A Polyantha type rose, ‘The Fairy’ is a shrub rose, masses of small pink flowers and repeat flowering.
The flowers are double, appear in clusters and this is a rose that will flower 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 – 4 ft. As it is easy to prune this is a not an issue for most gardeners.
Care
- 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.
Summary Information
- Botanical Name – Rosa ‘The Fairy’
- Common Name ‘The Fairy Rose’
- Type – Polyantha
- 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