Roses - Glossary

Whether you’re new to growing roses or a seasoned gardener, understanding rose terminology can make caring for your plants much easier. Below is a glossary of common rose terms you may come across when browsing our site, planting your roses, or reading our care guides.

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Bare Root - A rose supplied without soil around its roots, usually delivered dormant between late autumn and early spring. Needs to be planted promptly after arrival.

Budding - A method of propagating roses by inserting a bud from one plant into the stem of another rootstock.

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Climbing Rose - A rose with long, flexible canes that can be trained against a wall, trellis, or arch. Needs support and regular pruning to maintain shape.

Container Rose - A rose supplied in a pot with soil. These can be planted at any time of year, provided the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.

Crown - The point where the roots and stems of the rose meet, often just below soil level when planted.

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Deadheading - Removing faded or spent blooms to encourage new flowers and prevent seed formation.

Dieback - When parts of the stem die from the tip downward, often caused by frost, poor pruning cuts, or disease.

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Floribunda - A rose variety that produces clusters of flowers rather than a single bloom per stem. Known for long-lasting, colourful displays.

Fragrance - The scent of the rose — can vary from light and sweet to rich and spicy, depending on the variety.

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Grafting - A technique where the flowering part of one rose (the scion) is joined to the root system of another (the rootstock) to combine desirable traits.

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Hard Pruning - Cutting stems back significantly to encourage strong new growth. Often used for newly planted roses or to rejuvenate older ones.

Hybrid Tea - A classic rose type with large, well-formed blooms, usually one per stem — ideal for cutting.

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Pests - Insects or organisms that can damage roses, such as aphids, greenfly, and spider mites.

Pruning - The process of cutting back stems and removing dead or diseased wood to shape the plant and promote healthy growth.

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Rootstock - The root system onto which a rose variety is grafted. Determines the rose’s vigour and disease resistance.

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Suckers - Vigorous shoots that grow from below the graft union (the base of the plant). These should be removed as they can weaken the main rose.

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Thornless (Nearly Thornless) - Refers to rose varieties bred to have few or no thorns, making them easier to handle.

Top Growth - All growth above the graft union — the flowering part of the rose.

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Watering - Roses prefer deep, infrequent watering to encourage strong root growth. Avoid watering from above to prevent fungal issues.

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