Ever wanted to give your rose garden a major upgrade without adding too much work? Then it’s time to think about companion plants! Mixing roses with the right perennials not only adds texture, height, and color but also works wonders for attracting beneficial insects, improving plant health, and keeping pests at bay. Whether you’re looking for bold colors like Bee Balm, fragrant charm like Lavender, or the pest-repelling magic of Yarrow, pairing the right plants with roses will take your garden from pretty to absolutely jaw-dropping.
In this blog, we’re diving into the best perennials to plant alongside roses that can add dimension, beauty, and life to your space. Ready to make your rose garden bloom like never before? Let’s do this!
Perennials to Plant with Roses
1. Bee Balm
Growing Bee Balm with roses is like adding color and energy to your rose garden! This stunning perennial is a superstar in companion planting, especially with rose bushes. Its vibrant, spiky blooms bring bold colors like red, pink, and purple to your garden and do wonders for attracting beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making your garden an absolute buzzing paradise.
When planting Bee Balm alongside roses, space plants properly to give your rose companion plants enough room to breathe and grow without crowding.
Be sure to water perennials deeply and less frequently, encouraging robust root systems for both plants. Don’t forget to mulch around the base of plants to help retain moisture, which both the Bee Balm and roses appreciate.
2. Yarrow
Growing Yarrow with roses is like adding a powerhouse plant that brings both beauty and functionality to your rose garden. Yarrow’s delicate, feathery foliage and clusters of tiny flowers make it the perfect companion plant for roses, especially because it’s a natural pest repellent.
It helps keep common garden pests like aphids and beetles at bay, protecting your roses and allowing them to thrive without constant battles with bugs.
Yarrow doesn’t require much fuss, but giving it a little love with slow-release fertilizers will keep its lush foliage vibrant all season long. Don’t forget to deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming and prune perennials regularly to maintain its tidy shape.
Rotate perennials every few years to ensure healthy growth, and you’ll have a stunning combo that not only enhances the visual appeal of your garden but also works to benefit the overall health of your other plants.
For rose gardeners looking for hardy, low-maintenance companion plants for roses, Yarrow checks all the boxes. !
3. English Lavender
Growing English Lavender with roses is like crafting your rose garden’s ultimate fragrant, elegant, and functional duo. With its tall spikes of purple blooms and silvery foliage, English Lavender creates a stunning backdrop that complements the lush beauty of roses, all while keeping pests like Japanese beetles at bay.
This fragrant cut flower adds visual interest and attracts beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies, offering that year-round interest that makes your garden bloom beautifully from early spring to early fall.
Lavender thrives in poor soil, making it an ideal companion for roses that don’t mind slightly dry conditions. To keep lavender looking its best, pinch back growth should be encouraged to encourage bushier plants, and weed regularly around perennials and roses to prevent unwanted competition for nutrients. At the same time, both plants love the sun.
4. Foxglove
Growing Foxglove with roses is like pairing a fairy tale with timeless elegance in your garden! These beauties bring a diverse array of colors, from soft pastels to deep purples, that add serious visual interest to your roses. Foxglove thrives in full sun but can handle some shade, making it an adaptable partner for roses, especially when planted in well-drained soil.
When planting Foxglove with roses, be sure to provide good drainage and select drought-tolerant perennials that won’t compete for water or nutrients. You’ll also want to avoid over-fertilizing to keep both plants balanced and avoid leggy growth.
5. Hydrangea
Growing Hydrangea with roses is like pairing two garden divas to create an eye-catching, multi-dimensional display. Hydrangeas are known for their large, lush flower heads that bloom in late spring, making them a fabulous backdrop to the more structured shape of rose shrubs.
When planting Hydrangeas with roses, give them enough space to spread out their big blooms while ensuring proper airflow to avoid diseases. One of the biggest benefits of Hydrangeas is their frost tolerance, but you should still protect perennials from frost in winter by adding mulch to insulate the roots.
6. Agastache
Growing Agastache with roses is like adding a touch of wild elegance to your garden—this lovely companion plant stands tall and brings a soft, fragrant charm that complements the boldness of roses. Known for its vibrant flower blooms, most varieties of Agastache thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, making them the perfect match for roses that crave similar conditions.
When planting Agastache with roses, ensure they have enough space to grow without competing for nutrients. One of the best parts? Agastache is tough and drought-tolerant, meaning it doesn’t require as much water as some other annuals or perennials, which is a bonus for keeping your soil healthy.
7. Russian Sage
Growing Russian Sage with roses is like adding a beautiful layer of elegance and practicality to your garden. Known for its airy, lavender-blue flowers, Russian Sage is the perfect complement to the rich, bold blooms of roses. Its tall, wispy stems not only provide interest by adding height and texture but also attract pollinators, making it a must-have companion for roses.
When planting Russian Sage with roses, space plants properly to avoid overcrowding and ensure each plant has room to flourish. Both plants enjoy deep but infrequent watering, so remember to water perennials deeply and less frequently to keep their roots healthy.
To help retain moisture, mulch around the base of plants, keeping the soil cool and weed-free. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can lead to leggy growth in Russian Sage.
8. Lady’s Mantle
Lady’s Mantle is like the unsung hero of your rose garden, offering soft, frothy green leaves that create a beautiful contrast to the bold elegance of your roses. As one of the great rose companions, Lady’s Mantle not only looks stunning but also helps with attracting beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs, making your garden an eco-friendly paradise!
When choosing companion plants for roses, Lady’s Mantle is a top contender because it creates a lush, green underlayer that protects the soil from drying out, helping keep moisture for the roses.
Together, these two make for an absolutely dreamy combo that’s not just about looks—it’s about creating harmony in your rose garden
9. Salvia
Salvia, also known as sage, is a powerhouse companion plant that brings vibrant, spiky flowers and a refreshing burst of purple, pink, or blue to your rose garden.
This easy-care perennial not only adds height and color but is also amazing for attracting beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, turning your garden into a buzzing paradise!
Whether you’re creating a rose garden or a pollinator-friendly space, Salvia is a must-have that brings both beauty and balance.
10. Lavender
Growing Lavender with roses is like leveling up your garden with a combo that’s both visually stunning and practical! Lavender’s aromatic, silvery foliage and soft purple blooms in early summer provide the perfect contrast to the bold and rich colors of roses.
But the real magic? Lavender is one of those perfect companion plants that doesn’t just look good—it works hard by helping attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, keeping your garden buzzing with life and boosting pollination.
As one of the best companion plants for roses, Lavender loves full sun and dry, well-drained soil, so it pairs seamlessly with roses without competing for resources.
Conclusion
Incorporating companion plants like Bee Balm, Yarrow, and Lavender into your rose garden creates a stunning, low-maintenance landscape that thrives year-round. These perennials add color, fragrance, and protection to your roses by attracting beneficial insects, keeping pests away, and enhancing the garden’s overall health. With the right combinations, your garden can flourish with beauty and practicality, making it a joy to maintain and enjoy.
