Do you love roses, but think they are difficult to grow and hard to
take care of?  Well there is good news for you! Texas A&M has developed the EarthKind rose. 

These roses do very well in almost any type of soil, from the
well-drained acid sands of East Texas to the poorly aerated, highly
alkaline clays of central and Southwest Texas.

EarthKind roses are certainly not immune to pest problems.
Nevertheless, their tolerance to pests is so great that they rarely
require the use of chemical pesticides.

Only a few roses have received the EarthKind designation. However the list continues to grow as new selections are tested.

For a list, pictures, and description of these roses you can get more
information at the web site
http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/
Be sure to choose a rose that will fit in the space you have available. 

Don’t be fooled. They look so little and cute in the nursery
container, but will grow to the size listed.

Growing Tips for EarthKind Roses: For these roses to be as carefree as promised, it is crucial that theyreceive the following basic care:

Planting Site: Plant in locations where they receive direct sunlight for eight hours or more each day.

Have good air movement over their leaves (i.e. do not plant in enclosed areas like courtyards or small backyards which are ringed by 8' fences).

No overhead irrigation during the evening or night hours.

Bed Preparation: Roses really respond to well-drained soils.

Here are the bed preparation recommendations for the 2 major soil types:

Sandy and loam soils: Incorporate 3-6 inches of organic matter such as  compost.

Clay soils: Incorporate 3 inches of organic matter (e.g. compost) and 3 inches of expanded shale. Plant the roses on raised beds that are at least 4-6 inches above the surrounding soil.

Fertilization: Roses also like high levels of fertility, especially nitrogen. So they need to be fertilized in March, June and lightly in late August.
For the March and June feedings, utilize fertilizers in which at least
half of the nitrogen is in the slow release or slowly available form. In
late August, apply fertilizers in which the nitrogen is readily
available.

Maintenance: Regardless of soil type, roses need to be protected year-round with a layer of organic mulch (e.g. cypress bark, shredded trees, tree leaves) 3-4 inches think. In areas of the state plagued by salty irrigation water, it is very important to drip irrigate roses. Salty water applied to the leaves can burn the foliage badly.

For information regarding Texas AgriLife Extension programs,
contact Fannin County Extension Agent, Roger Skipper at (903) 583-7453, rdskipper@ag.tamu.edu