15 Easy Roses That Are Not Knock Out Roses

Yes, we all love Knock Out roses because they are so darn easy to grow. But admit it, some of you are a little tired of seeing them absolutely everywhere. For those of you looking for roses that are not divas but also not Knock Outs, we bring you alternatives like the Bonica, a shrub rose that grows lush sprays of pink blooms that pop against dark, glossy green leaves. This small, spreading shrub is a repeat bloomer that will keep flowers in your yard from spring to fall, just like Knock Out roses do. Unlike most Knock Outs, Bonica's blooms are replaced by bright red rose hips that last deep into winter. Bonica is disease resistant and its blooms have a light fragrance. The shrub grows 3 to 4 feet tall and spreads to 5 feet, so it's a good choice for a low, flowering hedge. Zones: 4 to 9.

This shrub rose produces clusters of deep pink flowers throughout the growing season. Once the flowers are gone, the bush produces large, orange rose hips that stay on the plant deep into winter, giving color when the landscape is gray. Developed in the 1970s by an Iowa State University professor to withstand Midwestern winters, Carefree Beauty also thrives in hot, dry conditions. It grows to 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide, so it's a good choice as a specimen plant or as an accent for perennial borders. Remember, all roses need 6 hours of sun a day to be their bloomiest. Even these easy roses won't do well in the shade. Zones: 4 to 9.

This popular rose produces clusters of showy white blooms all summer long. Iceberg is an easy-care variety that is nearly thornless and very disease resistant. Iceberg grows to 4 feet high and 3 feet wide and looks fabulous in mass plantings. Iceberg roses are most commonly available as a shrub, but there’s a climbing variety of Iceberg as well that can be trained to a trellis or fence. Zones: 4 to 9.

This rose is part of the Nitty Gritty Rose Collection introduced by Monrovia in 2021. Available in five colors, Nitty Gritty roses need little care and give you continuous blooms. At 3 feet high and 4 feet wide, they can be used as flowering ground covers or as edging for a shrub border. Nitty Gritty roses are fragrant and disease-resistant, a combo you don't often get in roses. Zones: 4 to 9.