Simply pinching dead blooms and feeding pansies and violas will keep them looking good and blooming for a longer period. While old-fashioned roses are often more hardy and easier to take care of than newer hybrid floribundas and teas, some modern varieties are deliciously fragrant. The seven basic scents most often found in hybrid tea roses are apple, clover, lemon, nasturtium, orris, rose, and violet. For fragrance, consider Chrysler Imperial, Crimson Glory, Dolly Parton, Double Delight, Fragrant Cloud, Garden Party, Granada, Intrigue, Ivory Fashion, Lemon Sherbet, Mister Lincoln, Papa Meilland, Sunsprite, Sutter's Gold, Sweet Surrender, and Tiffany. In general, the most highly scented roses are the ones that are darker in color, have more petals to the flower, or have thick, velvety petals.
Fragrance is strongest early on warm, sunny days when the soil is moist.
Roses that appear to be resistant to powdery mildew include Double Delight, Honor, Iceberg, and Cary Grant. In a recent test, these roses were cut when in bud and put in vases of 72-degree water. Blooms were judged for color, substance, retention of petals, and overall appearance. While all of the roses lasted at least four days, Olympiad and Touch of Class remained in good condition for a full nine days. Red, pink, and orange roses lasted the longest, as did those having many petals mainly due to their slower opening time.