Hello- I'm afraid I don't know much about conditions in Kansas, but to answer your question, yes. You have many choices beyond the Knockouts. This season I have had my eye on Beverly and Mother of Pearl. They're both drop-dead gorgeous and healthy. Beverly's fragrance will hit you from three metres away. Also look at the newer Kordes. Summer Sun, Winter Sun, Garden Delight, and all of the Fairy Tales fit your bill. Frances Meilland is stellar in our climate. Julia Child is very good.
If any of these interest you, I suggest you run the names past your local rosarians and get their feedback on how they perform in your conditions.
In general, look for newer roses by breeders who are selecting for health in no-spray conditions.
don

I'd imagine black spot would be your greatest disease pressure. As there are five, different races of black spot in the US and no one knows which ones you have (usually multiple types) and as there is no list of which roses resist which types, your best bet is to check with your local rose society and any local nurseries who have a decent supply of roses to find out which ones are as spot free as possible WHERE you are. What is resistant in Canada, California or New York is not necessarily going to be resistant in Kansas as the diseases are most likely different. If you know Knock Outs work there, and if this space is going to produce food, it seems like a no brainer to me from a safety stand point. Kim

Kate, aka dublinbay, is from Kansas, so she might have some suggestions, but with all due respect to Kansas, Kansas City is actually located in Missouri, though this city is near the Kansas border. Diane

Thanks, Diane. Kim

If your diseases work out to be like mine, I'd say:

-- Paul Bocuse for a very ornamental bloom and excellent fragrance and doesn't grow out of bounds. If I had to pick the healthiest, easily-manageable rose with a large, old-fashioned bloom I have, I'd say he's my best.

-- Bow Bells has less fragrance and the bloom is simpler, but she is even easier to grow well (like you can forget to water her!). Still doesn't grow out of bounds (here). Low thorn, too.

-- Bonica is very easy, with no fragrance. Just a really easy rose that still has blooms that are more HT-like than most of my workhorses. Her blooms are smaller. Great hips late in the year!

-- Morey's Pink is prettier than Bonica, imho, and just as easy, but the blooms are getting a bit small for this list. The quantity of well-formed blooms and ease make this one of my top 5 roses, so I have to suggest her, though! No fragrance to my nose.

I've heard great things about Our Lady of Guadalupe, but I've never grown her.

I adore the Kordes roses, but mine kind of sprawl and grow more unruly and large unless I train them or prune certain ways. I don't mind that a bit, but that's why I didn't include them or other roses that can get a bit wild and big. Weeding is tougher, etc. I just think the others are easier, but my Kordes are certainly healthy.

Home Run is pretty bullet proof but looks much like KO and has no fragrance. Julia Child, on the other hand, is nearly as spot free, has gorgeous blooms and fragrance!

This is a Double Knockout rose bloom. They grow 4ft x 3ft here. Blooms are 2" - 3"... Mostly near 3" here.
I do not get those star shaped blooms that I have seen on other double knockout roses not sure what that's all about?

But yes if you want to go non - knockout then check with your local growers, rose society, etc. for what roses work in your area.

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You might want to consider some of the Medilland series. Pink and White Medilland have high ARS ratings. Pink does get some BS and is a wimpy grower in my climate. White is better for me.

Alba Medilland is a repeat blooming small rambler, and looks splendid draped over a fence.

Another place you could look for information is the New York Botanical Garden where they switched out all the roses in 2007 to more disease resistant and are growing without chemicals. They offer a list of which roses they are growing too.

I have 'Julia Child' and so far I've found it to be one of the easiest and most dependable to grow without chemicals. Medium size yellow flowers, lots of rebloom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden

I think I would plant blueberry bushes rather than roses. Blueberries are quite ornamental and the berries are one of the most nutritious.