When I started working on my backyard rose garden, I didn’t realize how much beauty could come from adding various plants around the roses. I experimented with different types of rose companion plants to see what would work best. One of my favourite additions has been kitchen herbs. Not only can I snip them for cooking, but they bring a wonderful fragrance and a practical touch to the space. Then there are the romantic spire flowers that gracefully sway in the wind during the golden hour, adding a dreamy vibe to the garden.
As a gardener, I’ve also noticed how important it is to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and even ladybugs to the garden. These creatures help the roses thrive by keeping the ecosystem balanced. Choosing the right rose companions allows you to create an environment where the flowers bloom more beautifully while supporting local wildlife. Whenever I see a butterfly or ladybug land on one of the roses, it reminds me of these rose companion plants’ incredible benefits.
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No matter your climate, the proper rose companions will transform your space. I’ve found so much inspiration in experimenting with different plants, and I’m constantly amazed at how these choices enhance the overall look and health of the rose garden. For rose gardeners still exploring what works best, don’t be afraid to try different combinations as you continue growing your dream garden.
Do Roses Need Companion Plants?
Many gardeners have found that companion planting with roses creates a healthier and more beautiful garden. You can naturally fight off common problems like aphids, thrips, and powdery mildew by combining different plant combinations, which often affect roses. This method not only helps with pest control but also works to improve soil health. When planted together, these plants form a symbiotic relationship, much like what’s done in food crops, and it benefits the overall health of the rose garden. Carefully selecting companion plants that are functional and attractive will help your roses thrive.
In addition to protecting your roses, companions can help increase yield by bringing more colour and life to your garden. Pollinator-friendly, fragrant, and even edible plants like herbs can add a charming cottage vibe, inviting helpful creatures like bees and butterflies. When choosing plants, consider factors like size and growing conditions to make sure they complement your roses. The proper companions boost the benefits of your garden and enhance the overall beauty and harmony of your roses as they bloom.
Companion Plants for Roses
Annual Companions
1. Sweet Alyssum
One of the best companion plants for roses is Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima). Its honey-scented blooms in shades of white, pink, rose, and lavender create a lovely floral carpet at the base of the roses. This adds a sweet fragrance to your garden and enhances the visual appeal. The newer hybrids of Sweet Alyssum are great because they bloom nonstop and don’t need frequent deadheading, making them a low-maintenance yet beautiful addition to any rose garden.
2. Angelonia
Also known as summer snapdragon, Angelonia is another excellent choice for rose companions. This long-blooming annual displays colourful flowers throughout the summer and thrives in full sun. Being heat resistant, it’s perfect for warmer climates, providing a pop of colour between rose blooms. I’ve found that Angelonia complements roses perfectly, especially in the hot summer when other plants might not fare as well.
3. Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa—also called Million Bells—is a fantastic option for those looking for a plant that acts as a space filler. These petunia-like plants come in various flower colours and patterns and have a trailing habit, making them ideal for planting around shrub roses. Like roses, they require regular fertilizing to keep them in bloom, but the effort is well worth it for the bursts of colour they bring.
4. Verbena
Verbena is a versatile companion plant with miniature nosegays of brightly coloured flowers. It’s perfect for camouflaging the bare lower branches of your roses, and its blooms in shades of blue, purple, yellow, pink, and white pair beautifully with any rose colour. In my experience, Verbena not only enhances the look of the rose garden but also contributes to a vibrant and entire landscape.
Perennial Companions
5. Agastache
Agastache, or anise hyssop, is an ideal choice for a rose garden. With its fragrant blooms from the mint family, it features tall spikes of tubular flowers that last from summer to fall. Its strong scent is also effective at repelling garden pests, adding a practical benefit to its vertical interest in the garden.
6. Artemisia
Artemisia is perfect for adding silvery foliage and soft texture, which pairs well with lamb’s ear to accentuate the look of roses. Known for being heat tolerant, resistant to drought, and able to thrive in poor soil, Artemisia needs little care once established.
7. BeeBalm
Loved by pollinators such as bees and butterflies, BeeBalm brings bright colours and helps keep the rose garden healthy. Its mildew resistance and compact habit fit well with roses, bringing beauty and pollinators to your garden.
8. Coreopsis
Also called tickseed, Coreopsis is a beautiful prairie plant with yellow, red, and gold daisy-like flowers. Its lacy foliage offers a delightful textural contrast, making it a stunning addition to the garden while lasting all season.
9. Lavender
More than just a lovely aromatic herb with culinary uses, Lavender helps repel aphids and attracts beneficial insects. Its purple spires contrast carefully with roses, creating a calm, natural environment while keeping pests away.
