Becky, you could grow big roses in the ground if you bought roses grafted onto Fortuniana rootstock. It's perfect for Florida because it doesn't appeal to root-knot nematodes. Local Florida nurseries are likely to carry Fortuniana-grafted roses. The local wholesaler is Nelsons Florida Roses.
https://sites.google.com/site/...
If you can't find them locally, you can get them by mail from K&M Roses.
http://www.kandmroses.com/
I've ordered many roses from K&M and they are superb! Fortuniana works well in California, where it has the added plus of not appealing to gophers, and in all of the southern states. It isn't hardy, so it doesn't work well in the lower zones. The roses have to be planted with the graft high above ground level, so it's not a good choice of rootstock in any location where the graft has to be underground.
Years ago, I also bought some roses from MerryGro in Florida, which grew Jackson & Perkins roses on Fortuniana rootstock. Those roses put the other J&P roses in my garden to shame! They're taller, wider, and healthier. Unfortunately, MerryGro was going out of business when I bought my roses, so I never had a chance to buy more.
