The Rose Variety That's A Perfect Ground Cover For Small Spaces

Your garden is a sanctuary and a location of beauty. If you have limited space, however, it can be a challenge to find plants that grow well in the smaller spots — especially ground covers. You don't want that area to feel too cramped and impede your plants' growth. Fortunately, there are some excellent options if you want to cover the tighter spots of your yard with dense, attractive vegetation. The 'Bossa Nova' rose (Rosa 'Bossa Nova'), also known as 'The Faun' and 'The Fawn,' is a beautiful and rewarding shrub rose that serves as the perfect ground cover.

'The Fawn' rose is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. It blooms with medium to light-pink colored flowers, each with up to 80 petals, that mask the green foliage almost entirely. They can be used as one way to make your tiny garden look more spacious. At maturity, these shrubs reach 4 feet in height and width, and have somewhat of a spreading habit. These qualities make 'The Fawn' an exceptional ground cover choice for stagnant, smaller areas. If you grow this rose cultivar as a ground cover, it will also be able to suppress weed growth. 

Before you grow 'The Fawn' as a ground cover, ensure that the tight location you'd like to plant it in gets a good amount of sun exposure. For example, if it's a small space that's sandwiched between your shed and the fence, it may not get enough light and you'd be better off planting a ground cover that thrives in shade. Once you've chosen the right location, dig shallow holes in the soil. Space them close together — about 1½ feet apart to achieve a decent ground cover. Then take the potted roses and fit them it into the holes you've dug to make sure that the soil surface is level with the top of the pot. Finally, transplant the shrubs into the holes. You don't want to bury the roses too low; instead, pat the soil down around them to keep them in place. 

Water the roses one or two times per week unless you get a decent amount of rain. Once the shrubs start blooming, you'll see how this ground cover not only creates a gorgeous little area within your garden but also brings drama to your yard. To keep them blooming, though, you'll need to remove the spent flowers regularly. Deadheading in the first year after planting involves cutting back stems with faded flowers to just above the first set of leaves. Once the roses are mature, cut them to above the second node. Prune the bushes during fall to limit any harm over the winter months. Cut off any shoots that emerge from the roots or the rootstock (located directly under the plant, called suckers).