Carpet Roses – Groundcover Roses

To transform an area of neglected ground into an eye-catching garden part, carpet roses will do a great job

The term ‘ground cover rose’ is used to describe rose varieties with different habits. Some are tall and arching while others are really hugging the ground. Some of them spread to a width of more than 10 feet, while others reach only 3 feet.

Choosing the right size and growing habit of the roses is crucial to make sure it is the perfect one for each situation.

What to Consider Using Carpet Roses

Carpet Roses Avoid Weed?

To make it clear: the argument, ground covering roses reduce the weed growth is a myth! It often leads to the circumstance that a good soil preparation before planting is unimportant. The opposite is the case.

It is particularly necessary to ensure weeds have no chance to grow because it is tough to remove weeds in the population.

If you plant on weed-free soil and regularly remove all weeds until the plants cover the ground completely, the argument of weed-suppression may be correct.

Planting Recommendations

The weed suppression is a main topic on planting ground cover roses. Professional gardeners use sheet mulch to plant them and remove it until the plants are well established.

I have covered the topic about which material to use and how to plant ground cover roses separately.

Easy To Grow Easy To Care For

Groundcover’s, once established, are nearly maintenance free. Many types of these roses are hardy and disease free and various possible combinations with other roses as well as with companion plants make them extremely useful for private gardens.

Pruning and deadheading is an easy task, and the plants can even be left alone.

No need for a summer pruning to make them re-bloom. Of course, to keep them in shape, an occasional trimming should be performed.

Where ground-covering roses are planted in larger numbers, using cuttings could be an advantage. On the contrary to grafted plants, they will not form any suckers.

Imagine the difficulties to remove suckers in a well-established plant-population.

Although the purchase may be more expensive, in carrying out this work it pays itself.

A Few Popular Groundcover Roses

Remarkably a high proportion of the carpet rose varieties are established in the pink color range.

White and red is partly still present, but the remaining color spectrum is almost completely absent. If you require other colors, simply add varieties from other rose classes.

Hertfordshire

A ground-hugging shrub with a profusion of blooms over a long flowering period.

The shrub shows small clusters of single, carmine pink blooms and golden-yellow stamens.

A particularly healthy variety with a dense, medium green foliage.

The plant is highly recommended for borders and looks great in containers with a cascading growth.

Grows up to a height of 1.5 feet and spreads to 3 feet.

Snow Carpet

A distinctive prostrate rose with creeping stems and a mass of tiny foliage to help smother weeds.

Their tiny, fully double white flowers are perfect for stone gardens, containers and are perfectly cascading over walls and banks.

They grow up to 10 inches and spread to 3 feet.

Other names for this rose are ‘Blanche Neige’ or ‘Schneeteppich’.

The Fairy

A dwarf polyantha rose introduced in 1932, one of the old-established ground cover roses.

The double rosette-shaped light pink blossoms are not fragrant.

The compact, shade tolerant shrub is disease resistant and ideal for borders and hedges.

It grows to 3 feet high and wide.

Grouse

A prostrate shrub suitable for bank or other large area.

The fragrant pale pink flowers with golden-yellow stamens form bright-red hips in fall.

The shrub has an excellent glossy and very healthy foliage.

The shrub will reach a height of 1.5 feet and spread to 10 feet.