How to Plant Under Roses

Roses are large, stately plants that grow and thrive throughout much of the country with the right care. While they feature beautiful blooms, the tall structure of roses can leave the soil looking bare and uninteresting. Roses don't appreciate too much competition, but they tolerate small annuals and perennials in their beds and around their feet. Plant flowers with similar sun, soil and water needs to decorate your rose garden, and shoot for specific flowers to provide valuable benefits at the same time.

Organic compost
Hand fork
Bone meal or 5-10-5 fertilizer
Mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Plant both annual and perennial flowers in spring when you wake your roses up. Wait until after the last frost lifts to give both roses and new flowers a warm-weather start.
- 2
  Mix 3 inches of organic compost into the soil throughout the bed to strengthen existing roses and prepare the soil for new plantings. Use a hand fork to turn the compost into the top 6 inches of the bed, and then broadcast bone meal or 5-10-5 fertilizer throughout. Turn the fertilizer into the top 3 inches of soil.
- 3
  Plant annuals such as impatiens, daisies, cosmos, verbenas, miniature fuchsias and pansies, or perennials such as asters, tulips, daffodils, dahlias and columbine. These flowers can grow in the partial shade of the roses. Plant nasturtiums, marigolds and mums to keep aphids and caterpillars away from the roses.
- 4
  Water the garden with 2 to 4 inches of water to settle the plantings, and then switch to plant-specific watering schedules. Lay 2 inches of mulch across the soil to keep it moist and warm for all the plants and to prevent weed growth.

How to Prune Roses in the First Year

The Best Northwest Roses

Rose Garden