It’s also important to consider each plant’s needs, preferred growing conditions, and your climate.
Hyssop comes in many colors besides blue and there’s sure to be one that complements your roses.
Catmint (Nepeta)
Catmint is a classic with roses.
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The abundant sprays of blue flowers engulf the rose flowers and hide their ugly “knees”.
Cut your catmint back after flowering and it will bloom again and again.
They bloom only once per season, but for a long time.
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Garden phlox (Phlox)
Phlox is an old-fashioned flower that has greatly improved over time.
New varieties are far less prone topowdery mildew.
The tall flowers form dense clumps that will encase your roses in lush foliage.
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Their steely blue color works especially well with pinks, corals, and yellows.
Geraniums (Geranium)
Hardy geraniums have long been a first choice for planting under roses.
The leaves are thick and remain attractive long after the pink flowers have faded.
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Germander blooms early in the season when roses are just waking up.
Ladys mantle (Alchemilla)
Lady’s Mantle evokes English flower borders.
You always see it spilling over pathways, with its chartreuse flowers languorously bending toward the ground.
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It can bring the same charm when planted under roses.
Try and choose colors that blend with one another.
The paler lavenders look wonderful with both pastel roses and deep reds.
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Meadow sage (Salvia)
Salvias are some of the most dependable and adaptable garden plants.
Their spiky flowers will start blooming just before your roses and continue on for weeks.
Be sure todeadhead, so you will get repeat blooms.
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Choose multiple varieties that bloom at different times and you will have a long season of color.
Even when they are finished flowering, the round seedheads make a great foil for delicate roses.
They could easily engulf your roses, so be sure to allow some space between plants.
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The blue-green leaves provide a nice backdrop for when your roses are in bloom.
If you are looking for a low maintenancerose companion, this is it.
Annual phlox is low growing and blooms almost non-stop.
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If this is when you are home to enjoy your garden, they will deliver quite a show.
Can you imagine the combination of rose and vanilla?
It comes in a wide variety of colors and heights.
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Larkspur (Consolida)
Larkspur can start blooming in the cool days of spring.
Million bells (Calibrachoa)
Million Bells seems to work just about everywhere.
These tiny cousins ofpetuniasbloom non-stop and the choice of colors will dress up any shade of rose.
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If kept watered, your pansies will resume blooming in the fall, when the roses close down.
Blue mist shrub (Caryopteris)
The gray foliage ofcaryopterisshrubs will beautifully offset any color rose.
Once the blue flowers bloom in late summer, the contrast is eye-catching.
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Boxwood (Buxus)
For a timeless classic,boxwood and rosescan’t be beaten.
Spirea (Spiraea)
Spirea shrubs are almost maintenance-free and they look good all season.
The foliage often starts out reddish and develops into either bright green or yellow.
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New York Botanical Garden.
“Companion Planting for Roses.”
December 3, 2021.
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