Kikuyu Grass could be your best friend.

I live in a rural area on the outskirts of Sydney which is home to a lot of rose growers for cut flowers and propagation. Craig a friend of twenty years and grandson of two previous generations of rose propagators working the same five acre block.
The property is covered in Kikuyu grass which most people detest as it runs everywhere into rose beds, he loves it for the following reasons.

Kikuyu is living mulch that replaces itself.
" keeps moisture in.
" " roots cool .
" Prevents weed growth.
" Keeps black pots cool.
" Protects budded rootstocks

He grows a lot of Multiflora for rootstocks mixed with Kikuyu and never waters, he gets fantastic growth. He states Kikuyu grows in the first 2 inches, roses are deeper rooters and does not seem to take a lot of nutrients from the ground.

He does not use black Polypropalene ground covers as they are too hot and all the slugs in creation get under it. Black 8" pots are on the ground with Kikuyu growing up around them acting as sun protection.

He uses a rotary hoe to work up ground for planting rootstocks and after budding and hilling up he lets the Kikuyu grow over them for protection.

Some plants are sold roadside and customers mention how near his stall the Kikuyu needs poisoning. He just smiles and lets it grow unchecked except for mowing.
Actually he did spray it one year when Fusilade was released and Kikuyu was replaced by all the worst broadleaf weeds imaginable. These deep rooting broad leaf weeds and Couch are his worst enemy's and Kikuyu does a great job keeping these weeds out.

I know his property doesn't look as well as the traditional type garden beds but the quality of his plants is exceptional

I spend a lot of time and effort pulling the darned stuff out of my rose beds!!

Since seeing Craigs plants and digging down beside a rose I can see the benefits. I have no edging and just mow up to the roses and use hand hedge clippers to cut the Kikuyu at the base. It isn't the conventional way of having nice gardens but the plants seem to thrive. Keeping the Kykuyu cut close to the rose is a constant job particularly when watering well.

I speak to two rose growing ladies regularly whilst they are out walking at 6am, they often sight roses with weeds allround that are doing better than their carefully weeded gardens. Less Blackspot and growing well without care or water. I am sure there is something in the Kikuyu story.

Very interesting Bruce. Makes alot of sense.
My roses are doing so much better since I put mulch around them. I can't wait till I have the whole garden mulched. It has cost about $300 so far in mulch. The first lot wasn't good mulch.

I would imagine the same effects could be expected with other low groundcovers too that would fit into the garden scheme better than grasses do. I'm giving a few a go this year to see how they go... got one that was growing here when I got here that seems to be doing a good job so far (a double form of Vinca minor I think)... doesn't seem to climb the roses when they reach the trunk. Others include chamomile, a spreading geranium, a prostrate clematis, a prostrate ceanothus, and ajuga etc.

I must admit when I first saw his Kikuyu growing methods I thought him just lazy and using it as an excuse. Takes a lot of getting used to the idea as traditional gardening is keep it under control and out of all flower beds.
Can't see it a benefit in a lettuce patch but around roses it seems to work very well. It certainly doesn't work if growing shallow rooted garden plants.
I have my roses with it mown right up to the crown and use clippers to trim around the trunks. Planted a rose (" Rosa Superba ") this week right in the mown lawn and the Kikuyu didn't go deeper than 2".
Have been feeding more this season, watering well and am experiencing the best growth so far.

When I first adopted this system it was partly due to being in the "Over the Hill Club" and tired of trimming edges regularly with a sharpened spade. It may not be suitable for a small formal garden but for acres it works well if mown regularly.