Landscaping or ground cover roses are increasingly popular and the Knockout® rose series from Meilland is one of the best.
With 11 roses in the range, both semi doubles and doubles as well a range of colours these are the most popular roses in America, increasingly popular in Australia and for good reason.
The Knockout® was created by Bill Radler in the USA, and with the climate range it grows in a wide range USDA Zones.
In Australia it will grow just about anywhere, it is drought tolerant, heat tolerant, frost tolerant and regarded as being one of the most disease resistant series of roses available.
How to grow Knockout Roses
These are a very beasy rose to grow.
- Plant in a sunny position
- Choose a well drained humus rich soil.
- Mulch around the plant to maintain a cool root run.
- Water during long dry summers.
- Fertilise in spring using a specialist rose fertiliser.
- Prune in winter to early spring to maintain size and promote more flowers.
- No need to deadhead this rose, its easy care.
Why is the Knockout® Rose called a landscaping Rose or Ground Cover Rose?
These are low growing roses, most will only get to 60cm in height, dense foliage and so the ground cover rose name fits well.
As for being a landscape rose, it is the low maintenance requirements that make this such an attractive rose to plant n large drifts.
It is a rose that flowers continuously, it does not need to be deadheaded to keep producing masses of flowers, and is very easy to prune.
In terms of height two in their series offer some variation in height, Sunny Knock Out® which is taller growing to around 1.2m and Petite Knock Out® which is a miniature rose, but with all of the great characteristics of the rest of the series.