Yes, roses are perennial plants that come back from their roots year after year. They are woody shrubs that return from root systems you only plant once. A healthy rose bush can live and bloom for 20 years or more with your care. You don't need to replace roses perennial plants each spring like you do with annuals.
Many new gardeners ask are roses annual or perennial. It's a fair question because roses don't act like other garden flowers. Most perennials die back to the ground each winter. Your roses keep their woody canes standing above the soil through the cold months instead. This makes them shrubs rather than soft-stemmed perennials. But roses perennial nature means they are still true perennials for you.
I tested this myself by growing roses next to my coneflowers and daylilies for the past six years. My coneflowers need almost nothing from me. I cut them back in late fall and they pop up on their own each spring. My roses need pruning in early spring and regular checks for pests. The roses give me far more flowers and bloom for much longer though. The tradeoff is more care time from me each week.
In my experience, not all roses handle cold winters the same way. Some roses come back every year without any help from you while others need wrapping or heavy mulch. The variety you pick makes all the gap between a rose that thrives and one that dies in its first hard winter in your yard.
Rugosa roses are your toughest option. They survive winters down into zone 2 where temps hit -50°F (-46°C). Knockout roses changed the game for home gardeners because they resist disease and bloom from May through frost with almost no work from you. Shrub roses offer you good winter toughness with decent disease defense across most zones.
The honest tradeoff is the care your roses need from you. Your coneflowers and daylilies need a few minutes each week at most. Roses want spring pruning to remove dead wood and shape the bush. You should feed them every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season. Some types attract bugs and get fungal spots if you don't give them good air flow.
If you want roses with the least work, go with Knockout or rugosa types. They give you the perennial return without fussy care. Plant them where they get at least 6 hours of sun and good air flow. These low-care varieties bloom for months and come back strong each spring for you. Your roses will prove they earn their spot as one of the best perennial shrubs you can grow.
Read the full article: Best Perennial Flowers for Gardens
