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Drift Roses are quickly becoming one of the most desirable rose varieties on the market today. If you’re unfamiliar with Drift Roses, they are a cross between a ground-cover rose and a miniature rose bush. They are very compact to the ground, fast-growing, and will only get about 2 feet tall and about 3 to 4 feet wide at full maturity. They bloom every 5-6 weeks making them beautiful and full. The Drift Series was bred by Star Roses and Plants to be a low-maintenance ground cover rose option.
If you’re wondering what the difference is between Drift Roses vs. Knock Out Roses, it really comes down to size. Knock Out Roses will get much larger than Drift Roses since Drift Roses are groundcover plants. The Drift Rose is perfect for planting in small spaces, around mailboxes, and in planters.
Let’s explore the different types of Drift Roses and Drift Rose care.
Drift Roses can be planted at any time of the year, as long as you have plentiful sunlight and water. However, the most optimal time to plant is in the spring, especially if you’re planning on mass planting. Planting in the spring will give your plants enough time to get established before the weather becomes too hot or too cold.
Good Drift Rose care starts when choosing your planting location. Drift Roses will do best in full sun, and ideally, you want to plant in an area that gets 6-8 hours of sun per day. If full sun isn’t an option in your location, your Drift Rose can handle partial shade. Much like Knock Out Roses, Drift Roses are extremely adaptable to most soil types and they are drought tolerant. However, be sure that you plant where there is well-drained soil because roses don’t like soggy roots. Lastly, we suggest that your soil is nice and loose to give the new roots room to grow and breathe. Adding a layer of mulch around your newly planted Drift Rose bed will help retain moisture and control weeds.
Your Drift Roses always need to be watered well at the time of planting. It’s also a good practice to keep the soil moist for the first month or so to facilitate growth and root establishment. Once the roots are established, you can allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Giving your Drift Rose plants a slow-release fertilizer at the time of planting will provide your roses with a great start. We suggest fertilizing your Drift Roses at least twice a year for larger, more vibrant blooms.
Much like Knock Out Roses, Drift Roses don’t require pruning. However, as your ground cover plants mature, you may want to consider light pruning to help them maintain strength and vigor. The best time to prune Drift Roses is in the spring, but pruning Drift Roses in fall is also acceptable. There is no set way to prune your Drift Roses, however, removing about ⅓ of the existing branches is a common practice.
Drift Roses are naturally disease resistant though they can be susceptible to chilli thrips and Cercospora leafspot. To evade disease, avoid overwatering and sterilize pruners.
If you live in a climate that freezes and has a lot of snow, you’ll want to apply Drift Roses winter care tips. Add extra mulch to insulate the plants, and wrap them in burlap to retain moisture. Then in spring remove the burlap and extra mulch. If you are growing your Drift Roses in pots, move the containers inside to a dark space such as a garage.
Landscaping with Drift Roses is fun and flexible. This easy-to-grow variety is great for growing in landscape beds, along stone walls, in containers, and even in hanging baskets. Consider planting 3-6 rose bushes in front of larger shrubs for a beautiful layered look. Or, plant a handful of Drift Roses around the base of your mailbox, septic cover, or fence. The sky's the limit on what you can do with them.
Drift Roses clustered together in groups of 3 or more make a powerful statement and will really stand out. Once you have chosen your Drift Rose colors, stagger plant them so that they are not in a straight row. Having taller evergreen shrubs behind the Drift Roses will provide a clean and neat backdrop.
Drift Roses planted in containers create a flexible landscape. Simply plant them in your favorite container and put them around your backyard patio, deck, or on each side of your front door. As your drift roses grow, they will produce tons of flowers and make whatever area you put them in pop with color. Drift Rose care is easy when you plant in containers. For example, if you live in a growing zone not suitable for Drift Roses, you can always plant them in containers and bring them inside for the winter months to protect them from freeze damage.
Hanging baskets are another practical container option for your Drift Roses. You can place them almost anywhere and easily incorporate a pop of color. Not only do they look great, but the portability of the container makes Drift Rose care a breeze. This is a great landscaping option for anyone who lives in an apartment or has limited outdoor space.
For additional flowering shrubs, rose bushes, and rose tree options, browse our online plant nursery.
Knock Out® Roses are fairly new to the gardening scene. Over the past 10 years these Roses have become insanely popular for their delicate, colorful, plentiful flowers that bloom throughout 3 seasons as well as their pest and disease resistance. Knock Out Roses Care is surprisingly easy.
Knock Out Roses have fabulous colors including red, pink, blush pink (blushing), yellow (sunny) and white.
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