Best Companion Plants for Roses UK

Good companion plants turn a rose bed into a proper border. They hide bare stems, smother weeds, bring in insects that eat greenfly and keep the colour going from April to November. The wrong ones steal water or swamp your roses, so it’s worth choosing carefully.

Why do roses need companion plants?

Roses look leggy on their own. Most shrub roses have bare, woody stems at the bottom, and without anything below them you’re looking at brown sticks and bare soil for half the year.

Companions also bring in hoverflies, ladybirds and other helpful insects that eat aphids. And low plants that cover the soil stop rain splashing mud and disease spores up onto the rose leaves.

Pink shrub roses above billowing lavender along a brick path. Lavender brings in bees and other helpful insects.

Best summer companions for roses

Summer is the roses’ big moment. The best partners flower alongside them without stealing the show.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

English lavender is one of the most reliable rose companions. Its silver-grey leaves go with every rose colour, and bees love the flowers. Plant it 40-50cm from the rose in soil that drains well. On heavy clay, mix plenty of grit into the planting hole. ‘Hidcote’ (deep purple) and ‘Munstead’ (lilac-blue) are the two best for rose borders. Our lavender growing guide covers planting and pruning.

Nepeta (Catmint)

Catmint ‘Six Hills Giant’ gives clouds of violet-blue flowers from June to September. At about 60cm, it’s just the right height to hide bare rose stems. Cut it back hard after the first flush in July and it flowers again in September. Plant about 40cm from the rose. Once settled it copes with dry spells and needs no feeding. Our guide to growing catmint has more varieties.

Hardy geraniums

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is the best ground cover for rose borders. It flowers non-stop from May to October, with violet-blue flowers on wide, spreading mounds. It covers the soil, which keeps weeds down and stops rain splashing onto rose leaves. If it looks tired in August, cut it back and it soon bounces back. Plant 40cm from the rose. ‘Johnson’s Blue’ and ‘Orion’ are good alternatives. See our geranium growing guide for more.

Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)

Lady’s mantle has frothy lime-green flowers from June to August that go with every rose colour. Its soft, scalloped leaves hold raindrops like little jewels. It grows to about 45cm and seeds itself about, so cut the flower stems off after flowering if you don’t want lots of babies. It’s happy in sun or part shade and doesn’t mind heavy clay. Plant about 35cm from the rose.

Climbing roses on a stone wall with Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and lady’s mantle beneath, covering the soil from May to October.

Best spring companions for roses

Spring partners fill the gap from March to June, while roses are still leafing up.

Alliums

Alliums pop their purple balls up through the rose leaves in late spring. ‘Purple Sensation’ is the favourite, flowering in May and June. Plant the bulbs in October, 10-15cm deep, in groups between the roses. They take up very little room, and hoverflies and bees love them.

Forget-me-nots (Myosotis)

Forget-me-nots make a haze of sky-blue flowers from April to June. They seed themselves and come back every year with no effort. At 20-30cm tall, they cover the ground while roses are still leafing out. Pull out the extras in late June once they’ve finished. They like part shade and moist soil, and look lovely with pink and red roses. See our guide on how to grow forget-me-nots.

Best autumn companions for roses

Many rose borders look tired after the main summer flush. These keep the show going into October and beyond.

Japanese anemones

‘Honorine Jobert’ has pure white flowers from August to October on tall stems. It fills the space as roses finish their second flush. Japanese anemones spread slowly by roots underground and can make big clumps over a few years, so plant them at least 60cm from the rose. ‘Hadspen Abundance’ (pink) is a more compact choice for smaller borders.

Asters

Aster ‘Little Carlow’ is covered in violet-blue daisies in September and October. It grows to about 90cm and looks great with the last roses of the year. Asters bring in butterflies and hoverflies when other flowers are fading. Choose kinds that resist mildew, like ‘Little Carlow’ and ‘Pink Star’. Plant about 50cm from the rose and pinch the tips in May for bushier plants.

Best ground cover companions

Ground cover plants keep weeds down, hold moisture in and stop rain splashing onto rose leaves. For more layered planting ideas, see our guide to the best plant combinations for UK borders.

Ajuga reptans (Bugle)

Ajuga makes low, evergreen mats about 10-15cm tall. Dark bronze-purple types like ‘Atropurpurea’ and ‘Black Scallop’ look striking under pink or yellow roses. Blue flower spikes appear in May. It copes with shade and heavy clay better than most ground covers. Plant 20cm from the rose and 25cm apart, and it’ll fill the gaps within a season.

