Ten Favorite Landscape Rose Companions

The explosion of great new landscape roses, from Flower Carpets to Knockouts to Meidilands ad infinitum, has changed the way we use these versatile bloomers. Plants that may once have been relegated to soldier like rows on the side of the house are moving into more traditional landscape roles from ground covers to hedges. And rightfully so – few plants offer so much color for so long, and roses have never been easier to grow. But as we all know, in well-designed landscapes, no plant stands alone. Even the best landscape roses need companion plants – ones that compliment or contrast their color, texture and bloom season, or more functionally, cover up their open bases and thrive under similar growing conditions.

Over the years, Bayer Advanced Garden Expert Lance Waldheim has seen many beautiful gardens that artfully incorporated roses. In the best, it’s as much about the companion plants as it is about the roses. Here are 10 of his favorite landscape rose companions (he couldn’t keep to just 10 individual plants so he has included some plant groups).

Aster x frikartii. The lavender blue, daisylike blooms are beautiful in front of any colored rose (except maybe orange). And you can’t beat its long bloom season, from late summer to fall.

Coral bells, Heuchera sp. These lovely perennials come in so many wonderful foliage colors and textures, you almost forget about the airy spikes of pink, red or white flowers. Either way, coral bells are a perfect foil in front of roses. In hotter inland areas, plant on the east or west side of roses so the coral bells get some shade.

Daylilies, Hemerocallis. Old reliables for their grassy foliage and tall stalks of trumpetlike, summer flowers. If you really love the common yellow, red or orange daylilies, look for more unusual flower colors in single and multicolored shades of pink, purple and white. More are available every year.

Garden penstemon, P.x gloxiniodes. A long season of bloom in a wide range of colors put penstemons near the top of any rose companion list. Mix and match your flower colors carefully because roses combined with penstemons can make a powerful statement.

Hardy geraniums (Geranium species). Well-behaved, mounding plants that provide great color and texture. The diminutive flowers and cut foliage are perfect at the base of roses, particularly upright varieties. Many to choose from but ‘Johnson’s Blue’ in front of pink or red roses is especially nice.

Herbs. Fragrant herbs have a long association with fragrant roses. Culinary sages (also see ornamental salvias below), especially varieties with colorful leaves like Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’ (edged yellow), ‘Purpurescens’ (purple-tinged) and ‘Tricolor’ (creamy white edges, purplish new growth) are beautiful fronting roses as are the many forms of thyme. For more textural input, try bronze fennel or lavender.

Ornamental grasses. The perfect contrast to roses in both form and texture. There are many great species to choose from, but the bronzy purple hues of purple fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ and the glowing green-and-white leaves of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ always work. Use them as background or interplanted among your roses.

Salvias. The extended, spring and/or fall bloom periods, as well as the upright character of the flower, make salvias an ideal partner for roses. This huge family of plants offers many possibilities but favorites include autumn sage, S. greggi in shades of white, pink and red, and germander sage, S. chamaedryoides, with silvery leaves and soft blue flowers.

Verbenas. The newer hybrid verbenas, such as the Tapien hybrids, are so showy and easy-to-grow (they are resistant to mildew). There are so many colors to choose from and they bloom for so long, you should think about planting them around your roses even if you only have one bush.

Almost any plant with silver foliage. Silver foliage makes every color look brighter, providing separation, contrast and texture. Artemisias, especially ‘Powis Castle,’ lamb’s ears, Stachys byzantine, and dusty Millers are great choices for highlighting roses.

As always, plant roses and their companions in full sun and well-drained soil. Water and fertilize regularly. To feed and protect your roses and other ornamental flowers (not for use on edibles), use Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate. No spraying is necessary. Just mix with water and pour at the base of the plant. One application feeds and protects for up to six weeks.

Cultivate to Stimulate Young Transplants

It's vegetable and flower-planting season in many parts of the country. If you want to get your transplants off to the fastest start possible, cultivate often. Cultivating is easy and is one of the more enjoyable gardening practices. Simply, it's gently turning the soil around transplants – fluffing it up so it's less compacted. Cultivating aerates the soil, allowing it to warm up and dry out more quickly. Cold, wet soils are the main cause of stalled transplants. It slows rooting and prevents the uptake of nutrients. Frequent cultivating also keeps weeds to a minimum, which means less competition and more vigorous growth.

Nurseries and garden centers carry many tools, such as hoes and hand forks, for cultivating, but a simple trowel is also a great cultivator. Just push it into the ground an inch or two and twist. You're cultivating.

Shortly after watering is the best time to cultivate. Just be sure you don't get too close to the base of plants or you might damage roots. Cultivating is also an ideal time to examine your plants for signs of early insect damage. To eliminate pest problems, use Bayer Advanced™ PowerForce® Multi-Insect Killer Ready-To-Spray. Read the label and follow the directions.

Growing Grass in Shady Areas

If you're having trouble growing a healthy-looking lawn in shady areas, the first step toward a remedy is to make sure you are growing the right type of grass. Although all grasses grow best in full sun, St. Augustine and Zoysia grass are the most shade-tolerant, warm-season or Southern grasses. Fine fescue is the most shade-tolerant, cool-season or Northern grass. So the first step may be to replant shady areas.

The next best step is to increase the light that reaches the lawn. That usually means pruning trees so more light gets through their canopy. Mowing the lawn higher will also help, as will proper watering and fertilizing. Because of the decreased light and competition from tree roots, watering can be especially tricky. Water deeply and then allow time for the soil to partially dry before you irrigate again. Aerating will help water penetration. To control moss and algae, which also love the shade, use Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Moss & Algae Killer Ready-To-Spray.

If your best efforts still result in a thin, unhealthy-looking lawn, consider replanting with shade-loving ground covers, such as ajuga, liriope, vinca, ivy, hosta or pachysandra.