New roses for 2026: What’s on tap from major breeders

Everything old is new again. That’s certainly true in the world of roses where Old World charm, form and scent have definitely influenced new rose introductions for 2026.

These modern roses encapsulate several current trends. No. 1: Fragrance is a must. Buyers want flowers that smell like roses (or something!), not scentless beauty (although a few new releases have enough other positive attributes to convince hybridizers to bring them to market).

Also mandatory: Ease of care. New roses have to have improved disease resistance and beautiful foliage to match their blooms – no spraying necessary. (Some landscape roses take “easy care” to the next level with “self-cleaning” blooms; no deadheading needed.)

When it comes to blooms, bigger is better – as in more and more petals. The heavy-petaled look of Austin roses is in demand. (Not coincidentally, these roses also tend to have stronger scent due to the link between petals and fragrance.) This trend has prompted some breeders (such as Austin) to dip into their own collections for “new introductions” (at least in the U.S.) roses that had been previously released in Europe.

Buyers are looking for new classics that just happen to be easier to grow, say the rose breeders.

“Year after year, we honor the artistry and legacy of rose breeding while continuing to innovate for the modern gardener,” said Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins. “Our 2026 introductions are a reflection of that legacy: roses with story, soul, and staying power.”

Here’s a snapshot of new rose introductions for 2026, available now (or coming soon) in nurseries and catalogs:

– ‘Ruffled Romance,’ yellow-blend floribunda, Jackson & Perkins: This lovely floribunda is the last creation of legendary hybridizer Dr. Keith Zary. It opens in warm tones of golden yellow and apricot before maturing into a soft pink. With strong disease resistance, bushes boast large 4-inch flowers with moderate fragrance.

– ‘Sealed with a Kiss,’ dark red hybrid tea, Jackson & Perkins: This classic hybrid tea with exhibition form is a near-black dark, velvety red with long stems, excellent disease resistance and a lot of stately presence – both in the garden and the show table.

– ‘Flash Gordon,’ pink semi-double floribunda, Jackson & Perkins: These big, cerise pink blooms measure 5 inches across with showy stamens around a white “eye”; slight scent, but this rose will find its place in many a pollinator-friendly landscape.

– ‘Penelope Lively,’ medium pink shrub rose, David Austin Roses: Originally released in England in 2023 and named for the beloved writer. Austin Roses calls this big pink rose an instant classic with very rosy scent and petal-packed look.

– ‘Queen of Sweden,’ light pink shrub, David Austin Roses: A flowery salute to Sweden first seen in 2004, this Austin classic features clusters of baby pink blooms, each with 140 petals and heavy myrrh scent.

– ‘The Lark Ascending,’ apricot shrub, David Austin Roses: Named for the beloved violin piece by Ralph Vaughan Williams, this is another re-release from Austin. Its large cuppy semi-double blooms come in large clusters, often more than 10 or 12, with a pleasant tea/myrrh scent.

– ‘James Galway,’ light pink climber, David Austin Roses: Named for the famed flutist, this vigorous climber boasts huge, 130-petal light pink fragrant blooms. First introduced in Europe in 2000, ‘James Galway’ is getting a long-awaited American debut.

– ‘Kew Gardens,’ white single shrub, David Austin Roses: Another one new to the U.S. market, this shrub features huge heads of fragrant little single white roses, sort of the rose version of a hydrangea. First introduced in 2009 in England, it’s named in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London.

– ‘Living the Dream,’ yellow-blend grandiflora, Springhill Nursery: Vibrant yellow-gold and magenta blooms with strong fruity/citrus fragrance and excellent disease resistance. Big blooms each have 70-plus petals and the look (and scent) of an Austin rose.

– ‘Make Me Blush,’ light yellow-pink blend hybrid tea, Weeks Roses: An American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) winner, this rose was a top performer nationwide in regional testing. It looks a lot like ‘Peace,’ but with more disease resistance. Good exhibition form and large, 5-inch blooms.

– ‘Fashion Forward, pink floribunda, Weeks Roses for Springhill Nursery: Striking pink with white, fully double blooms in clusters, boasting a strong fruity scent and long bloom season. This disease-resistant rose won most-fragrant honors at the 2025 Portland Rose Festival.

– ‘Martha Stewart,’ light pink/apricot hybrid tea, Star Roses: This rose had to be very special to get this name. Developed by Meilland for Star Roses, ‘Martha Stewart’ the rose is a hybrid tea that looks like an Austin with very full, fragrant blooms, 100 to 150 petals apiece. The scent is described as “bergamot, honeysuckle, lemon verbena” and strong. Glossy, dark green foliage has excellent disease resistance, too. All this star power comes in a compact package with bushes staying under 3 feet tall and wide.