25 companion plants for roses

Good companion plants for roses share their need for full sun and well-drained soil and stay low enough, or far enough away, to keep air moving around the rose canes. Top picks include lavender, catmint, salvia, alliums, yarrow, hardy geraniums, and dianthus at the front of the bed. Daylilies, coneflowers, and bee balm fill the middle, and foxglove or delphinium suit the back. Clematis can climb with a rose on the same support. Many of these draw bees and other beneficial insects. Leave a little space at the base of each rose for airflow and easy pruning.

Not sure which companions fit your bed? For a formal rose garden, choose low edging plants like lavender, catmint, or dianthus. For a cottage look, mix in tall spikes such as foxglove and delphinium plus airy fillers. For a hot, dry site, lean on yarrow, agastache, sedum, and feather grass. Feeding tips for the roses themselves are in rose fertilizer.

Pairing roses with perennials, annuals, grasses, shrubs, and vines that like the same conditions adds color, texture, and biodiversity. Here are 25 plants that work well with rose bushes.

Companion planting with roses

When choosing companions for roses, look for plants that need the same sun, soil, and water. They should not crowd the roses or block airflow, which helps keep the roses healthy. Plants that draw pollinators and beneficial insects are a bonus and fit well with natural rose care.

1. Lavender

Lavender is one of the classic rose companions. This small, shrubby herb has silvery gray-green leaves and fragrant summer flowers that bees love. Most lavender blooms purple, but white lavender varieties are also available. See companion plants for lavender for more pairings.

2. Allium

Allium are another great companion. These hardy bulbs add color and structure and draw bees and butterflies. Most alliums bloom in late spring, around or just before the first rose flush, so they bring pollinators to the bed early.

3. Salvia

Salvia is a popular pick for rose beds. Its flower spikes come in red, pink, purple, blue, and white, and they draw bees and butterflies over a long season.

4. Catmint

Catmint is an excellent perennial edging for roses. It has gray-green leaves and lavender-blue flowers, and it is tough and easy to grow. Bees love it, and the flower spikes last a long time, often from early summer into fall if you shear them after the first flush.

5. Marigold

Marigolds are cheerful annuals that pair well with roses at the front of a bed. They bloom from early summer to frost and draw a range of insects, including some beneficial ones.

6. Hardy geranium

Hardy geraniums, also called cranesbills, are low, mounding perennials that fill the space at the base of roses and hide bare lower canes. They come in blue, purple, pink, and white and pair well with almost any rose color.

7. Dianthus

Dianthus works well at the front of a rose bed. Many types are short-lived perennials, and some are grown as annuals. Their colorful, often clove-scented flowers draw bees and butterflies.

8. Yarrow

Yarrow is a perennial with ferny leaves and flat flower clusters in white, yellow, pink, or red. It draws pollinators and handles drought, so it suits hot, dry, sunny beds.

9. Baby’s breath

Baby’s breath is a perennial with an airy, cloud-like texture. It softens the look of a rose bed and adds a romantic touch. Give it full sun and well-drained soil.

10. Feather Grass

Feather grass is an ornamental grass with fine, feathery leaves that add texture and movement. It handles drought and does well in hot, dry climates.

11. Daylily

Daylilies are low-maintenance perennials that work well in front of roses. They add color through summer and tolerate dry spells.

12. Agastache

Agastache, also called giant hyssop, is a perennial herb with spikes of flowers that draw bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It handles dry conditions, so it suits hot, dry climates.

13. Verbena

Verbena adds color and texture with clusters of small flowers in purple, pink, red, or white. Tall types such as Brazilian verbena weave between roses, while low types edge the bed. Verbena draws pollinators and tolerates dry conditions.

14. Sedum

Sedum is a low-maintenance perennial with fleshy leaves and late-season flowers that draw bees and butterflies. It does well in dry, sunny spots at the edge of a rose bed.

15. Campanula

Campanula, also called bellflower, is a perennial with bell-shaped flowers in blue, purple, and white that draw bees. Low types edge the bed, and taller ones mix in among the roses.

16. Cosmos

Cosmos is an annual that is easy to grow from seed. Sow it after your last frost. It comes in pink, purple, white, and burgundy and keeps blooming all summer.

17. Lily

Lilies are a classic rose companion. Their tall, showy flowers come in white, pink, yellow, and orange and add height between rose bushes.

18. Bee Balm

Bee Balm, also called monarda or Wild Bergamot, is a perennial herb with pink, purple, or red flowers that draw bees and butterflies. Give it room, since it spreads and can get powdery mildew in crowded beds.

19. Clematis

Clematis is a flowering vine that adds height to a rose garden. Grow it on the same arch or trellis as a climbing rose for a double show. It comes in pink, white, red, and purple.

20. Echinacea

Echinacea, or coneflower, grows well with roses. Its showy flowers draw bees and butterflies, and birds eat the seed heads in fall. It comes in purple, white, and many newer colors, and it handles dry conditions.

21. Coreopsis

Coreopsis is a perennial with yellow, pink, or red daisy-like flowers. This long-blooming plant is a colorful partner for roses in cottage borders, and it tolerates dry spells.

22. Black-Eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan is a similar perennial that adds late-summer color. It comes in shades of yellow, orange, and red and draws bees and butterflies. More long-season options are in perennial flowers that bloom all summer.

23. Nasturtium

Nasturtiums are popular all-around companions. They are not a classic rose partner, but they make good neighbors. These annual trailing flowers bloom for a long time, most often in orange, with red, cream, and pink types too.

24. Delphinium

Delphiniums are a striking companion for roses at the back of a border. Use them in small groups so they don’t overshadow the roses. Blue delphiniums contrast well with pink, red, and white roses.

25. Foxglove

Foxglove is another popular rose companion. Its tall flower spikes come in pink, purple, white, and peach and are a staple of cottage borders. Bees visit the flowers. All parts of the plant are toxic, so keep it away from children and pets.

FAQs about companion plants for roses