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Planting Roses with Other Flowers
Planting other plants with your roses can give your garden some colour when your roses aren't in bloom and accentuate their beauty when they are.When choosing a companion plant, you are looking for a plant that looks good with your rose and also requires similar growing conditions.
A fantastic bonus of companion planting is that many of our choices attract insects such as Hoverflies, ladybirds and lacewings that will prey on rose pests and can have a positive effect on rose health by improving soil health and reducing risk of diseases.
Here are some of our Nursery Manager, Jack's favourite companion plants:
An easy to grow member of the onion family that will come back year after year. Plant multiple varieties that bloom at different times you can have colour from late spring through to the middle of summer. Said to deter aphids and prevent blackspot.
Is a herbaceous perennial forming a mound of velvety light green leaves. Yellow sprays of flowers are borne atop the mound during summer. Plant in full sun, partial shade or even full shade. Will thrive in any aspect and is extremely hardy. Will self-seed freely and is perfect for under planting roses. Cut right back after flowering for fresh foliage.
Most often found are Lavandula angustifoliar (English lavender) and lavandula stoechas (French lavender). With the former being the hardier of the two. They are available from white through to pinks and purples. Forming compact, evergreen shrubs when pruned correctly. Which is just after flowering. Ensuring that the cut does not go below green growth. Needs full sun and an east, west or south facing aspect. Perfect for pollinating insects.
Hundreds of varieties available in various heights, colours and habits. There are 3 main groups, and if you were to choose carefully, you could have a clematis in flower in your garden all year round.
Sweetly scented flowers which are most often bi-coloured in pinks, yellows, reds and whites.
Can be evergreen or deciduous and have a flowering range between spring and autumn. They require a moist well drained soil preferring partial shade but will tolerate full sun. Fairly vigorous in habit but can be pruned to shape.
A biennial or short-lived perennial. Semi evergreen with spires of tubular flowers in summer. Prefers partial shade or full sun on a well-drained moist soil. Will self-seed around the garden. Young self-seeded plants can be easily moved to where you would prefer them to flower.
Can be herbaceous perennials or shrubs. They are available in practically every colour and shade. Most often found are blues, purples, reds and whites. Needs full sun to thrive. With a well-drained moist soil. Shelter from cold winds and excessive winter wet. Both herbaceous and shrub forms are hardy with the former being slightly hardier.
Not to be confused with the tender geranium (pelargonium). Hardy geraniums are usually shades of white, pink, purple and blue. Flowering from summer through to autumn. Shear back after first flowering to promote new growth and further blooms. From neat compact plants to ground covering sprawling varieties.
Decorative and useful. Flowers of white, pink, purple or blue from spring to autumn dependant on the variety. Needs a well-drained soil with direct sunlight. Available as both upright and prostrate forms.