Here in Zone 5a/b roses are not for the faint of heart. For some reason (known only to God & meteorologists) the Arctic winds bring down the bitter cold and hard freezes into our state! Roses do require winter protection here depending on variety of course. Those cultivars listed for Zone 6 just do not cope with the bitter winters here unless you live in a well protected micro-climate. With this said the hardy ones are a must have in the landscape! Pictured in the banner are from left Champlain, Yellow Rose of Texas, Lillian Gibson, A Wild Roadside Rose & White Rose of York. My camera does no justice to them. This is the actual photo I used of the first rose (Champlain) in the banner.
