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It is difficult to overestimate the beauty and luxury of a rose – this flower has been called the queen of the garden for hundreds of years. But even more decorative and refined are the miniature roses brought to Europe at the end of the XNUMXth century. China is considered the birthplace of dwarf flowers. Europeans did not immediately fall in love with miniature varieties, only in the early 1900s they began to be selected and planted in the gardens and parks of European capitals.
Since then, roses of dwarf varieties have not gone out of fashion, they decorate courtyards and balconies, gardens and window sills, they are grown in pots and flower beds. About the varieties of these delicate plants, as well as the rules for their cultivation – in this article.
Varieties of miniature roses
Flowers of dwarf varieties (they are also called patios), of course, are similar to their progenitors – ordinary tall roses, but at the same time they also have their own individual characteristics:
- the height of the bushes is usually 10-40 cm;
- the leaves on the bushes are glossy, rich green;
- patio stems can be covered with thorns, or they can be smooth;
- some varieties exude a strong spicy aroma, but most dwarf roses have little to no smell;
- among these flowers there are weaving varieties, creeping, bush, standard, trellis;
- inflorescences are small, their diameter is about 1-4 cm;
- the color of the flowers can be very different (from the standard red color to a unique green or purple hue);
- the shape of inflorescences and petals may also differ, there are patio varieties with a fringed edge, there are also so-called terry inflorescences;
- if ordinary roses grow in height, then miniature varieties grow in breadth – the bushes of these flowers are very lush and dense;
- it is necessary to cut the flowers before they bloom, this will significantly extend the “life” of roses in vases;
- dwarf roses bloom seasonally: in spring, summer and autumn, that is, they will delight the owner from May until the first frost.
By crossing different varieties of dwarf roses and mixing them with ordinary tall plants, breeders have obtained many types of these miniature flowers – today there are more than five thousand varieties of dwarf roses.
All species differ in the height of the bush, the type of leaves, the shape and color of the buds – even the most fastidious esthete will definitely choose the right patio variety for himself.
“Los Angeles”
A rose of a classic rich orange color, with flowers about 4 cm in diameter. Bushes of this variety grow up to 40 cm, abundantly strewn with buds. Abundant flowering gives the plant a special decorative effect – up to 80 buds can appear on each shoot at the same time.
Patio stems are straight, smooth, quickly woody. The leaves consist of 5-7 leaflets, their shape is oval, the edges are carved, needle-shaped. In most cases, the foliage of the Los Angeles variety is dark green, but there are also flowers with brown leaves or painted light green with dark veins.
The color of the inflorescences is heterogeneous: at different stages of development, it changes from lemon yellow to coral and purple. This makes the bushes very elegant and colorful (as in the photo).
“Clementine”
Patio inflorescences of this variety are able to change their color from pastel pink to apricot. The diameter of the inflorescences is quite large – about 5 cm. The height of the bushes of a miniature rose can reach 50-60 cm.
The bushes are quite compact, powerful. When planting, leave at least 35 cm between them. The variety staunchly resists the most dangerous diseases of the patio: black spot and powdery mildew.
In a cool climate, rosebuds do not bloom for a long time, they look quite decorative and elegant. In hot climates, roses fully bloom 4-5 days after the final bud formation. It turns out that the whole bush is constantly strewn with beautiful and large flowers of bright color all season long.
In cut form, miniature roses of this variety also stand for a very long time – about 9 days their freshness and decorative effect are preserved.
“Jewel”
The buds of this rose have the shape of a pointed oval. The inside of the flower is lighter than the edges, the center of this patio is yellow while the whole flower is bright red. The petals are slightly bent outward, which makes the flower voluminous and lush. The inflorescence burns out weakly.
The center of the rose is high, there can be about 100 petals in one inflorescence, which makes it possible to attribute the Jewel variety to the terry subspecies of miniature roses. The flowers exude a subtle sweet fragrance.
Young stems and leaves are cherry-colored, as they grow they turn green. There are few thorns on the stems. Flowering throughout the season is moderate, but cut roses stand for a long time.
“Curler”
The variety is named because of the petals of the flower, wrinkled with thin stripes and twisted outwards. These roses are quite young – they were bred only in 2001 in France.
Bushes grow up to 45 cm, have dark green shiny leaves and rather large flowers, about 5 cm in diameter.
The petals are painted red, have streaks of yellow-beige. The inflorescences are terry, very lush, pleasantly smelling.
Bushes begin to bloom in June, flowering is repeated several times per season, the number of repetitions depends on the climate in the region and the feeding system. Flowering is long, the bush remains decorative and bright for a long time.
For some gardeners, the Curler variety seems too colorful, but children love it very much, these roses look spectacular in group plantings, in pots and on balconies (what the patio looks like is shown in the photo).
