A reader wrote recently about seeing Flower Carpet roses for the first time:
Years ago, I rounded a corner of highway and was faced with a breathtaking sight. Stretching for nearly a mile along the side of the road was a blanket of pink, hardy roses. Full, ruffled blossoms spread along the ground, over stones and hillocks, in among other plants. It was my first sight of Pink Flower Carpet roses, a new hardy hybrid landscape rose that blooms and flourishes under the most inhospitable conditions.
First introduced in 1995, the Flower Carpet rose was the product of over 30 years of breeding by German grower Noack Rosen. He wanted to create a rose that was easy to care for and grow, disease resistant, pest resistant and hardy. With the Pink Flower Carpet rose, he achieved all that in a beautiful, three foot tall package that grows with almost no care and blooms continuously throughout the summer.
The Flower Carpet rose hit the consumer market with a huge splash. The very first year, growers shipped over 12 1/2 million plants. In the years since then, the Flower Carpet has grown to take over 10% of the annual rose market, making it the single most popular rose variety in history.
A good low maintenace choice
Flower Carpet roses will grow in any sunny location. They need no special care or feeding aside from frequent watering. They’re hardy in North American Zones 5 through 10, from Florida to Maine, making them a hands-down choice for gardeners across the country who want a hardy, beautiful rose for their gardens.
Since 1995, when Flower Carpet roses were introduced, new varieties have been released nearly every year. There are six colors now available - coral, red, appleblossom, white, pink and yellow.
Quick Stats:
Height: 24-32″
Width: 40-48″
Hardiness: Zones 5-10
Companions: Evergreens, low-growing bulbs, lavender hedges
Planting Suggestions: Containers, hedges, edgings, borders or free-standing
Pros: Low maintenance, easy care, pest resistant, disease resistant, hardy in all US zones
Cons: Require up to 5 gallons of water weekly
May 15th, 2006 at 5:33 am
I have just purchased three of the Flower Carpet Roses and will be planting them along my walkway. On the card that accompanied them they talked about pruning them to half there size. They are about 1.5 feet tall should I prune them back when I have them planted since this is the time of year when I normally prune my other roses. I would appreciate your response.
Thank you.
May 15th, 2006 at 12:33 pm
I don’t claim to be an expert, but I would follow the usual procedure for planting and pruning roses in your area.
The pruning instructions may apply to next year.
Contact the nursery you bought the roses from and ask for a clarification.