Apart from the stunning flowers, one of the many amazing things about roses is their versatility. While tall and proud, compact shrubs, climbers, and other roses are awesome, groundcover roses fill a special niche in your garden. They create a veritable carpet of color when in bloom.

They can be used in your rose bed or any spot where you need a dramatic splash of beauty. Best of all, these roses are low-maintenance and require little help to put on a delightful display.

In this article, we discuss the following aspects:

Groundcover Rose Details

The History of the Groundcover Rose

Essentially, this is not a completely different type of class. They have been bred to be low-growing and spread. We often talk about roses that flower prolifically but many of these roses take that to the next level producing several hundred blooms over the growing season.

Groundcover Growth Habit

These roses tend to grow to ankle height with a sprawling habit. That being said, if you plant them in a rose bed between other roses, they do not take over and suffocate them. Sure, they require pruning from time to time but that is quick and easy.

This growth habit also makes them great in tall pots, hanging baskets, or trailing down banks or other tricky spots.

Groundcover Roses Flower Structure

The blooms, as you can imagine, are compact but they grow in such abundance that the display is magnificent. Most are single blooms while there are a few doubles. Either way, they put on a breathtaking show.

Groundcover Rose Fragrance

One of the only downsides to this rose is that most lack any significant fragrance. The growth habit and abundant blooming will more than compensate for this. You can also plant them around or between other roses or plants that have a more powerful fragrance if that is important for the setting.

Groundcover Rose Applications 

A groundcover rose is ideal for edges or filling an empty space in a rose garden or other flowerbeds. They also do particularly well in hanging baskets or taller pots where they can cascade down with all of their glory. Given that they are hardy, they make a good ground cover for banks that get a fair amount of sunlight. They are also ideal for window boxes.

Groundcover Rose Growing Zones

As these are robust plants they can handle many conditions. They thrive in growing zones 4 to 10. If in containers, you can always bring them in when there is frost or snow so that will allow them to grow in colder environments.

Planting the Groundcover Rose

As with all roses, you want well-draining nutrient-rich soil. The process is pretty much the same as other roses. Dig a hole that is a bit wider than the root ball of the rose bush and deep enough for it. Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole to allow the roots to grow easily. Backfill with quality soil; that is rich in organic matter, pat down gently and water. Ensure the bush is erect and planted at the same height as it was in the nursery container.

Watering Groundcover Roses

If planted in the ground these roses are quite drought-resistant and need minimal water. Those in pots will need more regular watering. We always advise to only water the base of the plants, not the foliage or blooms but this can be quite a challenge with groundcover roses. Water early on a warm day and always ensure they dry completely between watering. In the winter months, minimal watering is required.

Propagating Groundcover Roses

Stem cuttings are the easiest way to produce more of these beauties. The process is the same as with other roses. This article will give you more details on the best way to do this.

Fertilizing Groundcover Roses 

Being tough and hardy, they do not need much in the way of fertilizer provided they have decent soil. The occasional addition of organic or slow-release fertilizer will enhance their blooming and health but only do this occasionally in the growing and flowering season. Don’t fertilize in the colder months.

Those in containers might need a bit more fertilizing but still only sparingly.

Groundcover Roses Pests and Diseases

Given the incredible hardiness of these roses, you are highly unlikely to encounter many problems. Use quality soil when first planting and ensure they get enough sun and airflow. If the plants are healthy, they will normally shrug off pests and diseases without you having to do anything.

As problems can spread from other plants you still want to inspect them regularly so that you can identify and treat any issues early.

Pests that might prey on your groundcover roses include aphids and mites. These can usually be blasted off with a hard jet of water. Alternatively, you can pour soapy water or insecticidal soaps over them to treat the problem. Reapply as necessary.

As far as diseases go, under certain conditions, you might encounter powdery mildew or black spot. You can use a commercial fungicide or try spraying with a mixture of baking soda and water (1 tablespoon of baking soda to a gallon of water).

Pruning a Groundcover Rose

Another benefit of this rose is that it does not need deadheading. This is handy given the number of blooms it produces. They will just keep on producing blooms. What you do want to do is keep them neat and tidy. Towards the end of winter or early spring, cut them back by roughly two-thirds.  This will allow the new growth to flourish with good air circulation and light for another season’s spectacular display.

Groundcover Cultivars 

There are numerous varieties that will make amazing groundcover roses. Here are some of our favorites:

• Flower Carpet Coral

This beauty produces multiple dramatic clusters of coral flowers. You will see as many as 60 blooms on a single stem. They are single blooms and the center is white. They are robust roses that deliver a great display year after year.

• Camilla Sunsation

The pom-pom blooms are a delightful, pronounced shade of pink. The shrub is ground-hugging and a great border or filler rose. They also do particularly well in hanging baskets or raised pots.

• Flower Carpet Pink Supreme

Another profuse bloomer is this lady. The blooms arrive in masses and are lipstick-pink in color. They only grow 1 to 2 feet and make an impressive ground cover.

• Flower Carpet Scarlet

It’s all the name. This is a vigorous ground cover, much like the above but with striking scarlet blooms.

        * Fairy King

This is a popular ground cover that does well in beds, pots, and hanging baskets. It has an abundance of compact semi-double light pink blooms on large sprays. It spreads with enthusiasm. It has amazing disease and pest resistance so is super low maintenance.

This is just a small handful of the many options available. There are many more to delight you.

Groundcover Rose Hardiness 

Minimal maintenance is required, and they are highly resistant to pests and disease.

Groundcover Roses Sun requirements

While they thrive in full sun, they can handle partial shade. Less than 4 hours of sun might result in slightly fewer blooms.

Groundcover Roses Temperature and Humidity

Much the same as your average rose, these ladies do not like excessive heat or humidity. Keep them well-trimmed if the humidity is high so they get decent airflow. They also do not like it when it drops below freezing. You can protect them with a layer of mulch, and they will bounce back as it warms up.

When to Plant Groundcover Roses  

The best time to plant these delights is shortly after the frost season has ended. Never plant them when the ground is frozen or soggy.

Planting Bare Root Groundcover Roses 

If you purchase bare-root specimens, the only thing you need to do differently is to rehydrate the roots in water for an hour or two before planting. Otherwise, plant as mentioned in the first section.

Planting Groundcover Roses in Pots

These roses do well in pots or hanging baskets and start to trail down the sides. Plant in the same way you would when planting in the ground. Ensure the pot has good drainage, water well after planting, and water a bit more frequently, once established, than you would with roses planted in the ground. If the weather turns cold you can move them to a more protected area to keep them safe and happy.

Repotting Groundcover Roses 

At some point, normally every 2 to 3 years, the plant will outgrow the pot. The soil also becomes depleted of nutrients over time. Gently remove the rose from the existing container and plant, as above, in a larger container. Use fresh nutrient-rich soil.

Groundcover Roses Planting Distance and Positioning

Unless otherwise stated on the tag, plant these roses about 4 feet apart.

Conclusion

Add some interest and excitement to your rose garden, beds, or containers with these exciting and rewarding roses. They deliver an impressive display of flowers for many months of the year and are a real show-stopper.