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Companion Plants For Roses
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Companion Plants For Roses

Pink roses with purple alliums in amongst green foliage

Interspersing your rose garden with a variety of perennials and annuals brings visual interest through colour, texture, height and bloom times. Companions can be also chosen for their beneficial attributes such as for attracting pollinators and beneficial insects, deterring pests or for their habit - covering areas for weed suppressing or protecting soil from erosion. Some also contribute to soil health through their root systems or through nutrients returned to the soil as leaves fall and decompose. 

When choosing companions, consider their sun, water, and nutrient needs to be sure they are compatible with your roses. Take note of mature plant sizes so they can be well positioned to complement your roses visually. And always check the growing zone of any companion plant to be sure it is suited to your climate. Listed bloom times are for Canada Hardiness Zone 7a | USDA zone 6b and may vary depending on the specific cultivar, microclimate, soil conditions, and the particulars of any given season and location.  

Attract Beneficial Insects, Pollinators and Birds

Two red spikey petaled flowers of bee balm against a green background.
 Bee Balm (Monarda) - Native to North America, it is perfect to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths. Adds colour in scarlet and lavender-pink with unique tubular flowers. Seed heads attract birds in fall and winter. Blooms mid to late summer. Photo by Annie Lang on Unsplash
Yellow petaled flowers with deep red centres among soft fine green grasses.
 Tickseed (Coreopsis) - Native to North America, it attracts bees, butterflies and, once blooms are spent, seed-eating birds. Daisy-like flowers perform all summer long and come in a range of shades of red, yellow and gold. Blooms early summer through early fall. Photo by Sumit Kant on Unsplash
Blueish-hued lavender flowers up close.
 Lavender (Lavandula) - This aromatic herb repels aphids while attracting pollinators and beneficial insects like hoverflies, with beautiful purple, pink or white flowers that dance in the breeze. Available in a variety of cultivars offering various shades of colour and differing plant heights, brings a touch of English romance to the garden. Best positioned with a bit of distance from roses as lavender has different watering needs. Blooms mid to late summer. Photo by Luise and Nic on Unsplash
Purple and blue coloured salvia flower spikes with green leaves.
 Salvia - Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators while giving beautiful vertical interest in the garden between roses. Available in blues, purples, whites and pinks. Blooms late spring through mid summer. Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
Soft light blue purple catmint blooms with light green leaves.
 Catmint (Nepeta) - Repels aphids and deters deer and rabbits, while attracting hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Upright flower spikes last all season in shades of lavender-blue, pink or white. Blooms late spring through early fall, often with a second flush after cutting back. Photo by Maria Tyutina 
Purple globe shaped flowers on tall thin stems of allium with a green background.
 Allium - Sulphur-based scent chemicals help mask nearby desirable host plants, deterring pests. These unique globe shaped flowers float creating striking visual interest. Available in purples, blues and white. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Clusters of fine white flowers of garlic chives with a bumble bee resting on a bloom and a black background.
 Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum) -  A member of the allium family, sharing the same pest-deterring benefit of masking the scent of nearby host plants. Pretty white blooms appear with star-shaped flower clusters. Blooms mid to late summer. Photo by Cameron Arksey on Unsplash
Tiny white clusters of sweet alyssum blooms with fine green leaves and stems.
 Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) - Attracts parasitic wasps and a wide variety of pollinating insects with its sweetly fragrant, delicate flowers. Self-seeds readily. Its low-growing habit also makes it an excellent ground cover. Blooms late spring through early fall. Photo by Zhi Li on Unsplash
Pinkish-purple spikes of agastache blooms with green leaves.
 Agastache - Native to North America and a fragrant member of the mint family whose aromatics help repel garden pests. Tall flower spikes bloom for weeks in white, pink, mauve, or purple, and are available in a wide variety of heights. Blooms mid summer through early fall. Photo by HAYOUNG CHO on Unsplash
Soft blue-purple fine spikes of Russian sage flower blooms with a field and mature trees in the background.
 Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) - Fragrance and blooms attract pollinators like bees and butterflies while repelling pests. A long-blooming plant offering great vertical interest and distinctive fine-textured silvery foliage. This attractive plant can be quite large so be sure to plan accordingly to give it the space it needs. Blooms mid to late summer. Photo by Brady Knutson on Unsplash
Dense flat clusters of fine white yarrow blooms against green feathery olive green foliage.
 Yarrow (Achillea) -  Native to North America, it attracts beneficial predatory wasps, winsome flies and hoverflies. Bright flowers in a variety of colours and heights also offer beautiful textured contrast in the garden. Blooms early to mid summer, often reblooming into fall if deadheaded. Photo by Lorenz Hoffmann on Unsplash
Tall fine stems with delicate star shaped white and pink flowers against green leaves and a blue sky.
 Whirling Butterflies (Gaura lindheimeri) - Native to North America, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds over a long blooming season while being deer and rabbit resistant. Delicate flowers on fine, airy stems add beautiful movement and visual interest as they dance in the breeze. Blooms early summer through early fall.  Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich
Puffy orange flower centres with purple reflexed petals - the flower heads of coneflowers against a green background.

