Drift roses do not tolerate shade. My neighbor has a bunch of them and they don't bloom during our less-sun fall with 2 weeks of gloom & rain, but they are glorious in hot sun & 90 F temp mid-summer.

I have 20+ trees in my garden & too much shade. The best round-shape rose is Marie Pavie. Romantica Bolero is very short, white & super fragrant, and has 15+ blooms in less than 4 hours of morning sun. Many alkaline-clay people like Bolero. Amber Queen is yellow & short and blooms in less than 4 hours of morning sun (blooms many times more than Golden Cel. and just as fragrant). Sharifa Asma is short & blooms in less than 4 hours (best scent ever).

Thank you Straw, I was afraid drift wont like the shade, they seem happy blooming in full sun when its 100 degrees. I have sharifa asma, and she seems very upright and wants to get taller. I will look into marie parvie, Bolero and Amber Queen. Ideally I would like something very short and sprawling.

I grow three roses that might meet your needs. All receive only a few hours of direct sun. One is a young Cassie purchased from Heirloom that has remained very compact. It has small white blossoms and healthy green green foliage.

Another is Ducher. Not considered a ground cover but still very compact and full. Blooms very well fall through spring and sporadically during our hottest months. Creamy white blooms and burgundy new foliage with a rosy or sometimes soapy fragrance. Third possibility is Sweet Chariot. Mine is potted which probably keeps it a bit smaller. Considered a miniature but I've seen photos that look more like a short spreading shrub. Blooms in clusters fading from mauve to light pink. It's supposed to have a strong fragrance but I've never been able to detect any. Foliage stays apple green.

Cassie above and below.

I'll try to post photos of the other roses this evening.

Weekend gardener, Wow...your cassie is very pretty. I was not aware of this rose, looked her up and the story behind the name. Will definitely try her. I need one more, and it can be any color except red. Where did you get sweet chariot from? I have been eying this one, but because its supposed to be fragrant. Do they stay clean for you? I dont spray and very few stay somewhat ok looking for me..thanks so much for your suggestions!

I purchased Sweet Chariot from Angel Gardens. It was so tiny, but it was healthy and I was happy with its new growth. It suffered earlier this year when tree roots invaded its container. It never wilted but it stopped growing, lost half of its leaves and stopped blooming. I still need to repot it, but moving the container and severing the tree roots has helped. It's regaining leaves and growing again. Maybe a different potting medium will help it become fragrant.

Argh, I see they are out of stock for Sweet Chariot. Thinking of Cassie and maybe the fairy. I would like something that is more lax and spreading, but compact, than upright.

Flower Carpet is very lax and spreading, and VERY DROUGHT and SHADE TOLERANT. When I visited Chicago Botanical rose garden, they have a big tall tree, right below the tree they heaped top-soil and planted Flower Carpet (light pink, very double blooms). The were at least a dozen bushes that formed a dense pink carpet around the tree, it was the most beautiful sight !!

Coral Flower Carpet blooms in less than 4 hrs. of sun in my garden, see HMF link below:

https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=21.201402

Below pic. is from the internet of Flower Carpet Apple Blossom (light pink and white are most shade-tolerant);

Sweet Chariot

Ducher almost 2 years ago in a container, winter blooms.

Love those pics, will look up ducher. I have so much shade here in gloomy chicagoland.

Flower carpet looks great, thanks Straw! Ducher looks good too, but too upright for what I need. Cant find sweet chariot anywhere...cassie and flower carpet should do it if they are shade tolerant. My backyard is full, miserable sun and front is shaded, bboth are very challenging.

Check out Vineyard Song, I cant remember if that one or Sweet Chariot is supposed to perform better? I have Cassie as well, great rose, sort of a mini Darlow’s Enigma, 3 footer & good repeat. Sven is about the same size, tough rose, pretty purple single flowers.

Here's a link to my trip to Chicago Botanical Garden, showing Fl;owerCarpet growing in shade around the tree:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3179492/chicago-botanical-gardens-waterfalls-roses-perennials#n=94

Straw, very nice! My site is not nearly as tough!

