GREEN ICE – white dwarf-mini rose - Moore
With GREEN ICE you can create a sheltered, shimmering corner that brings a gentle seaside mood to even the smallest family garden, while its roots anchor reliably in coastal breezes and freely draining soil. This compact rose forms a neat carpet of double blooms, the pure white petals slowly taking on a cool, pastel-green tint for an almost frosted effect that feels quietly refreshing on bright days. Its miniature stature and compact spread make it ideally suited to containers and edging, yet the dense, glossy foliage gives a surprisingly substantial presence over time. In our pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2‑litre own‑root form, it settles in steadily for a long garden life, regenerating well after pruning and maintaining stable ornamental value with modest care. The small, cluster flowers are self-cleaning, so you spend less time deadheading, and the plant repeats with an abundant second flush that keeps pots and borders lively from early summer onwards. Tolerant of partial shade and moderate heat, it adapts well to UK conditions on patios or verandas, whether in a generous 40–50 litre pot or tucked into a shingle bed. Within a few seasons you will notice a calm development from strong roots to fuller shoots and then a charming, groundcover drift of bloom that quietly rewards patient, relaxed gardeners.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Coastal veranda container (40–50 L) |
Its naturally low, compact habit stays neat in windy spots and is easy to tend from a chair or doorstep, giving a cool, iced look in summer without dominating the space for coastal-style lovers and beginners. |
| Small shingle or gravel bed |
The spreading, ground-hugging growth gradually knits between pebbles, softening hard surfaces and providing year-round structure that suits informal seaside planting schemes for relaxed family gardeners. |
| Front-of-border edging in family gardens |
The miniature size forms a low, continuous edging that will not shade out other plants, with self-cleaning flowers reducing the need for regular deadheading for time-poor home owners. |
| Hanging basket and wall troughs |
Its dwarf stature and cluster blooms drape gently over the rim without becoming leggy, giving a refined, icy cascade that works well where ground space is limited for urban balcony gardeners. |
| Own-root long-term patio feature |
In a roomy pot, the own-root plant builds strength from below and then fills out above, offering a dependable miniature shrub that responds well to light pruning for long-term pot-plant enthusiasts. |
| Partially shaded seating area |
Tolerant of partial shade, it still flowers steadily near north- or east-facing walls, adding a light, cooling effect around a tea table for shade-challenged UK plot owners. |
| Low-maintenance family border |
Good self-cleaning means most spent blooms drop away on their own, so children and adults enjoy a tidy look without constant fussing, ideal for busy household gardeners. |
| Wind-exposed, yet sheltered-by-fence corner |
The dense, spreading habit anchors firmly while coping well in breezy gardens with free-draining soil and moderate exposure, supporting that calm, coastal feel for practical-minded garden starters. |
Styling ideas
- Shingle Drift – Plant GREEN ICE in loose groups through coastal-style gravel with sea kale and blue Festuca to echo dunes – ideal for lovers of naturalistic seaside gardens.
- Veranda Teacups – Use generous terracotta pots (40–50 L) by a sheltered chair, pairing with lavender and soft grasses for a calm, breezy tea corner – perfect for busy veranda owners.
- Mini Hedge – Line a narrow path or driveway with repeat-planted GREEN ICE for a low, airy edging that stays child-friendly in height – suited to family gardens with limited space.
- Hanging Frost – Combine in baskets with trailing silver foliage and pale violas so the tiny green-tinged blooms appear like frost above – a good choice for balcony and patio decorators.
- Cool Companion – Mix with Coreopsis and airy switchgrass in a sunny border, letting its compact white-green flowers cool bolder colours – appealing to colour-conscious planting enthusiasts.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
GREEN ICE – Miniature, dwarf rose; exhibition miniature bush rose suited to edging, groundcover and basket use, marketed in the Mini – dwarf rose collection for compact garden situations. |
| Origin and breeding |
Raised by Ralph S. Moore (Sequoia Nursery, USA) from (Rosa wichuraiana × ‘Floradora’) × ‘Jet Trail’; introduced and registered in the United States in 1971 and distributed by Sequoia Nursery. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holder of a Certificate of Merit in New Zealand trials (1973) and inducted into the American Rose Society Miniature Rose Hall of Fame in 2001 for sustained garden and exhibition performance. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Compact, spreading miniature shrub reaching about 40–50 cm high and 70–90 cm wide, with dense, dark green glossy foliage and only slight prickliness; forms a low, ground-hugging structure. |
| Flower morphology |
Small, double, cup-shaped blooms (about 0.5–1.5 in) carried in clusters, with 26–39 petals; remontant habit with a particularly abundant second flush, and good natural self-cleaning of spent flowers. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Base colour pure white, ARS WB; RHS 155C outer, 138C inner; buds open white with a green veil, developing a subtle pastel green tone in cooler weather; colour remains fairly stable with limited fading. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very light fragrance, barely noticeable in the garden; on close inspection a delicately sweet character can be perceived, though scent is not a primary ornamental feature of this miniature cultivar. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasionally forms small spherical rose hips, 5–7 mm in diameter, in an orange-red shade; hips are incidental rather than ornamental and usually scattered among late-season foliage and spent clusters. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7; USDA 5b; Swedish zone 4); medium resistance to black spot, mildew and rust, benefitting from basic hygiene and timely treatment in damp seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to containers, edging, borders, groundcover and hanging baskets; plant about 50–55 cm apart, 3.2–3.7 plants/m²; tolerates partial shade and moderate heat with watering in prolonged dry spells. |
GREEN ICE offers compact coastal charm, self-cleaning repeat clusters and adaptable container performance in a durable own-root form, making it a thoughtful choice for low-effort, long-lived garden planting.