Coneflower (Echanacea) - Native to North America it attracts beneficial beetles, pollinators and songbirds. Blooms later in the season from mid-summer into fall, extending the garden’s colour into the cooler months. Blooms mid summer through early fall. Photo by Stephan H. on Unsplash
Bright blue stems of spiked sea holly flowers with puffy blue conical shaped centres against a green background
  Sea Holly (Eryngium) - Deters deer and rabbits with its thistle-like spikes while attracting beneficial parasitic wasps. Striking blue flowers offer beautiful contrast in both colour and texture. Blooms mid to late summer. Photo by  Clément Proust


Beauty and Contrast

Full tall elongated blue and white delphinium flower blooms against a dark green background.
 Delphinium - Offers strong vertical interest in a variety of shades of blue, purple, pink, coral and white to compliment any shade of rose. Blooms early to mid summer, often with a second flush in early fall if cut back after the first bloom. Photo by Kelsey Farish on Unsplash
Clusters of globular shaped pink and yellow verbena blooms against a black background.
 Verbena - Clusters of small star-shaped flowers on mounding, trailing or upright plants add colour and visual interest to the lower areas of the garden. Available in red, pink, apricot, lavender, purple, blue, white and bicolors. Blooms early summer through early fall. Photo by Encal Media on Unsplash
Trumpet shaped white, pink and orange million bells flowers up close
 Million Bells (Calibrachoa) - A petunia look-alike comes in a wide variety of colours and has a trailing habit perfect to fill in low spaces between roses. Blooms late spring through early fall. Photo by Rebecca Niver on Unsplash
Fine silvery soft foliage of artemisia.
 Artemisia - Loved for its fine, distinctive foliage. Some types have a soft and silvery appearance that adds beautiful texture to the garden. Grown primarily for foliage, with insignificant blooms appearing mid to late summer. Photo by Yuliia Patrikhalkina on Unsplash
Pinkish purple six-petaled clematis flowers with yellow stamens and green leaves.
  Clematis - A natural companion for climbing roses, clematis climb and weave gracefully through tall canes, adding beautiful variation in flower shape and colour to the shared display. Available in an extensive range of colours and bloom forms across hundreds of varieties. Bloom time varies widely by variety, spanning early spring through early fall. When selecting a clematis to pair with a climbing rose, choosing varieties with complementary or staggered bloom times can extend the colour and interest of your display beautifully throughout the season. Photo by Jewel Hankey-Telesford on Unsplash

