Rose ‘Popcorn Drift’

Rose 'Popcorn Drift' (Rosa 'Popcorn Drift') is a groundcover rose that behaves like a low shrub, reaching about 40cm tall and 60cm wide. Small buttery yellow blooms open in clusters and soften to creamy white as they age, so the plant carries two tones at once from spring into autumn. It is the rose for gardeners who want repeat flowering without the spraying and pruning that roses have a reputation for.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers in flushes all season. Repeat blooming from spring through to autumn rather than one short burst.
• Two colours on one plant. Buds open buttery yellow and fade to cream, so each cluster carries both tones.
• Low and spreading. At 40cm by 60cm it covers ground and edges a path without ever blocking a view.
• Tougher than it looks. Frost hardy, heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established, which is unusual in a rose this small.
• Not toxic to pets. Roses are not poisonous to cats or dogs, though the stems do carry prickles.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 60cm apart for continuous cover. At that spacing the plants knit together within two seasons and shade the soil enough to slow weeds.

Borders and edging. A single row along a path or driveway gives a low flowering edge that never needs cutting back to keep sight lines clear.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm pot holds one comfortably, and the small footprint suits courtyards and townhouse beds where a standard rose would dominate.

Growing Popcorn Drift Rose in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with at least six hours a day; shade gives leggy growth and few flowers. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, so nearly all of the populated country. It is frost hardy, and a genuine winter chill improves the following season's flowering.

Soil. Well drained, enriched with compost or aged manure before planting. Roses are hungry feeders, so a well prepared bed pays off for years. Mulch 50mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep water twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. Feed with a rose fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flush finishes. Water at the base rather than over the leaves to reduce black spot.

Pruning. Far simpler than a hybrid tea. In late winter, shear the whole plant back by about a third and remove any dead or crossing stems. Deadheading is optional but brings the next flush on faster.

What to expect when it arrives

This rose is grown in tubes. You are buying a young plant, usually a few stems and well under its mature spread, not a flowering shrub. Tubes establish quickly in warm soil, and a spring planting will usually flower in its first season and reach full 60cm width in the second.

It is deciduous, so a winter delivery may arrive as bare or sparsely leaved stems. That is normal and not a fault. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full rose range
• Choosing plants for groundcover
• Compare low maintenance groundcovers
• Low growing plant ideas for borders

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Space plants 60cm apart for continuous groundcover. Given each reaches about 60cm wide, that lets them meet and knit without crowding, which keeps air moving through and reduces leaf disease.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Yes, roses are not toxic to cats or dogs. The prickles on the stems are the real consideration, so keep that in mind for a path a pet uses constantly.

Does it need the hard pruning roses are known for?

No. A shear over in late winter, taking about a third off the whole plant, is all it asks. There is no need to prune to outward facing buds the way you would with a hybrid tea.