How big does Ground cover rose grow?

About 60 cm × 1 m after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 30–90 cm × 0.6–1.2 m.

What soil does Ground cover rose grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy.

Is Ground cover rose hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

Is Ground cover rose toxic to dogs?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to dogs.

Is Ground cover rose toxic to cats?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to cats.

Is Ground cover rose toxic to children?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to children.

When does Ground cover rose flower?

Flowering: May–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange.

How much water does Ground cover rose need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

Ground cover rose

Rosa Ground Cover Group

Ground cover rose (Rosa Ground Cover Group) is a ground cover plant that reaches 60 cm × 1 m after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Non-toxic to dogs, cats and children.

Illustration of Ground cover rose — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A group of low, wide-spreading roses (The Fairy and its relatives, the Flower Carpet series and similar) that cover a slope, a border edge or a large tub with masses of small flowers from late May until the frosts. They are the least demanding of all roses: for a closed carpet plant 2 to 6 per square metre (2 or 3 of the vigorous cultivars, 4 to 6 of the small ones) and simply cut them back by a third in spring. Fragrance and disease resistance vary by cultivar, so pick ADR-rated cultivars or ones described as resistant, and expect weeding among the prickly stems to be awkward until the plants close up.

Watch out for

Most cultivars resist leaf diseases well, but black spot can still appear in wet summers, powdery mildew in hot dry spells and occasionally rust. With a resistant cultivar, clearing away fallen diseased leaves and keeping the foliage dry (water at the base) is usually enough, and the plants stay presentable without routine spraying. Aphids gather on the shoot tips in spring, rose sawfly larvae chew the leaves and rose chafers and other flower beetles nibble the blooms: in a small garden hand picking and a jet of water keep them in check. In Central Europe they are winter hardy and normally need no cover; in the first winter and in exposed cold sites mound about 15 cm of soil over the crown, and move tubs to a sheltered spot because the roots can freeze through in a pot. Many cultivars are sold on their own roots and produce no rootstock suckers; on grafted plants tear off any sucker with different leaves that rises from below the graft. Pruning is light: remove dead wood and shorten by a third in early spring, with a hard rejuvenation cut to about 10 cm every few years if the planting gets congested.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 60 cm × 1 m
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange

Group	Ground cover
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	60 cm × 1 m
Ultimate size	30–90 cm × 0.6–1.2 m
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	May–October, pink, white, red, yellow, orange
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	50 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic
For cats	Non-toxic
For children	Non-toxic
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 12, 2026 · How our data is made

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Ground cover plants Plants that are non-toxic to dogs Plants that are non-toxic to cats Plants that are non-toxic to children Plants for containers

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