Patio roses do not normally exceed 45-55cm with miniatures remaining under this range.

Patio roses are really just dwarf floribundas - smaller than the usual cluster-flowering bush, with both the leaf and flower in line with its size. Bushy and compact, they do not have to be confined to the patio but can be added to the front of a border or grown in small beds.

Miniature roses vary in size from 22.5 to 45cm with blooms ranging in proportion from 2.5 to 5cm. They can be used to stunning effect, edging beds or part of a rockery, but are best used to form patterns with multiple cultivars side-by-side.

Miniatures were initially popular in Victorian times, but went out of fashion, until a chance discovery in Switzerland in 1918. They have proved popular ever since, especially in the States where they can be seen furnishing apartments.