A Polyantha type rose, ‘The Fairy’ is a miniature shrub rose, masses of small pink flowers and repeat flowering.
The flowers are double rosettes and appear in clusters and this is a rose that is long flowering, it blooms for nearly 6 months, almost continuously from spring through summer.
The height is a little debatable, it is said by some to reach around 2ft in height, however in good conditions it can get to 3 ft in height so up to 120cm.
But this is a rose that is very easy to prune, so this is a not an issue for most gardeners.
How to Grow The Fairy Rose
- Plant in full sun to a little afternoon shade.
- A humus rich well drained soil is preferred.
- Dig in some well rotted compost and cow manure before planting.
- Plant at the same depth it was in the container.
- Water in with a little liquid seaweed fertiliser.
- Mulch around the plant to maintain a cool moist root run.
Watering
Water in summer over dry periods. The best time to water is in the morning and it is best to water deeply avoiding wetting the foliage.
Pruning The Fairy Rose
This is a rose that does not need a lot of pruning.
Start pruning by removing any dead or damaged canes at ground level. In cooler climates do this in spring, in warmer climates you can prune in winter.
Once established remove 1/3 of the canes each year looking for the oldest or weaker growing canes.
Landscaping Uses
Having very disease resistance, as well as being low maintenance this is a great rose for a growing as a low flowering hedge, or use it in the general garden border for wonderful colour.
You could also grow this rose in containers and easily keep it to around 2ft (60cm) in height.
You can also find The Fairy as a grafted weeping rose, and with such long a flowering period it looks beautiful next to an entrance or beside a pathway.
Summary Information
- Botanical Name – Rosa ‘The Fairy’
- Common Name ‘The Fairy Rose’
- Type – Polyantha
- Height – 2-3 ft
- Spread – To around 2 – 3 ft (60 – 90cm)
- Position – Full sun to a little shade
- Soil – Humus rich well drained
- Flowers – Pink in large clusters.
- Flowering Time – Spring through summer
- Frost tolerant – Medium
- Drought tolerance- Medium