Antique roses aren't your typical Valentine’s Day stems. These bushy "heirloom" varieties are garden staples with history dating back thousands of years. Less formal than modern cuts, they bring a timeless beauty to any yard.

The petals of Noisette roses come in shades of cream, pink, yellow, apricot, and white. These large rose plants do well in Southern gardens, and emit a fragrance reminiscent of the olds days.

Photography: Wikimedia

Grown for perfume in North Africa and the Middle East, damask has been cultivated for thousands of years. Their flowers may be white or pink and they typically bloom in May and June, although some types bloom repeatedly throughout spring and summer.

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Lady Banks is a climbing rose that produces clusters of white or yellow blooms on vining branches as long as 50 feet. Plant this one along a fence or arbor in full or partial sun, and you’ll love the violet-like scent the flowers emit.

Gallica was grown by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Today, you’ll find many varieties of this compact plant, which produces blooms in various shades of pink, red and purple. Gallica only blooms once a year, unlike other rose types that bloom throughout the summer.

The petals of mutabilis roses change color as they age, meaning you'll end up with a bush full of flowers in yellow, orange, pink and red. Mutabilis roses grow up to 6 feet tall and twice as wide, so plant this one in an open, sunny spot.

Photography: Wikimedia

You’ll be happy with the variety of Portland roses that are available. These old roses come in white, pink, red and purple, and they're all heavily scented. They’re perfect for a small garden, as this shrubby plant gets only 3-4 feel tall and wide.

Photography: DavidAustinRoses.com