaf rose.

"It's a fantastic shrub; once a year it blossoms with tiny pink buds," Douglas says. "It can grow up to 6 feet and will survive in nearly waterless conditions once established." A similar rose is the Austrian copper, which produces an orange flower, blooms once a year, and does well in this climate.

Rosa glauca also is a designated rose for Plant Select, the cooperative program administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University in concert with horticulturists and nurseries throughout the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. Plant Select (plantselect.org ) identifies and distributes the best plants for landscapes and gardens from the intermountain region to the high plains.

"This is a great resource for anyone who wants to identify plants that will thrive here," Douglas says. Another Plant Select-designated rosebush is "Ruby Voodoo." It's "a double-bloom, very fragrant, modern hybrid that is a good choice for a first-time rose gardener," Douglas says.

For history lovers, High Country's repertoire includes five varieties of Fairmount roses. These are roses found in east Denver's Fairmount Cemetery and propagated about 20 years ago. At its 1890 founding, Fairmount (fairmountheritagefoundation.org) was the largest developed landscape of its time west of the Mississippi.

High Country Roses owner Matt Douglas says roses will do well in dry conditions if you choose well-adapted varieties. (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)

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Roses for a dry land: Species, old garden roses are tough, low-water