Types

• Wild rose hybrids available from many garden centers and mail-order sources are wonderful early-blooming plants. Depending on the USDA zone in which they are growing, they can bloom as early as April. Available in several shades of mauve, white, fuchsia, pink and yellow, they have small to medium blooms. They continue to bloom into the summer and fall and are very resilient. Many heirloom rugosa roses also bloom early. In general, wild and heirloom varieties bloom earlier and withstand winter better than tea roses or damasks.
  
  

Care

• Hardy roses generally require less care than more delicate species. They need to be pruned in the fall or midwinter, once they have stopped blooming and are dormant. Generally, it's not a good idea to prune them in the early spring right before they bloom. Fertilizer needs are moderate and many early-blooming roses are disease-resistant.
  
  

Ideal Sites

• Tougher varieties of roses tend to be climbing varieties, so plant April and May blooming roses with plenty of room. Plant them with later-blooming roses, so their late and early blooms compensate for the shorter bloom times.