Which is Better for Your Garden - Knockout Roses or Drift Roses?
Published On: Feb 1, 2017
Updated On: Sep 28, 2026
Share:
Ready to add some color to your garden with long-blooming, easy-to-care-for roses? There are two popular choices for gardeners who want the beauty of roses without the hassle: Knockout and Drift roses. But which is better for your garden? Let’s find out!
Knockout Roses
Knockout roses are wildly popular and have been for a while. Known to be a low-maintenance, prolific bloomer, you’ll find these beauties in most landscapes. While they are easy to grow and maintain, they do grow larger each year, reaching up to 6 feet tall and wide, and are better suited to larger garden beds. They also have pronounced thorns, which can make pruning painful.
Drift Roses
Although newer than Knockout roses, Drift roses are quickly becoming a gardener's favorite. Drift roses also bloom nonstop and don’t need to be sprayed for the disease. But, they are much smaller, growing only 18” tall and about 3 feet wide. Drift roses are often referred to as ground cover roses, making them great for landscape beds and containers, or for cascading over a wall or bank. Drift roses have a more traditional ‘rose’ shape, and some of them are even fragrant, such as Coral Drift and Sweet Drift.
Comparing Knockout Roses and Drift Roses
The differences are few but can be significant, especially in size and shape. Below is a quick chart comparing the two:
Knockout Roses
- Bush or shrub shape.
- Grows up to 6 ft tall. Needs pruning.
- Not a traditional rose-shaped bloom.
- Full sun, partial sun.
- Disease-resistant.
- Low maintenance.
- Colors: Hot pink, cherry red, Yellow, Peach.
- Not fragrant like traditional roses, except for Sunny Knockout.
- Drought-resistant.
- Bloom until the first frost.
- Self-cleaning.
- Ideal for larger gardens.
- Significant thorns.
Drift Roses
- Arching shape; groundcover.
- Grows up to 3 ft tall. Minimal pruning.
- More of a traditional rose-shaped bloom.
- Full sun, partial sun.
- Disease-resistant.
- Low maintenance.
- Colors: Apricot, coral, pink, peach, red, white, yellow.
- Some varieties are fragrant.
- Drought-resistant.
- Cold hardy.
- Self-cleaning.
- Better for smaller gardens.
- Typically, no thorns.
The long and the short of it is…you can’t go wrong with either choice. It all boils down to personal preference and the space you have to work with. Choose the one that works best for your garden and enjoy your roses for seasons to come!