Rosa x polyantha - Sans Contraintes - 'Knirps' - Ground Cover Rose

The 'Knirps' rose bush is an adorable ground cover rose bush, which will charm with its wide, carpet-like habit, its long and abundant flowering in small, very pink pompom-like blooms, and its natural resistance to diseases. Its miniature roses open in charming clusters almost continuously for 4 to 5 months on an elegant, dark green foliage, forming a lovely cascade of flowers. Robust and hardy, this rose bush from the 'Sans contraintes' series requires little attention and care from the gardener, even for beginners. It fits everywhere and is perfect in front of taller shrubs, in large borders along pathways... or a container on the balcony.

The flowers of Rosa 'Knirps' ('Korverlandus), gathered in terminal clusters, come from the polyantha rose, an old hybrid resulting from Rosa multiflora and Rosa chinensis. This excellent German variety has won several awards in international competitions, including the prestigious and highly selective German ADR label in 2004 for its perfect disease resistance, among other criteria. It was introduced in 1997 by the German rose breeder Kordes.

This wide and low bush shows a dense habit, compact and well-covering vegetation, and develops spreading branches covered with prickles. It will reach about 30 cm (12in) in height in a few years with a spread of 60 cm (24in) or a little more if it grows freely without pruning. The double flowers, 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, gathered in clusters, are produced abundantly and continuously from June to October if the soil remains moist in summer. In this Knirps variety, the flower buds are pink fuschia. They open into corollas of a bright fuchsia pink, fading somewhat over the hours. When the flower is fully open, a fine white line appears on the petals. From spring, this variety develops into elegant, well-furnished foliage, cut into small, thick, glossy leaflets, changing from bright green to dark green. The leaves turn yellow in autumn before falling.

The 'Knirps' rose bush adapts to all soils that are not too dry and to all climates, which allows it to be planted almost anywhere. Tolerant, it even accepts to bloom in partial shade and at the base of trees. Plant it in borders, flowerbeds, containers on the terrace, or on a large slope it will cover. It can also be planted in groups of 3 plants, arranged in a triangle, isolated on a lawn in a small garden. Plant it in groups or with pink ground cover roses (Maman Turbat, The Fairy) or white ones (Swany, Marie Pavie) to highlight the path of a pathway or the borders of light or opulent shrubs and perennials. It can be combined with perennial geraniums (Geranium Blue Cloud, Anne Folkard, Nimbus, Orion), bellflowers (lactiflora, rapunculoides), catmints, foxgloves or other perennial salvias. It pairs perfectly with pink or white shrub roses in a romantic garden.