Herbs to Grow Around Roses

Herbs with Silver Foliage

• Many herbs have striking silver foliage that makes an attractive foil for the dramatic flowers and dark green foliage of rose plants. Artemesia, or southernwood, has soft, silvery leaves on upright stalks that make the colors of roses really stand out. It also has some rose pest repellent properties because of its pungent scent. The silver leaves and blue flowers of salvia, or sage, are a pretty contrast for white and pink roses. Achillea, or yarrow, is a tall, upright herb with silvery foliage and delicate flowers in pastel colors that look nice in between rose plants.

Fragrant Herbs

• Fragrant herbs to plant with roses include lemon balm, mint and German chamomile. Their sweet scents have the added benefit of attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. Lemon balm's sweet lemony leaves let out a citrus scent when brushed against in the garden. Mint's fresh, clean aroma is released when the leaves are picked or broken. German chamomile's little yellow and white flowers smell like apples or pineapples. These herbs make pretty bouquets when cut with roses and create a delicious aroma that will scent a whole room.

Herbs with Feathery Foliage

• Feathery foliage is traditionally used as a backdrop for flowers in bouquets and corsages. Herbs with feathery foliage that looks nice with roses include fennel, caraway and dill. These are tall herbs that look nice in the back of a flower bed with small- to medium-size rose plants. Clip a few long sprigs of any of these herbs to put behind a rose cut for a corsage or a bud vase for a delicate, lacy effect.

Flowering Herbs

• Flowering herbs to plant with roses include calendula, lamb's ears, lavender and nasturtium. The yellows and oranges of calendula and nasturtium blend well with yellow and peach-colored roses, while the pinks and purples of lavender and lamb's ears look nice with white, pink and red roses. In addition to looking nice in the garden, the petals of flowering herbs mix well with rose petals for salads, candied petals and edible decorations for aspics and beverages.