The poor man's rose is a nickname most often given to the peony. This flower produces large, full blooms that look a lot like garden roses. You can grow peonies for a fraction of the cost and effort that roses demand from you each year.
I grow both peonies and David Austin English roses in my yard, and visitors mix them up all the time. When I first planted double peonies next to my rose beds, a neighbor asked which "new rose" I'd added. The petals are that close in shape and fullness. You have to get right up close to tell the two apart in many cases. The color, the fullness, and the petal count all overlap between the two blooms.
The peony earned this nickname because it gives you rose-level beauty without rose-level demands. Peonies are perennials that can live for 50 years or more with very little care from you. They don't need grafting like hybrid teas do. They resist most diseases that plague your roses every season. You won't spend weekends pruning, spraying, or fussing over them. Peonies take care of themselves once their roots settle in. You just sit back and wait for the show each spring. Compare that to the hours you'd spend on roses, and the choice gets easy for you.
Peonies aren't the only flowers similar to roses out there. Several other blooms give you that full, layered look for less money. Here are a few more rose alternatives affordable enough for any budget you're working with.
Lisianthus
- Bloom shape: Double lisianthus flowers look almost the same as garden roses with their ruffled, layered petals.
- Cost savings: A bunch of lisianthus at your local florist costs about half the price of a dozen long-stem roses.
- Vase life: These blooms last 10 to 14 days in a vase, which gives you a longer display than most cut roses.
Ranunculus
- Bloom shape: Paper-thin petals stack into tight spirals that mimic the look of a classic garden rose up close.
- Growing ease: Plant bulbs in fall and you'll get spring blooms without the heavy feeding schedule your roses need.
- Color range: You can find ranunculus in every shade from white to deep burgundy to match your garden's style.
Carnations
- Bloom shape: Ruffled petals create a full, rounded flower head that gives you a rose-like presence in your bouquets.
- Price point: Carnations cost about one-third of what you'd pay for roses at most flower shops and grocery stores.
- Staying power: These are some of the longest-lasting cut flowers you can buy, holding up for two weeks or more.
If you want to grow your own poor man's rose at home, plant peonies in the fall in USDA zones 3 through 8. Give them a spot with full sun and soil that drains well. Dig your hole about two feet wide and mix in a good amount of compost before you set the root in place. Don't bury the eyes more than two inches below the soil line or your plant won't bloom for you. This is the number one mistake new growers make, and it's easy to avoid.
Be patient with your new peonies. They may take two to three years to produce their first full display of flowers. But once they get going, they'll reward you with huge blooms every spring for decades to come. I've had mine for six years now, and each season the show gets bigger and better. That kind of return on a small investment is why the peony earned its famous nickname. Your garden and your wallet will both thank you for picking this bloom over pricey roses.
Read the full article: Rose Flower: Types, Meanings and Care
