I would look up the water requirements of echinacea and the roses you have - in general, I get the impression that roses need way more water, and that might harm the echinacea.

Other than that, I always grow other plants with my roses. Assuming similar sun and water requirements, it is just a matter of personal taste and your gardening style. Some people think that roses are so fragile that they cannot stand any competition or nearby plants. This has not been my experience here in our Mediterranean climate in No California.

I grow clematis, jupiter's beard (which actually just shows up magically), four o'clocks, hollyhocks, foxgloves, cosmos, trailing/climbing petunias, and iris, with my roses. The roses do not seem to mind at all, and if the area needs thinning out, I thin it out about once a year.

Here is a picture of four o'clocks growing with a large pink rose (Le Vesuve).

Jackie

One more - here is a picture of jupiter's beard growing with roses in my garden:

I have grown echinacea with roses. It was easy to pull up unwanted plants, so I did not find them to be a problem with invasiveness. However, I thought they looked shaggy and coarse next to the roses. Other companion plants had a more harmonious appearance.

My current favorites for planting with roses are garden sages, hardy geraniums, heucheras, veronicas (watch out, some of these can be invasive spreaders), peonies, lilies, sedums, and clematis. I prefer the clematis to grow on their own wire supports, not through the roses. I once had a very vigorous viticella clematis completely shade out a rose, and the rose actually died.

Rosefolly

By far the biggest issue I see with Echinacea and roses is that a lot of roses are in roughly the same color or tone so a pleasing contrast isn't developed. So given a choice for a companion plant for Old Blush, at least 99 people out of a 100 are going to pick salvias over echinceas.

I second salvias. They contrast nicely with the whites, pink and yellow hue of most roses. They also appreciate the moisture and feeding that the roses need . Their foliage pattern also will complement. Your roses. Happy planting!

Echinaceas are fine in most cases and the volunteers that come up can be removed like any other weed. The white ones are useful, since so many roses are already pink. The newer ones in warmer shades--oranges, yellows, and so on--are often less persistent than the species. I have never worried much about companion plants taking resources away from the roses. I suppose we have enriched our soil enough and have enough rainfall most of the year that it has never really made a difference. I suppose if you were growing hybrid teas for show instead of old roses for your garden such things might matter.

Echinaceas are fine in most cases and the volunteers that come up can be removed like any other weed. The white ones are useful, since so many roses are already pink. The newer ones in warmer shades--oranges, yellows, and so on--are often less persistent than the species. I have never worried much about companion plants taking resources away from the roses. I suppose we have enriched our soil enough and have enough rainfall most of the year that it has never really made a difference. I suppose if you were growing hybrid teas for show instead of old roses for your garden such things might matter.

The Jupiter's beard seems to complement the roses very well. I saw another picture recently where it was used with roses and I really like that look.

Ingrid

I have an echinacea I believe it is "White Swan" that has green centers and buds up green. It's very pretty.
Echinacea will grow in asphalt so it's not going to hurt your roses (unless it shades them). I've never had it be invasive and it blooms from spring until freeze. Mine is still blooming now.
Susan

Many years ago I didn't used to much like Echinacea very much. Now I think it goes with everything. I love it.

One of the prettiest combinations I ever saw was white Echinacea with the polyantha 'The Fairy' in a shopping mall parking lot in East Hampstead, Long Island--two plants that set each other off amazingly, though neither is rare or hard to grow. The Fairy is an 'Earth Kind' rose.

Here is a link that might be useful: Not echinacea but similar color combo w The Fairy

I grow many companion plants and echinacea is an easy to grow favorite. Sure it reseeds, and most times I transplant those seedlings where they are needed. They are a wonderful filler, weaver, backdrop, and pair beautifully with myriad coreopsis, which I grow, and good ol' rudbeckia Indian Summer, a prolific reseeder itself. These humble plants fit in well with other more "refined" perennials and annuals, and all make fine companions to roses. Another favorite is the aforementioned Jupiter's Beard which is not an aggressive pest in these parts, but does reseed. Here are some favorite coreopsis and coneflowers. Diane

I like growing the native pinks and the white varieties with roses. I don't find them to be invasive at all and much less of an issue than say Black-eyed susans. I don't think the new hybrid colors of oranges and yellows go with old roses though.

I've seen Echinacea growing happily together with roses in a garden entrance to a friend's condominium. Looks great to me.

Randy

I have them together...and they're beautiful, especially with the taller shrub roses. Daisies look good, too! :)