Why not contact the Dubai embassy in Washington and ask them? Many countries have very strict rules and regulations about importing foreign plant material so make sure you check that also.
Another thing to consider is water regulations. Dubai may not appreciate using scarce water on roses.
I Googled "rose plants in Dubai" and came up with a list of websites that may be helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: rose plants in Dubai

Karl
What is all those numbers and letters after your zone number?
I enjoy your posts.
Thanks

Gary

Computer coding. It appeared after iVillage dropped the growing zones then put them back. Originally, my growing zone appeared after my name as 5a NW Indiana. If you look at yours it appears the same way. iVillage needs to fix this but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Hi, I am afraid I cannot help you even though I live in Dubai... I am such a newbie gardener I have no clue.

At our home we go buy fresh flowers from an outdoor flower market and then plant them, and in the summers when they die we just replace them as we see fit... but the summers are pretty brutal... its amazing there are plants and trees that can survive the weather though!

I just did quick google search and I see one rose that my MIL gets out here... I believe it is the David Austin Rose... its the first one on this page (not absolutely sure but the roses looked exactly like the photo):
http://www.hotgardens.net/grow_roses_in_hot_climate.htm

The rose I remember I was surprised at how long it lasted despite the heat (don't remember how long though) but she always buys them as a grown plant, and lets it eventually die.

Here is a forum for Australians talking about what hot weather roses worked for them...

http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/load/roses/msg0114501519043.html

Unlike my MIL who just lets them die in the heat of the summer and buys new plants when she feels like it, you could probably do like they do in the outdoor garden place--they keep the intensity of the sun out by using green netting thingies to shade them. sure it won't be the beautiful for the garden to have a green netting roof thingy over your plants/flowers, but once the worst of the summer is over you can reveal everything back into full sun again.

sorry if my reply makes you more confused than before LOL.

My Brother-in-law is in Beirut and says his uncle has done well with Rosa Damascena breeds.

Most roses do very well in dry heat, provided they get sufficient water and are protected from hot winds. Your best bet is to start with what local nurseries/growers are growing and then find out the rules on importing others.

Aloes from the Arabian peninsula are beautiful plants with gorgeous flowers and perfectly adapted to the climate. Learn about the local plants...they are wonderful too.

Miss Nancy Lindsay brought roses (among other plants) back from Persia (1920's-30's) -- among them, 'Rose de Rescht [Resht]." And there are species roses, native to that part of the world.
But FWIW, I've seen photos of roses sent back by American Military personell, who photographed them in Iraq, and all of those appeared to be modern HTs.

Jeri

I would think Dubai is like my desert climate. I live in Az. in a desert climate. I have no problem growing any rose. The only thing I can say is, I don't like to grow any light purple roses like Angel Face, that color of purple will wash out in our hot sun also Stainless Steel is not a good rose because of the color. I have never had any trouble with any type of Rose and growing problems with the rose's. I cannot feed the rose's once it gets above 85F because of burn and when it is hot make sure they have lots and lots of water. As far as types of roses you can grow you will be able to grow any type. I can't even think of a rose I cannot grow here. Like I said, as long as they get water when it is hot they will grow just fine.
As far as flowers and/or perennials I will tell you of some I cannot grow in my desert climate, Peony, ( which I love and wish I could grow them) Delphiniums,(love those too) Foxglove, Shasta daisy, anything that will grow in zone 8 and below will not do good in my desert climate, but there are other flowers that you can grow, Lavender, Baby's Breath, Coreopsis, salvia, most shade plants, there are tons of plants that thrive in a desert climate.
But as far as rose's you should have no problem growing those over there, but it is a totally different climate then Mich. Karl had a good idea about calling the embassy. I am sure they can give you lots of suggestion's.
Good Luck, and keep in touch with your gardening over there I am curious to hear how you do there.
Carrie

I remember seeing a show one time where the host went to an old monastery deep in the middle east that had a giant rosebush that was supposedly grown from a cutting of the 'burning bush' from the Moses story. It was huge and well established, growing against a wall. So there definitely are roses that can grow in that climate, though it didn't have any flowers on it at the time the show was filmed.

Hi Nichol

I'm actually from Dubai and growing roses is one of my Hobbes most of the rose breeds do well here in Dubai but you need to water them more than what you are used to in Michigan, i water them daily, they do best in the months between October and April but after that it gets very hot on them so i water them with cold water not ice cold but colder than the usual. i also do the rose cutting planting in the months between December and march they grow stronger in this months. you can bring bare root roses with you if you like i did that last year when i visited the USA, you also can import them but you have to have a permit, this is the form for it and you have to pay 500 Durhams fee for the permit so if you want just 1 or 2 it dose not worth to import them. I'm also thinking of importing same this month.http://uaeagricent.moew.gov.ae/services/agri_import.asp?id=3
for more information about plant and animals in Dubai go to http://moew.gov.ae/En/pages/default.aspx

the best roses from the USA for Dubai are the roses for zone 9 that's what i have and they grow beautifully here.

Amal

Amal, I'm not moving to Dubai, but I'm curious about the water situation there. Are there watering restrictions like we have here in Florida? And is it an expensive commodity? What is the source of the water? Wells?