Ground Cover Roses

Ground cover roses are perfect for suppressing weeds – true, they lose their leaves in winter, but weeds rarely grow then, so they are there to do the job when needed, and as a bonus, their thorns will deter intruders and animals. Grow them on a hard-to-reach bank where their flat, prostrate growth makes them ideal for covering large areas, or try them in pots, high tubs and hanging baskets where their pliant stems will give a fantastic cascade of colour.

With recent great improvements in breeding, most of the newer varieties of ground cover roses now have vibrant foliage and come in a large range of colours and bloom types, many of which will flower for quite long periods through summer and even into autumn.
Ground cover roses are mostly disease resistant, will grow in almost any type of soil and require virtually no pruning so are the perfect plant for the low maintenance garden - plant them and forget them!

 

However, most do benefit from 'preventative spraying' against disease in the first year, and those in containers will still need looking after. For containers we recommend peat free Vital Earth No3 or our own peat reduced brand Cleeve Nursery multipurpose compost.

 

There have been great improvements in the breeding of roses specially for ground cover and weed suppressing. The earlier groundcover roses were used mainly in public parks and roadside flower beds. Now however, the newer varieties of ground cover roses - which are more floriferous than their early predecessors - are proving to be popular in gardens and even containers!

Most of the newer varieties of ground cover roses are disease resistant with great foliage and a range of flower colour and types to choose from. Many will flower for quite long periods through summer and even into autumn.

 

Like all other roses, ground cover roses are deciduous. However, as weeds rarely grow in the winter months when there is no foliage on the groundcover roses, they are still good at weed suppressing, and are great for covering banks and other awkward areas.

Almost any rose list will be outdated in a year or so these days - such is the rate of newer varieties being bred - pushing some old favourites out of fashion. However, one strain that is sure to be around for some time to come are those of the Meidiland roses.
The garden centres are full of other roses that can be used for ground cover. Early summer to mid autumn is a good time to view so that you can see the actual flower colour.

Pruning requirements are virtually nil. This type of rose will grow in almost any type of soil. Most are disease resistant, though benefit from 'preventative spraying' in first year. Basically, plant them and forget them!

These roses can be planted in large high tubs for a spectacular cascading effect.