To learn more read my guide on:
Companion Plants to Pair with Lavender
10. Lady’s Mantle
With scallop-edged leaves and chartreuse flowers, Lady’s Mantle is perfect as a ground cover beneath tall roses. It helps conceal the lower branches of the roses and complements their colours, especially pink, red, and burgundy.
11. Lantana
Lantana offers upright and rambling varieties, boasting colourful flowers in yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. This easy-care plant serves as a ground cover, helping to suppress weeds and maintain soil moisture.
12. Russian Sage
With its silvery grey-green foliage and lavender-blue flowers, Russian sage makes an eye-catching backdrop for roses, enhancing their vibrant colours. Just allow ample space between them, as Russian sage tends to sprawl.
13. Yarrow
Yarrow offers various options, from ground covers to tall plants for the back of the garden. Its umbel-shaped blooms come in diverse colours, making it easy to find a variety that will complement roses beautifully.
Shrub Companions
14. Boxwood
Boxwood is a fantastic companion plant for roses, thanks to its dense evergreen foliage and ability to provide year-round colour. It offers excellent structure to any garden, fitting well in formal and informal settings. Boxwood thrives in partial shade and full sun, making it versatile and easy to integrate with your roses.
15. Spirea
Spirea is another beautiful option. It is known for its flowering shrubs that bloom in clusters of white, light pink, or rosy red. It enjoys a long blooming season, and newer cultivars are praised for their tidier growth and vibrant foliage. Spirea pairs beautifully with roses, enhancing the garden’s colour and softness.
16. Viburnum
For more depth, Viburnum adds year-round interest to your garden. It provides spring and summer blooms, vibrant fall foliage, and winter berries. Dwarf varieties like Lil’ Ditty can be easily interplanted with rose shrubs, giving extra layers of beauty and texture across all seasons.
Pest Control Companions
17. Scented geraniums (Pelargonium)
Due to their strong fragrance, scented geraniums are a great companion plant for roses. They also help repel Japanese beetles and cabbage worms, making them a useful natural pest control option in your garden.
18. Rue (Ruta)
Rue is well known for its potent aroma and ability to repel ants and beetles. This plant’s strong scent keeps harmful pests away from your roses, allowing them to thrive without the interference of insects that can damage the plants.
19. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Feverfew is another excellent companion for roses, especially for keeping bees and flies at bay. It contains pyrethrin, a natural substance that helps repel these insects, making it a valuable addition to any rose garden.
20. Parsley (Petroselinum)
Parsley is for more than just the kitchen! In your rose garden, it serves as a protective companion by repelling beetles and attracting beneficial insects.
21. Thyme (Thymus)
Thyme is a powerful herb for pest control. It helps keep whiteflies and hornworms away from roses, ensuring that your garden remains healthy.
22. Marigolds (Tagetes)
Marigolds are well known for warding off aphids and other pests. Their strong scent acts as a natural deterrent, and they pair well with roses, both visually and functionally, by keeping harmful bugs at bay.
23. Culinary sage (Salvia)
Culinary sage is another excellent companion for roses. It is particularly effective at repelling snails and cabbage moths.
24. Oregano (Origanum)
Oregano brings a peppery aroma to the garden, which helps repel cabbage worms and beetles.
25. Catmint (Nepeta)
Catmint is a reliable companion for roses and is known for repelling squash bugs.
Related article: Rhubarb Companion Planting
How to Plant Rose Companions
When planting rose companions, it is essential to give your roses enough space to grow without competition. Plant companions at least one foot away from your roses to avoid disturbing their roots. I always recommend wearing leather gauntlet gloves for this task, as they protect from the thorns. Gloves made from thorn-resistant kidskin leather are handy, as they mould to your hands and have reinforced stress points at the thumb and fingertips, ensuring long-lasting wear during the planting process.
Maintaining a healthy, open structure for your roses is key. Regular pruning helps keep the plants vigorous and encourages good air circulation, which prevents attacks from pests and diseases. Giving your roses the care they need will also create a better environment for their companion plants to thrive.
Selecting the right companions can make your rose garden beautiful and functional. Interesting companions can help improve your roses’ health and your garden’s overall aesthetic. With the proper care and attention, the roses and their companions will flourish together.
Final Observations
Companion planting with roses is a delightful way to enhance your garden’s beauty, health, and biodiversity. The right rose companion plants provide natural pest control, enrich soil health, and attract beneficial pollinators while complementing your roses with vibrant colors, textures, and fragrances. By experimenting with combinations that suit your climate and garden style, you can create a thriving ecosystem that keeps your roses blooming at their best. So, get creative, try new pairings, and watch your rose garden transform into a harmonious masterpiece!
