Ground cover rosesare a group of varieties perfect for planting slopes and sunny places, both in cities and home gardens. They make carpets above the ground, sprinkled with white, pink, red or yellow flowers and densely covered with thorny stems. See whatvarieties of ground cover rosesare the best, how to plant them and what it looks likecare for ground cover rosesfor he althy growth and abundant flowering of these plants.
Ground cover roses can cover large areas of gardens
In the photo: ground cover rose 'White Cover'
Ground cover roses - varieties
Ground cover roseswere separated in the seventies from rose varieties belonging to different breeds and species. They are durable and frost-resistant, relatively low. They grow well. They quickly cover the ground with overlapping shoots or growing through root suckers. The nature of the roses makes them excellent ground cover plants, hindering the growth of weeds and strengthening the planted area in the case of slopes. They make decorative flowers and fruits. They are resistant to frost and diseases, and do not require complicated care.
The varieties of ground cover rosescan be divided according to the habit:
- stiff, upright - these are hybrids of a wrinkled rose, they form numerous stolons
- arched to overhanging, with shoots overlying
- creeping
Taking into account the above-mentioned habit of the bush, you can findvarieties of ground cover rosesvery valuable, which will delight us not only with their natural beauty, but above all with their reliability. Here are some of them:
Ground cover roses - varieties with a stiff, upright habit
Ground cover rose 'Dagmar Hastrup'- has light pink, slightly fragrant, single flowers. Reaches a height of 80 cm. It is resistant to diseases and frost. It blooms profusely and produces attractive fruit when repeating it.Ground cover rose 'Moja Hammarberg'- with violet-heather, semi-double, fragrant flowers, it grows up to 1.2 m. It is a frost-resistant variety, blooming profusely and long, bearing fruit.
Ground cover rose 'Smart Roadrunner'- is a variety with dark pink flowers, semi-double, extremely fragrant. It creates dense, shiny leaves. It grows up to 70 cm.
Ground cover roses - varieties with an arched to overhanging habit
Rose 'Lovely Fair' ground cover- it's a very attractive and he althy variety. It has profuse, intense pink flowers that keep color for a long time, gathered in clusters. The leaves are tiny but shiny. It grows up to 70 cm.
Ground cover rose 'The Fairy'- is a basic ground cover rose, extremely decorative, with pale pink flowers, full, gathered in clusters. Shiny, tiny leaves. Overhanging shoots, approx. 70 cm high. It blooms profusely and long.
Ground cover rose 'Lavendel Dream'- is a variety with interesting single lavender flowers, slightly fragrant. It creates small dark green leaves. It is completely resistant to black leaf spot. Reaches a height of 80 cm.
The ground cover rose 'The Fairy' is one of the most appreciated varieties
Ground cover roses - cultivars with creeping habit
Rose 'Weisse Immensee'- is a frost-resistant variety, one of the best ground cover roses. The flowers are white, single, small, with heart-shaped petals. Shiny, leathery leaves. Creeping shoots, long, annual growth is up to 2 m! It grows up to 30 cm.
Ground cover rose 'Nozomi'- has creamy-pink, single, slightly fragrant flowers gathered in inflorescences. Light green leaves, later darker and shiny. Thin arched shoots. It is resistant to freezing and is ideal for rockeries.
Ground cover rose 'Sunny Rose'- is a variety with pale yellow, semi-double flowers, slightly fragrant, repeating flowering. Resistant to mildew and black leaf spot. Bushes grow up to 40 cm in height.
Ground cover roses - planting
From among such a large selectionvarieties of ground cover rosesfor planting, choose the most resistant to rose diseases and those considered to be the least troublesome. The soil before planting should be properly prepared. Weeds should be removed and the soil should be enriched with humus, e.g. compost should be added to it. In order to obtain the turf effect, cover roses should be planted in the amount of 4-5 pcs / m². Strong-growth varieties, such as 'Weisse Immensee', are planted a little less frequently, i.e.2 pcs / m², while the varieties with weaker growth, e.g. 'Fairy Dance', 'Lovely Fair', 'The Fairy' are planted more densely, i.e. 5-6 pcs / m².
Ground cover rosescan be planted from bare-root cuttings or grown in pots.
Planting a ground cover rose with a bare root
Seedlings of ground cover rosewith uncovered root should be planted in spring or autumn. It is important that its shoots are lignified. When planting, shorten the roots and shoots - about a centimeter above the eyelet. Once we have the plant ready, we place it in the hole, on the bottom of which we make a mound. Ideally, the site of budding should be 3-4 cm below ground level. In this way, wild shoots will not grow out of the rootstock so expansively, and the bushes are also less prone to freezing. Finally, cover the bush with soil and water it abundantly.
Planting ground cover rose in a container
Ground cover roses in containerscan be planted throughout the season from spring to autumn.We dig a hole to a depth equal to the height of the pot and a little wider than it. We deepen it with a possible layer of drainage in the case of heavy soil. Take the rose out of the container and place it in the hole, you can additionally sprinkle a layer of compost. We cover the sides of the root ball with compost mixed with garden soil and stabilize the plant. At the end, water abundantly.
Ground cover roses can be plantedin the form of shapeless hedges and in rock gardens. They are also suitable for growing in containers.
Rose ground cover - care
The care of ground cover rosesis not complicated. These roses prefer sunny to semi-shaded positions. They will do best in sandy loam soil with a slightly acidic to alkaline reaction. The stand should not be exposed to cold gusts of wind.
Fertilization of ground cover rosesshould be done once a season. If we have properly prepared the substrate before planting, we do not use fertilizers in the first year.In the following years, we use multi-component mineral fertilizers (they can be universal or fertilizers specifically intended for roses) and organic fertilizers, such as compost and manure.
Water the ground cover roseswith plenty of water, trying not to soak the leaves and flowers. This way we will avoid possible contamination with fungal diseases.
Ground cover roses usually do not require pruning, but will withstand radical pruning. Avoid shortening shoots in the fall, leaving no open wounds for the winter. Springcutting of ground cover rosesis performed in mid-April. We cut out dead, excessively thickened and thin shoots. Crinkle rose hybrids should be trimmed by 2/3 of their length every year.
An important procedure incare for ground cover rosesis mulching the soil under the shrubs. For this purpose, e.g. garden bark can be used. It will reduce the loss of moisture from the ground and the growth of weeds.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
