The Top 10 Best Companion Plants for Roses

Allium

You may have heard that roses love garlic. There’s truth to this statement—garlic helps prevent common fungal diseases that often plague roses, such as black spot. Garlic may also deter garden pests. Allium, which is in the onion family, offers the same benefits making it one of the best companion plants for roses. Plant allium bulbs in fall for gorgeous globe-shaped flowers in spring.

Lavender

The calming fragrance of lavender (Lavandula) will delight you every time you walk nearby, but deer will steer clear. The elegant, graceful flower spikes will enhance, not overwhelm, your roses. For stunning impact, plant them next to each other in a border—both of these flowers love full sun.

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Geraniums

These popular annual flowers have an old-fashioned look that pairs beautifully with roses. Their strong scent is unappealing to backyard critters like rabbits. You can even find rose-scented geraniums! Also consider low-growing perennial geraniums, which have similar light and watering needs as roses.

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Marigolds

These cheerful annual flowers have a reputation for deterring bad bugs. Marigolds are also ridiculously easy to grow (all you need is a packet of seeds) and will keep blooming all summer. Make sure you look for colors that complement your roses.

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Chives

Just like allium and garlic, chives is another good choice to prevent diseases and keep pests off of your roses. As a bonus, chives are edible, too!

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Parsley

This herb is a great choice for your kitchen garden, but you may want to consider placing an extra pot of parsley near your roses. Swallowtail caterpillars and other beneficial insects will be happy that you did. These herbs also reportedly repel Japanese beetles. Some gardeners even say that parsley can make your roses more fragrant!

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Garden Phlox

You can’t go wrong by pairing garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) and roses in a classic cottage garden. The ruffled blooms pair beautifully with your prettiest roses. Phlox is a great cut flower for arrangements and bouquets and pollinators love it.

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Bee Balm

Given the common name, it should come as no surprise that bees love these companion plants for roses. Hummingbirds do too! But because bee balm (Monarda) is in the mint family of plants, garden pests will steer clear. Plant tall varieties in the back of your sunny perennial beds—just make sure to give the pollinator garden favorites enough space to grow.

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Anise Hyssop

The tall arcing spires of anise hyssop (Agastache) add movement and vertical interest to your rose garden. And pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies love these plants! Since these native plants are in the mint family, they repel deer and other garden pests.

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Catmint

If you want to attract pollinators galore to your rose garden, try catmint (Nepeta). The bushy form hides roses’ bare legs, and with a mid-season haircut, you’ll get a second flush of flowers that will bloom nonstop through fall. Look for sterile varieties such as Walker’s Low that won’t aggressively self-seed. Deer and rabbits won’t touch these perennial plants.

Next, check out the most fragrant roses to perfume your garden.