Roses are queens of the garden, adding grace to borders with elegant blooms. But some of these stately monarchs have a saucier side, and when flowers fade they kick off their petals for a show of spectacular hips.

These colorful fruits glow in rubies, oranges and yellows, dazzling well into fall. Big, bold and beautiful, they're sure to cause a stir in your late-season garden.

To get the best display from roses, stop deadheading now to allow hips to ripen. Pick a few to add to tea after the first frost when they're sweetest, but leave the rest. You'll love the pop they give.

Not all roses have magnificent hips, so here are a few tested varieties. Call ahead - though fall is a good time for rose planting, many nurseries may be low on stock.

What: Rosa pulverulenta

The pink flowers of this shrub rose give way to bright, cranberry-red teardrop hips. Stunning in mixed plantings, bring a few sprays in for texture in autumn bouquets. Zones 4-9. Available at Harlequin's Gardens, 4795 N. 26th St., Boulder, (harlequinsgardens.com), $15 per 1-gallon pot.

What: Rosa rugosa "Hansa"

Mountain gardeners will fancy this showy rambler, which prefers to grow at elevation. Noted for exceptional fall foliage color, the orange-red hips add flash. Zones 3-9. Echter's Garden Center, 9170 W. 52nd Ave., Arvada, (echters.com), has it for $29.99 per 2-gallon pot.

What: Golden Wings

Large orange hips are the hallmark of this midsized shrub, an eager bloomer whose show starts early in the season. Yellow blossoms with rusty stamens form continuously all summer. Zones 4-9. Find this beauty at Harlequins Gardens, $21 per 2-gallon pot.

What: Rosa glauca

Early in the season, hips of this native rose are bronze, then ripen to plum-red in fall. Purple foliage on this large shrub pairs well with dusty blue tones in the garden. Zones 3-9. Available online from Heirloom Roses, heirloomroses.com, for $15.95 per plant.

What: Alba Semi-plena

Give this antique rose room to grow, and it will reward you with twofold drama: intensely fragrant, double-petaled white blooms followed by orange-red hips. Zones 4-9. Available at Harlequin's Gardens, $28 per 2-gallon pot.

What: Complicata

Big, fragrant pink flowers, showy orange hips and long canes make this shrub ideal in beds or trained to climb trellises. Zones 4-9. Available online from Heirloom Roses for $15.95 per plant.

Carol O'Meara, a local gardening expert, can be reached at omearacarol@comcast.net