David Austin's Sweetheart Rose Rosa The Fairy

The Fairy is a Polyantha rose. The common name is the Sweetheart Rose.

Popular since 1932.

This Polyanthus type of rose, will produce clusters of small, ever blooming, fully double pink flowers all summer. With an exceptionally heavy flush of bloom in fall. The bush is compact, disease resistant , but seldom growing above 2 ft, which makes it ideal as a ground cover, a low hedge, as a bedding plant or used as borders..

The Fairy is a very pretty, useful little shrub. She bears numerous tiny, soft pink pompom like flowers in graceful sprays. The Fairy is late flowering, but then, when she blooms, it is continuous. She is tough, reliable and healthy.

Although, The Fairy is a miniature rose, and many miniature roses can be very tricky to grow, The Fairy is a beauty. It is long flowering, hardy, has shiny green foliage and from spring to autumn carries clusters of petite pink flowers. It has a low spreading growth which makes it a great border plant or a tall ground cover.

Many people will grow Rosa the Fairy in a hanging basket. I have yet to do so, I do have a small bush that I have started for just that purpose, I plan to transplant it into a hanging pot as soon as it gets roots are just a little stronger.

It is also easy to propagate a new rose bush. Simply lay one of the branches flat on the ground. You may have to use a u-pin to make sure the branch has contact with the soil. When it has obtained roots, cut it away from the mother plant. Dig up the branch along with the roots and transplant it in another garden bed or pot.

A classic trouble free Polyantha for nearly endless flowers. Small ruffled in large trusses bow elegantly from their weight. Grows 4 to 5 feet tall and wide when it is allowed to spread. Hardy and clean. With 20 to 25 petals. Grows well in zones 5 to 10.

It is a Low maintenance, disease resistant shrub rose . Great to use in landscaping projects. It is ideal in the mixed border if kept pruned as a low growing ground cover.

The Fairy also grows well in a half barrel or any other container. She is beautiful as her trusses cascade over the sides.

For an elegant and graceful look , plant some baby breath behind her. With the pretty pink blossoms of the Rosa The Fairy and lacy white blooms of the baby's breath, It will remind you of a gorgeous bridal bouquet.

All she needs is well amended, moist, and a well draining soil. Deadheading when necessary. Plenty of water during the growing season. The fairy loves lots of sunshine. So plenty of water and lots of sunshine. It is best to apply the water directly to the soil. Give her full sun, and she will produce plenty of flowers and give you great pleasure.

Which rose should I buy ?

Bare~root or container roses ?

By following these basic guidelines you will be able to take the guess work out of choosing the rose that is right for you and your garden.

• When ordering bare root from a mail order catalog such as : Jackson & Perkins or David Austin you will be able to choose form hundreds of roses. By visiting the websites you can have them send you a catalog of their roses. Buying an already potted rose limits your choices to the stock on hand at your local nursery. Buying bare root means that it will need to be planted immediately and must be planted into the ground in very early spring in order for it to thrive. As far as buying a rose in a container, the advantages would be, the rose is already planted and you can plant them in the ground at any time.
• Make sure you are buying a healthy plant, bare root roses should have red or greenish colored canes, the root system should be well wrapped insuring that the tender roots haven't dried out.
• Check The Grade : When purchasing your rose, it should come with a metal tag. This tag will rate the quality of the rose. The standards of the rose are endorsed by the American Association of Nurserymen. A No. 1 grade rose should have at least 3 strong, healthy canes. A No 1½ and a No. 2 grade roses will have less canes and therefore will not be a good purchase.
• Disease : It is a good idea to purchase a rose that is disease resistant.. Otherwise, be prepared to spray plants often.
• Check The Leaves : Do not purchase roses that have dark spots or blotches on the leaves, this is a sure sign of black spot which is a fungus.
• Returns : Keep your receipt when purchasing a rose, some nurseries, and garden centers, will guarantee the plant for up to a year. If so ( read the warranty ) they may refund your money or give a store credit for up to a year .
• Consider Your Climate : Be sure to check to see the rose you have purchased is adapted to your climate zone. Other things to consider are, how big will it get? Will it bloom only once during the season? Or will it flower freely? Does it need full sun ? Fragrance and of course color ? Is it thorny or thorn~less?