How about White pet? I am not sure about shade but it stays low and spreads. I have mine planted to drape over a garden retaining wall.

Rekha, did you check Burling for Sweet Chariot? I know she generally has that and Vineyard Song, unless she's sold-out. White Meidiland continues to bloom for me in the shade, but would probably do better in the sun. Fairly good on disease. Marie Pavie also seems good on this account, but isn't what I consider spreading in the same way as the Drift roses.

Kristin, thank you for the info on White Pet. I have at least one good rooted cutting and am deciding where to plant it net year. You've helped along with that decision! : ))

An excellent spreading rose is Christian J, but I don't know shade tolerance. As a supposed child of Darlow's Enigma it might be worth trying. Clotilde Soupert doesn't seem too picky about some dappled shade in my yard. How large an area are we talking about here?

Vapor, the area is not very large, a small 3 ft wide that stays low and is lax in habit will do. I will need a couple . I think I'll put them in large planters to see if they like the area before planting.

Messed up last few roses I think mostly due to wrong location, too much sun or too little!

Burling costs way too much for me as she has to go through some extra inspection costs. California to TX shipping seems to have restrictions. Last time I eched,echoed, one rose was close to $70.

Now I remember that. That's a shame. Oh well. I'm thinking about what i grow or have seen growing in such conditions here. I may have to look at some pictures and review old notes. Hmmm.

Dianela, the Fawn is one of my favorites. Mine is brand new but those pink blooms just slay me.

That would be a great choice.

Dianella, your fawn looks perfect! Thanks for the suggestion and the awesome pic.

Oh I forgot about the Faun. Also Borderer is a good one.

Thank you Kristine, I am sure you are just going to LOVE her. This one is just a carefree and beautiful little rose. The only roses that bloom more in my garden are the drifts, but I still think the color and form in this one are the most beautiful.

Rekha you are very welcome. Like I said to Kristine only my drifts bloom better here, but they get over 6 hours where I have them. I also have petal pusher which is lovely but it is newer so I am not certain how well it will perform.

If you are looking for something brighter and maybe a bit taller there is a new polyantha that is incredible. I think on its description it can get up to 3 feet tall so I am not sure if that’s too tall for you. In case you like her the name is Kendyl Marie. This rose is super black spot resistant and doesn’t stop blooming. She is getting sun after 3pm or so here because it is under an oak tree.

Here she was in the spring, it is hot pink in front of my now dead ballerina ( had to remove due to RRD a few months back)

I planted my Fawn at the base of my birdbath hoping that it will grow up and around the base

Honestly it was my biggest surprise rose this year. The color of pink is so pretty.

The Fawn

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Wow Kristine yours is so lovely. I think your idea will turn out amazing. Looking forward to seeing lots of pictures. I have been wanting to have some nice urns spilling over with roses (need to wait until I am home permanently to be able to water them). I think this rose would fit that role beautifully. Actually I think the size and the habit of this rose means it can be fit into every garden =).

Incredibly useful post for roses in the front of the Border. I love border the phone and now Kendall Marie. Well I love the phone too but I meant to say the fawn. I need to get back out my notebook and start writing these down. I've been slacking on that fortunately but it's too confusing now.

I think you need another ballerina. That is a beautiful vignette.

Rekha: did you decide on anything? This is a great thread, I learned a lot from it. SC will be availabl from HCR from early spring even Jan maybe. I have read that Lyda (HR) blooms profusely in the shade, even needs shade, is quite fragrant and does not get too big. But made be this is not what you are looking for?

Where are guys buying flower carpet roses?

I just ordered Cassie from heirloom. Lyda is probably too large and not the right form. I need one more, so may wait and see if I can get SC!

I ould not find the faun online...heirloom lists it, but out of stock

I got Cassie and a drift that was on clearance (sweet i think), and both bloom in the shade for me. Cassie blooms very well with large clusters and the drift always has blooms. both are pretty upright for me though. Regardless, I am happy and wanted to update the thread as its difficult to find roses that do well in the shade.

Rekha, I believe Burlington carries The Faun.