Beneficial for Soil

Soft green scalloped, slightly frilly leaves of Lady's Mantle.
 Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla) - A highly effective ground cover used to suppress weeds and prevent soil erosion. Scalloped leaves and small, star-shaped flowers add visual interest. Shade tolerant and perfect for filling in some shadier gaps in the garden. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Evelien Van Den Brink on Unsplash
Delicate white flowers along tall spikes against a black background.
 Foamflower (Tiarella) - Native to North America and Asia. Suppresses weeds and aids in erosion control as a low-growing ground cover growing best in woodland and shaded areas. Excellent for use in sloping, low light areas of the garden. Early blooms attract spring pollinators. Blooms mid to late spring. Photo by Mason McCall
Small circular flowers in shades of purple with a lighter centre against intricately cut light green leaves.
 Bigroot Geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum) - Suppresses weeds and helps prevent soil erosion as a reliable ground cover that is happy in both sun and shade. Delicate small blooms in pink, magenta, or white offer colour against intricately cut leaves. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Kulbir 
Clusters of tiny light purple flowers against a green background.
 Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) - Suppresses weeds as a low-growing ornamental ground cover. Tiny blooms and a soft, spreading form add texture and visual interest. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Cherry T on Unsplash
A tall columnar shaped flower made up of small elongated bell shaped blooms in a colour gradient from yellow at the top to deep orange at the bottom.
 Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) - Dense, fibrous root systems hold soil in place reducing erosion in sloped areas. Adds a bright pop of vertical colour to any garden in warm shades of red, orange and yellow. Blooms early to mid summer with some varieties reblooming in early fall. Photo by Grant Sams on Unsplash
Softly textured elongated leaves on a stem with a cluster of leaves at the top all in a soft white silver colour.
 Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) -Suppresses weeds and defends against soil erosion with its dense, spreading mat and fibrous root system. Softly textured silvery leaves provide beautiful contrast in both colour and texture. Blooms early to mid summer, though grown primarily for its foliage. Photo by Ronin on Unsplash
Ruffled tufts of marigold flower blooms in oranges and yellows with fine green foliage.
 Marigolds (Tagetes) - Well known for deterring pests and attracting beneficial insects, marigolds also defend against nematodes in the soil and can combat rose sickness, also known as rose replant disease, by supporting the rebalancing of soil microbiology. Perfect for planting in between roses. Blooms early summer through early fall. Photo by Nadiia Shuran on Unsplash
 
Large green leaves with tall clusters of white flowers against a sandy background.
 Sea Kale (Crambe maritima)  - Helps defend against nematodes in the soil. An edible perennial vegetable that adds texture and colour variation to the garden. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Canva
A Note On Nitrogen Fixation

Plants in the legume family have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria that allows them to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form roses can readily absorb, essentially fertilizing the soil and supporting more vigorous growth. 

Long slender leaves with soft purple hanging flowers against a black background.
 Comfrey (Symphytum) - Deep taproots draw up nutrients from the depths of garden beds such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Storing these minerals in its leaves, roses benefit from accessing nutrients when leaves are cut from the comfrey plant and are placed around the garden bed to decompose. Blooms late spring to early summer.  Photo by Kate Cullen on Unsplash
Tall slender stem with a few delicate blue purple blooms set against a medium green background.
 Baptisia -A member of the legume family and native to North America. Deep roots improve soil structure, bring nutrients to the surface, and build soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Available in blue, white, or yellow, adding vertical interest among the roses. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Charanjeet Channi
Tall conical shaped flowers made up of smaller blooms make up this field of Lupins in purples and pinks against a blue sky.
  Lupin (Lupinus) - A member of the legume family and a powerful soil builder. Shares nutrients with roses through nitrogen fixation and helps break up compacted soil. Available in a wide variety of colours, with distinctive blooms and unique leaf shapes offering vertical interest and texture. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Delphine Ducaruge on Unsplash
Elongated globular red clover flowers against a green background.
 Red Feather Clover (Trifolium rubens) - Its nitrogen fixation ability as part of the legume family adds nutrients to the soil around roses while roots help break up denser soil and prevent erosion. Bright purple-red ornamental flowers attract pollinators and dried seed heads add unique fall interest. Blooms late spring to early summer. Photo by Pascal Bullan on Unsplash

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Creating diversity of colour, texture and purpose in your garden space will benefit your design as well as biodiversity and the long term health of your garden soil.

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