Shrub and landscape roses are the most versatile and under-appreciated roses around. Many types of roses fall under the umbrella of "shrub" rose and the class can be further divided into ground covers, upright shrubs, and English roses. In a nutshell, shrub roses come in just about any colour, flower type and growth habit you could ask for. Most are incredibly winter hardy and are well suited for general garden landscape use. Use them as bright spots of colour in your mixed garden beds, tumble them over rock walls or build a nice solid hedge that gives you the bonus of year long colour. If you visit the great gardens of Europe, you will notice that shrub roses are what make them! They are real work horses--blooming machines that provide so much colour for very little effort. Remember that they are planted for their overall beauty when in flush, not for the individual flower. This is why a tiny nursery tag for a shrub rose, showing just a close-up flower shot, may not seem as "pretty" as others. But plant a shrub rose and you will be hooked forever! Note: There are countless outstanding shrub roses on the market, from the wonderful Vigorosa line to older classics.