Apple blossom Flower Carpet
All zones, except as noted
Full sun or light shade
Regular water, except as noted

The rose is the queen of flowers, the most loved and widely planted shrub in all temperate parts of the world. More than 14,000 varieties are grown. Although mostly deciduous, roses can be evergreen in mild climates. Prized for their lovely, often scented flowers, many rose types carry their blossoms in clusters. Some blooms are flattish rosettes; others are cupped; hybrid tea roses have a conical shape, with high, pointed centers. The blossoms range from single (4–8 petals) to semidouble (9–16 petals), double (17–25 petals), full (26–40 petals), and very full (to 150 petals or more). Ground cover roses are low-growing plants, around 2 or 2 ½ ft. tall, that spread to at least 3 ½ ft. wide (some reach 6 ft. or wider). Vigor, disease resistance, and a profusion of bloom from late spring until frost are the hallmarks of this category. Ground cover roses are perfect for covering slopes, creating low barriers to foot traffic on level ground, and growing in containers. The most commonly available ground cover roses are those in the Flower Carpet series, available in red, scarlet, pink, apple blossom, coral, yellow, and white.