“Cinderella”
One of the earliest crossbred varieties of miniature patios. Bushes grow 20 cm to the sides and 30 cm in height, quite compact and decorative. The branches of this rose do not have thorns, so no one can get hurt on them.
The inflorescences are lush, painted in a snow-white color, but with the onset of autumn cold weather, the flowers can turn pink. The size of the flowers is small – about 3 cm in diameter, but up to 20 flowers can be collected in each inflorescence. These miniature roses have a pleasant spicy fragrance.
Bushes begin to bloom in early summer, retain their decorative appearance for a long time, and can bloom again. You can plant such roses in rockeries or on alpine slides, they are also good in containers or flowerpots. Due to the absence of thorns, bouquets and boutonnieres are often collected from them.
Hummingbird
Another “ancient” variety of miniature roses, bred in the middle of the last century. The color of the petals of this rose is unique – it is an apricot-orange very rich shade.
The bushes are very small – their height rarely exceeds 25 cm. The leaves are dark green, leathery, glossy. Terry inflorescences, consist of 3-4 orange flowers. The variety has a very strong pleasant aroma.
Patio blooms from early summer to late autumn. In the south of Our Country, Hummingbird bushes can not be covered, but on condition that the winter is snowy. Otherwise, as in other regions of the country, roses are covered more carefully, using special materials.
This miniature variety looks great as a frame for flower beds, flower beds, it can be grown in the house, on windowsills or balconies. Mini-bouquets and boutonnieres are often made from small roses (as in the photo below).
How to grow miniature roses
You can grow such flowers both in open ground and in a protected place: in a room, on a loggia or in a greenhouse. Experienced gardeners note that growing a miniature rose is a little more difficult than a regular one – this flower is more finicky and capricious.
But the result is worth it – flower beds, planters, rabatki and alpine slides will delight the eye with abundant flowering of small bushes all season long.
The requirements for miniature roses are as follows:
- it is better to plant them in slightly shaded areas – on the one hand, these flowers love warmth and sun, but, on the other hand, under the scorching rays, the buds will open too quickly – the owner will not have time to enjoy the beauty of his roses, as they will already fade.
- Land for miniature roses is needed with low acidity and sufficient density, moisture in the soil should be retained for a long time. Light loams are most suitable.
- These flowers need to be fed several times per season. If this is not done, flowering will be poor and short-lived.
- Plants grafted onto wild rose will be taller (up to 40 cm) than those roses that grow on their own roots (10-25 cm). This must be taken into account when composing compositions in flowerbeds and in discounts.
- Like ordinary roses, miniature species are afraid of severe frosts, so they will have to be covered for the winter.
The whole process of caring for miniature roses consists in watering, loosening the soil after each wetting it and regularly removing faded inflorescences. In addition, the following procedures must be followed:
- It is necessary to remove the shelter from the roses after the positive temperature is established on the street. At first, the bushes simply ventilate by lifting the film from the leeward side. If the threat of severe frosts has passed, you can finally remove the insulation.
- In the spring, when the shelter is removed, the roses need to be pruned. Do this until the kidneys begin to swell. The peculiarity of pruning miniature varieties is that the buds are very small, they are hard to see. Gardeners recommend cutting off the entire bush, leaving shoots about 6-8 cm high.
- Frozen stems of roses are able to be reborn – they are simply cut off and waiting for the appearance of young shoots. These bushes bloom in the same way as the rest, only their flowering period comes a week later.
- Feed the bushes: with ammonium nitrate – after the winter shelter is removed; during the period of regrowth of shoots – urea; when the first buds appear, it is necessary to apply a full range of mineral fertilizers; in the last days of summer, roses are fed with superphosphate and potassium-based saltpeter.
- Of the diseases that threaten dwarf flowers, powdery mildew and black leaf spot are the most dangerous. They need to be dealt with with special means. But fungal diseases do not threaten miniature roses. But there are some pests that are dangerous for delicate flowers, for example, aphids or rose sawfly. To prevent the destruction of ornamental bushes, it is better to spray them with insecticides in advance.
- The flowering of miniature roses in the south of Our Country can last up to six months, a short break is possible only on very hot days (in mid-July).
- Dwarf varieties can only withstand temperatures down to -7 degrees, so bushes need to be covered in cooler winters. For this, earthen mounds about 20 cm high are enough in the southern regions, and in the center and in the north you will have to build a real shelter. First, the roses are covered with dry foliage, then a metal frame is installed around the bushes and covered with agril, plastic wrap is laid on top and pressed down with stones or other heavy objects.
Miniature roses are not difficult to grow, but these decorative flowers will certainly become the “highlight” of the garden composition. Dwarf flowers can be grown not only in flower beds, they grow well in pots or containers. You can decorate both the garden and the room with such roses – in the house, miniature varieties can bloom all year round. But for this, in the winter, the bushes must be illuminated.
How beautiful miniature roses are, you can understand from one photo of these unique flowers.
