The very best rose for Florida is the 'cracker rose" Louis Phillippe. Lu wee' fill leep'. It grows well own root, can take a lot of shade. Roots easily and will grow to about 6 foot. It can be controlled by pruning if that is too large.

The blooms may fry a little in that much afternoon sun.

The blooms are cherry red and very fragrant. They don't last in the vase but will get you through a dinner party.

Here is a link that might be useful: Florida's best rose

I believe roses are actually not that difficult to grow here - I notice many yards w/ a number of rose bushes, even waterfront homes.

I had a couple of hybrid tea roses on Fortuniana rootstock that bloomed beautifully w/ little care for years. They finally died out due to too much shade, but I still have a China rose (mutabilis) doing just fine w/ even less care.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Roses in Florida

If you are only going to have one rose to start with I second the suggestion of Louis Phillippe. It is an Old Garden Rose (OGR) that doesn't require spraying and will be pretty, fragrant and long-lived. If you want to get the more fragrant roses that require spraying you will need to make sure that you get them on fortuniana rootstock; it is resistant to the nematodes that kill most roses in our sandy soil.

Listen to your neighbors and fellow "Floridians" and grow the roses that they have great luck with! Look here for lots of 'rose growing' info. Growing roses

My husband has planted over 50 bushes on our small property in the past 2 1/2 years. They get hand watered (we don't have sprinklers) and they are beautiful. He loves roses and in NY he had hundreds. Broke his heart when we sold our home.

He decided to try growing them here and he has not lost a single one. We also do not use any toxic chemicals and they haven't had any big problems. He keeps them mulched with wood chips, uses Rosetone once in a while and waters when dry. That's it. He has climbers, shrub and bushes. I don't know the names, I do remember one is called Lincoln. It is fantastic deep red rose which flowers constantly.

We are in Sarasota. Give it a go, he buys them at various nurseries and big-box stores. I don't know if any are grafted. I don't think so.

Jane

Jane, I would love to see pictures of those roses! It sounds like your husband gardens with the same methods as I do. My roses (and everything I grow) I grow organically. And those wood chips make great mulch. As I near retirement age, and start to think about downsizing to a smaller house I know it's not my house so much as my gardens I would miss!

If he is buying them at big box stores they are most likely grafted to Dr Huey rootstock.

Well, it depends on what you are expecting from this one rose bush. If you want cutting flowers like you buy at the florist that is one thing. If you want a landscape rose one that gives color in the yard that is another. Louis P. is a landscape rose as are lot of the Old Garden Roses. Belinda's Dream has nice cut flowers and easy care and there are others. Do your home work.

Best roses to buy are on fortuniana root stock not usually available at box stores. Although the "OGRs" are ok on their own roots.

prepare planting area with organics, mulch and water. and water.