Virtues: Available in five colors, Nitty Gritty roses require very little maintenance in exchange for their continual blooms. With a 3-foot height and a width of 4 feet, they can function as flowering groundcovers. All of the roses in this series are disease resistant and lightly fragrant.
Common name: Nitty Gritty series of roses
Botanical name: Rosa x Nitty Gritty Pink (‘RUIRI0125A’); Nitty Gritty White (‘BOKRARUISP’)’ Nitty Gritty Yellow (‘RUIRI0109A’); Nitty Gritty Peach (‘RUIRI0091A’); Nitty Gritty Red (‘RUIRI0023A’)
Exposure: Full sun
Flowers: Roses appear from early summer through autumn. They do not require deadheading. There are five cultivars in the series, named by flower color: White, Red, Pink, Yellow and Peach. The roses have a slight fragrance.
Foliage: The deciduous, dark green, oval leaves provide a nice backdrop for the bright flowers. The foliage is highly resistant to common rose diseases.
Habit: Nitty Gritty roses quickly reach three feet tall and four feet wide, with a rounded shape. Their compact growth and relatively low height means they can be planted in multiples to edge a shrub border or serve as a ground cover. They can also easily stand alone as an accent plant or fill a large container. These roses grow on their own roots; they are not grafted onto a different rootstock.
Origin: Introduced by Monrovia in 2021.
How to grow it: Site Nitty Gritty roses in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Provide ample water in the first growing season. Once the roots are well established, watering can be reduced. The stems can be cut back by one-third in early spring if desired. USDA Zones 4–9.
MEGHAN SHINN www.hortmag.com/
