Oops I spelled it wrong above. It's really Osteospermum -- otherwise known as "freeway daisies" in these parts because they require so little care. When they do get the same care as roses -- fertilizer and water -- they bloom year round. And the white ones stay low and make a solid carpet of white -- much prettier in mass than as single plants -- but easy to grow from cuttings. The purple ones however, are climbers and you have to keep untangling them from the plants above them to keep them low. So, white is best. Haven't tried the other colors. Kathy Here is a link that might be useful: White Osteospermum

I have had the same ground cover roses (about 15 bushes) covering a strip in front of our house between the sidewalk and the street for 15 years. The area is about 4-5 feet wide and 60 feet long. I have always pruned them once a year with electric hedge clippers - it only takes about 20 minutes. They are thriving, and bloom all Spring & Summer, starting about now. You are in a completely different climate than we are, so I cannot comment on timing re transplanting, except that here we try to do that when the roses are as dormant as they are going to get (here some of them never go dormant). Of course, you will have to worry about frozen ground, etc. Re when to prune - I have discovered after two decades of experience that it really does not matter much when you prune, as long as you do not prune at all when the roses are just babies trying to get established (and in your climate probably not in the Fall when the new growth would get frozen). So, go for it! Don't forget to feed them. Jackie

First, your post is perfectly appropriate to this forum. You might also try the perennials forum or one for your geographical area. Which groundcovers are suitable will depend on conditions where you live: there are all kinds of zone 7s. I thought immediately of violets; another idea is a creeping thyme. I get the impression you want a green covering for the earth more than the variety and change that would come from, for example, spring bulbs. Hardy cyclamen also come to mind, but they flower and have foliage in the fall and winter and then die back for the summer, so aren't a year round ground cover. Melissa

I have a red ground cover rose that was given to me by a dear friend. I have had it for ten years with no problems. Last year, I noticed that amoung the branches, clumps which would possibly be leaves or new branches would grow. But instead of forming new branches or leaves, the clump would stay as a clump and turn brown, become brittle and die. On the bush, there is numerous amount of these clumps where new growth would have shown. I thought that it was rust but the clumps don't form any leaves and I don't see any bugs. I don't know it is or how to treat it. Perhaps someone could help. thanks, J