Rosa sempervirens Little White Pet

The Old Rose or Polyantha 'Little White Pet' is a floriferous hybrid of the beloved climbing rose Felicité Perpétue. It may be compact, but despite its small size, it is remarkably healthy, low-maintenance, and robust. The rose has the same flowering pattern as its parent, consisting of large clusters of red-pink buds that open into small double and white rosettes. However, the 'Little White Pet' blooms continuously from June to October on a small, dark, pointed foliage that is almost evergreen. This hardy variety can grow and flower almost anywhere, even in not too dense shade. To enjoy this adorable little rose, place it in a nice pot on the terrace or plant it at the edge of a bed or an alley.

This rose has been bred from the evergreen rose (Rosa sempervirens) native to Southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor. Sempervirens roses are typically evergreen, strong (but sometimes a bit cold-sensitive), and can endure dry soils, hot climates, and the semi-shade of undergrowth. 'Little White Pet', also known as Rosa x polyantha 'White Pet', was introduced to the horticultural market by Henderson in 1879. Its many qualities have allowed it to age gracefully without any wrinkles, and it was awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK.

This plant grows as a small, slightly spread but dense bush with a size of about 60 to 70 cm (27.6 in) in all directions. Its stems are flexible and adorned with small curved thorns, while its foliage is very healthy with leaves of dark olive green and slightly satin. The flowers of this variety are born from pretty pink buds with a touch of red and form abundantly between mid-June and October. The perfectly round buds open into double rosettes, 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter and well-ordered with a barely pink and cream-green centre. They are gathered in long bouquets on flexible stems tinged with red, and they exude a light floral fragrance that is delightful and charming. The small orange-red fruits that birds love in the winter are fleshy false fruits called hips, which contain many single-seeded achenes.

'Little White Pet' is a perfectly charming rose, endowed with perfect health, ideal for small gardens, borders, and flowering pots. It is low-maintenance and behaves equally well in the sun as in semi-shade, even in shade in warmer areas. Dry soil in summer can cause plants to stop flowering, but they will bloom again when it rains. It is an ideal companion for perennial geraniums, catmints, heucheras, Japanese anemones, lavenders, or santolines. It also looks stunning in front of taller shrubs (Perovskia, Deutzia, Mock Oranges, shrub roses) and can also be paired with herbaceous clematis, such as integrifolia, recta, and heracleifolia.