The Best Companion Plants for Roses
Good companion plants for roses include lavender, catmint, salvia, alliums, and hardy geraniums — plants that share the rose's love of sun and good drainage while deterring pests, attracting pollinators, and hiding bare rose ankles.
Companion planting makes a rose bed healthier and more beautiful. The best partners enjoy the same full sun and well-drained soil roses need, and many earn their place by repelling pests or drawing in beneficial insects. Aromatic perennials such as lavender, catmint (nepeta), salvia, and thyme are classic choices, while alliums and garlic are said to discourage aphids.
Low, mounding plants like hardy geraniums and lady's mantle disguise the bare lower stems of leggy roses, and pollinator favorites such as bee balm keep the garden buzzing. Give companions enough room that they do not crowd the rose or block the airflow that keeps foliage dry.