06/05/2026
Rose of the Month
Waterwise Companion Plants for Roses
by
Barbara Carvallo, Rose Squad Member
As a gardener I tend to be somewhat chaotic. Those of you who know me know that I have little respect for structure, organization or formal design. Accordingly, my gardens are what is known as cottage gardens. I have roses, perennials, herbs, annuals in pots and food plants. This tends to create a diverse, beneficial insect and pollinator friendly environment. I love it, perhaps thousands wouldn’t.
The companion plants that I have selected for my roses in recent years have been waterwise, xeric and/or drought tolerant. I use organic mulch – woodchips and Gorilla Hair in the gardens. While they are not recommended for xeric plants, mine do fine. Since my roses are the most predominate plants, the rock mulch often found in xeric gardens is not acceptable to me because it reflects heat and encourages spider mites.
Some favorite waterwise plants living with my roses are the many varieties of penstemon, prairie coneflower, Black Eyed Susan, goldenrod, blue flax and English lavender. All of these are pollinator friendly, attracting European honey bees, native bees, butterflies and in the case of the goldenrod, many beneficial insects.
My roses seem to love salvia, Agastache, moss rose, moss lily, and many varieties of stonecrop, hardy succulents and agave. These plants also attract pollinators. They are incredible food sources throughout the season for the European honey, native bees and butterflies. Hummingbirds love Agastache.
There are a number of cross over plants like the prairie coneflower, Eaton’s firecracker penstemon, moss rose and Parry’s agave that are drought tolerant; in addition, to little bluestem grass, cosmos and dusty miller. These are all pollinator friendly.
Blooming herbs make a great addition to the rose garden. They are usually annuals. I grow them in pots. Basil, all varieties, dill, cilantro and rosemary do best in my gardens. They are also pollinator friendly, attracting the many small native bees that live on my wild mint. Their gentle fragrances drift between the roses in surprising ways.
The scent of English lavender, lemon verbena and pineapple sage, blend beautifully with the scent of roses. Wild bergamot, also known as bee balm, is very aromatic and beautiful in the rose garden. I recommend growing it in a pot. It tends to spread.
Another beauty that I have started planting in all my gardens is the rain lily. This delicate exquisite flower has a sweet and gentle scent. It is very pollinator friendly. Some are night bloomers. As a night owl, I love that quality.
In my estimation the most important attribute a gardener can have is wisdom. That is to say, understanding their garden – soil, water, light, insect populations and all the things that contribute to the general health and ecology. Most importantly a wise gardener knows what they love about their garden
All the gorgeous plants scattered about in my rose gardens make me feel safe. Confusion comforts me, but that is just me. Everyone has their own style.
A note to our readers: at the Riverdale Regional Park, the Demonstration Rose Garden and the Perennial Garden are stunningly beautiful. This is down to the work of the members of the Rose Squad and the Perennial Posse. They have worked long and hard designing, planting and caring for these lovely gardens. Come and see them. You owe it to yourself.
All the photos attached here are mine except for the rain lily and that is from Tradeindia. See less
