Rosa ‘White Fairy’

Description

Quick Facts 

Common Name: White Fairy Rose
Botanical Name: Rosa ‘White Fairy’
Plant Type: Groundcover rose
Mature Height: 60cm
Mature Spread: 90cm
Flowering Period: June-October
Flower Colour: Pure white with pink-tinged buds
Foliage: Small, glossy dark green leaves
Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy throughout UK and Ireland)
Soil Requirements: Well-drained, fertile soil
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
Maintenance: Low

Description

Like scattered pearls across emerald velvet, Rosa ‘White Fairy’ creates enchanting carpets of pristine white blooms that dance above glossy foliage from early summer until the first frosts. This delightful groundcover rose brings pure magic to gardens with its generous clusters of small, perfectly formed flowers that seem to glow with inner light, each bloom opening from the softest pink buds to create gentle blush effects that add depth and romance to the display.

Each exquisite flower unfolds to reveal layers of pure white petals with the most delicate fragrance that draws you closer, whilst the continuous flowering habit ensures your garden remains adorned with blooms throughout the growing season. The compact, spreading nature makes this rose perfect for tumbling over walls, cascading from containers, or creating living carpets of white across borders and rockeries.

The attractive foliage provides the perfect backdrop with small, dark green leaves that maintain their glossy appearance throughout the season, creating beautiful contrast against the pure white blooms. This vigorous variety maintains a neat, spreading habit that suits both formal and cottage garden settings, thriving in the varied conditions of Irish gardens whilst requiring minimal maintenance.

Hardy and reliable in our changeable climate, ‘White Fairy’ combines exceptional beauty with outstanding garden performance and excellent disease resistance. Plant alongside purple lavender and silver artemisia to enhance the clean white colouring, or combine with soft pink roses and blue catmint to create a romantic cottage garden of timeless charm and enduring beauty.

Caragh’s Garden Notebook

Plant in autumn or early spring in well-prepared, fertile soil enriched with well-rotted compost or manure. Choose a sunny position with good air circulation and protection from strong winds to ensure healthy growth and abundant flowering. Space 90cm apart to allow for mature spread and prevent overcrowding.

Maintain soil fertility with annual mulching using organic matter such as compost, bark chips, or well-rotted manure. Ensure consistent moisture throughout the growing season, particularly during dry spells, but avoid waterlogged conditions which can encourage fungal diseases.

For container cultivation, use good quality multipurpose compost in a substantial pot at least 40cm wide with excellent drainage. This variety makes an outstanding specimen plant and is particularly effective when positioned where the fragrant blooms can be appreciated. Feed with rose fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer.

Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage continuous flowering and maintain the plant’s neat appearance. Light pruning in late winter helps maintain shape and removes any dead, damaged, or weak growth, though this variety naturally forms an attractive spreading habit.

Water deeply at the base of the plant during dry periods, avoiding overhead watering which can encourage disease. The fibrous root system benefits from consistent moisture and protection from temperature extremes through organic mulching around the base of the plant.