Viola cornuta

Viola cornuta flowers from April to September in purple, white and blue. It makes low mounds that weave between rose stems without getting in the way. Deadhead now and then to keep it flowering. It’s tougher than bedding pansies and comes back for several years. Plant 20cm from the rose and 15cm apart.

Pest-deterring companions

Herbs like chives, garlic, sage and thyme are old favourites near roses. There’s little solid proof they keep pests away by themselves. But they’re pretty, useful in the kitchen, and their flowers bring in insects that eat aphids. Plant them within about 50cm of your roses.

Chives and garlic

A row of chives along the front of a rose border gives pink pompom flowers in June. Garlic chives flower white in August. Both grow to about 30-40cm. Plant 25cm from the rose, and snip the leaves often for fresh growth and for the kitchen.

Sage and thyme

Purple sage adds lovely dusky purple-grey leaves. Sage and thyme both need soil that drains well. On heavy clay, plant them a little higher than the surrounding soil and add grit to the hole. Thyme is great along a path edge, where it smells lovely when you brush past.

Companion planting comparison table

A layered rose border with foxgloves, salvias and ornamental grasses, from low edging to tall spires.

What not to plant near roses

Some plants make bad neighbours. Keep these well away from your roses.

Mint spreads like mad underground and is very hard to get rid of. Grow it in pots.

Ivy and periwinkle smother the ground and steal water from rose roots.

Big shrubs within 60cm shade the base of the rose and stop the air moving. Still, damp air makes blackspot, rust and mildew much more likely.

Trees with thirsty roots like birch, willow and poplar suck moisture from a wide area. Keep roses well away from them. If your roses aren’t growing like the types you expected, crowded planting or nearby tree roots could be to blame.

How to plant companions around established roses

Go gently, because rose roots spread further than you’d think. Digging too close can damage the fine roots that bring in water.

Use a hand fork, not a spade. Dig your planting holes 30-45cm from the rose stem. Water new plants weekly for their first six weeks or so, but don’t soak the base of the rose. In March, spread 5cm of well-rotted compost between the plants. It feeds both roses and companions and holds moisture in over summer.

For roses growing in containers, tuck small plants like violas and ajuga around the edge of the pot, about 15cm from the rose stem.

Growing climbing roses on UK walls and fences? The same companions work beneath them. Pruning your roses is easier if you cut back low companions first in late winter.

For more on rose care, read our guide on how to grow roses in the UK. The David Austin Roses website also suggests companions for each of their varieties.

A hand fork disturbs far fewer rose roots than a spade. Keep new companions about 30-45cm from the rose stem.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best companion plant for roses?

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is the best all-rounder. It flowers from May to October, covers bare soil so rain doesn’t splash it onto rose leaves, and likes the same conditions as roses.

Does lavender grow well next to roses?

Yes, as long as the soil drains well. Plant it 40-50cm from the rose so both get enough water. English lavenders like ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’ are the best picks. Lavender brings in bees and other helpful insects. On heavy clay, mix grit into the planting hole so it doesn’t rot in winter.

Do alliums really deter aphids from roses?

Not reliably, but they’re still great rose partners. There’s little firm proof that alliums keep greenfly away. They do flower in late spring when roses are still leafy, and their flowers bring in hoverflies, whose young eat aphids.

How far from roses should I plant companions?

About 30-45cm from the base of the rose stems. Any closer and they compete for water and food. Much further and you leave bare soil, which splashes muddy rain onto the leaves. Low ground covers like ajuga and violas can sit a little closer, at about 20-25cm.

What should you not plant near roses?

Avoid ivy, periwinkle, mint and other fast spreaders. They steal water and smother rose roots. Keep big shrubs at least 60cm away so air can move around the rose. Thirsty trees like birch, willow and poplar are poor neighbours too.

Can I plant roses and clematis together?

Yes, they’re a classic pairing. Pick a Group 3 clematis such as Clematis viticella, which you cut back hard in February so it doesn’t smother the rose. Plant it about 45cm from the rose, leaning towards it. Both like rich, moist soil and a feed in spring and early summer.

When should I plant companions around established roses?

Autumn, from September to November, is best. Roots settle in over winter before summer dry spells. Plant allium bulbs in October, 10-15cm deep. Sow annuals like nigella and sweet alyssum in April once the soil has warmed up.