What plants can I use in an existing rose bed.?

Answer 1

What are your cultural practices? If you do a lot of rooting around in the soil, then groundcovers probably won't work.
When I had roses I was always adding something to the soil or popping out old roses in favor of newer varieties, so having other plants about would have been difficult.

Whereas other people have groundcovers among their roses and are happy. There's one famous rose garden reknowned for the delphiniums planted among the roses. If you look at English garden books, rose are often just part of the perennial flower bed.

So to answer, personally I'd put perennials in among the roses......those that like the high water needs of roses...And leave the annuals which need twice a year soil disturbing; planting and pulling out at the end of the seaon, for the edges so I would be getting ripped by the roses' prickles (thorns) .

As to what specifically, look for flowers with a different form than roses, for example the delphinium or snapdragon, a daisy, tiny flowers........whatever your eye likes. I'm not convinced members of the onion family helped repell aphids, but I did like chives near my roses.....those cute purple-pink heads. Problem they stunk to where I couldn't smell delicate scented roses.

Answer 2

Roses like clay, moisture, and little root disturbance so pick something that likes those conditions. Then go for a colour that complements the colour of the roses. White and blue, or white and red work well for example.
Lavendar is the traditional underplanting for roses, it helps keep greenfly away. There are many different shades from blue to purple, and a white variety. There are also different heights, from the standard 3' down to the Munstead Dwarf.

Answer 3

Commonest underplanting for under roses is Catmint (I don't know why they call it that I've never had cats in it) - Nepeta sp. especially varieties of Nepeta x faassenii. Roses don't come in a true blue colour but usually yellows, pinks, and reds and the blue/purple colour of the flowers complements them. It flowers all summer in the full sun. it's a perennial so if you chop into it you just make more plants - doesn't die easily but isn't weed like in growth. If you would like an annual - alyssum looks good too. Roses don't like to have their roots disturbed all the time so try to pick something that doesn't need a lot of attention.

Answer 4

It all depends on how tall your roses are and weather they get black spot, rust, sooty mould or even aphids.

Now assuming they don't get any of the above i would start with aconites and celandine both of these die down before some of the other ground cover plants start to flower.

I am quite sure you will find a list of perennials that will give you seasonal flowering for at lease ten months of the year

Answer 5

I'm a very pragmatic gardener and planted near my roses edible swiss chard that dominates the scene as well as italian squash which will also get huge. If I had a neat cute garden I might put candy tuft and Irish moss at the base or baby tears.

Answer 6

Clematis can really compliment roses depending on the type of each.I dont hink i have ever had a problem with any flower or bush that i have planted next to my roses.

As long as they like the same kind of conditions- soil, light,heat moisture they both should do fine what ever you chose to plant.

Good luck!

Answer 7

I trained my rose bushes taller and planted small canna and ground covers in my rosebed and they are all doing great.

Answer 8

try dwarf peruvian lilies or heaps of pansies, primula, etc as an annual ground cover.
The lilies will flower for most of the year and will continue to multiply all year.