Foxgloves.

Does anyone know any herb that would be good companions for roses? Thanks~~~

I planted some pink and blush Knockout roses this spring in a bed that gets about 5-6 hrs of sun and they are looking great with catmint and meadow sage, both herbs. The blue/purple tones are beautiful with the pinks.

Members of the onion family such as chives, ornamental alliums, and edible onions, are rumored to increase the perfume of roses, ward off aphids, and prevent black spot.

Herbs and other aromatic plants make wonderful rose companions. Scented geraniums (Pelargonium), rue (Ruta), feverfew (T anacetum), parsley (Petroselinum), and thyme (Thymus) all may help ward off Japanese beetles and aphids. Marigolds (Tagetes) may also repel pests and encourage growth. Try ornamental and culinary sage (Salvia), anise-hyssop (Agastache), Russian-sage (Perovskia), lavender (Lavandula), yarrow (Achillea), oregano (Origanum), catmint (Nepeta) and calamint (Calamintha). Oddly enough, tomatoes allegedly prevent black spot, but not many people will be inclined to combine roses and tomatoes. Lavender (Lavandula) and catmint (Nepeta) are good at keeping rabbits away. Four-o clocks (Mirabilis) and larkspur (Consolida) are said to act as decoys by attracting rose-loving Japanese beetles to eat their poisonous leaves. Yarrow (Achillea) may attract ladybugs who in turn feed on aphids.

Courtesy of website: http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/a/Rose_Companions.htm

We have rosemary, basil, and sage near our roses. They seem to do great. Especially the basil. I don't know if they are traditional companions, but work for us.

For yellow, orange (or orange-toned) roses I really like ornamental (still great-tasting) golden oregano. Great scrambler and good at covering legs.

In Florida I love Salvia farinacea aka Mealycup sage aka Victoria Blue. It's a soft plant, non-invasive, doesn't get huge, comes back after winter freezes, reblooms after it flops and is cut back, is the most gorgeous silvery blue or purple (starts out purple), and is the perfect height to stand up among your roses. We have so few blue flowers here. I just have to find a way to keep them upright. Shouldn't be too hard.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: if only sweat were irrigation...

I usually plant daffodils under the roses, and society garlic between them. The daffodils just to have more blooming in the same space, and the society garlic fends off pests without sending up huge flower spikes...

Oh, how could I forget? Daylilies are very dramatic with roses and give the roses a run for their money in the "who's more beautiful" competition. They also take the pressure off the roses to be beautiful ALL the time which, of course, we know they're not. I don't use daylilies with contrasting eyes - too busy with my mostly pastel roses.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

I've got a south western exposure with pink climbing Hybrid Tea "Orchid Masterpiece" companioned with a Jackmanii clematis in mostly sun (5 hrs) and partial shade. The two are doing well. Some say rose and clematis are the classic companions. Just an observation about the aspect:
Any less direct sun shine time and the rose won't bloom and any more direct sun on that clematis and the flower color would look faded.
Rick

Cerastium tomentosum (snow-in-summer) is a nice gray groundcover for areas close to rose bushes. It blooms white in spring for a few weeks. I have some in an area that gets only morning sun and it does quite well. In fact, you might need to keep it in bounds!

There are some that say roses are the "monarchs" of the garden and roses don't really like to share space with anything other.
Clematis & roses however are I believe made for classic companionship. There's not a view as stunning as the climbing rose with any clematis intertwined.
Mulch the rose and shade the clematis root.

The Allium family like onions and chive is the top of the list in companion plant for roses for they are pest and disease deterrents. Although you can plant some marigold and lavender. On the herbs side, thyme and parsley are perfect for roses, too.

I also love snow in summer
and I also plant mother of thyme around my roses that get full sun, I try and plant my companion plants that need little water with roses that are also water wise. I live near Oakland California and we get 3-4 months of drought every year, and temps are usually in summer in the 80'sF.
I only water my Old Garden Tea roses:
Duchess de Brabant
Mrs Dudley Cross
Monsieur Tillier
Mme. Alfred Carrier (TeaxNoisette rose)
and my Noisette Catos Cluster
once a month to once every two months during summer drought, so I've planted snow in summer and mother of thyme around those roses.
Because these roses bloom well in partial shade, and because it is cooler and the moisture doesnt evaporate as fast I plant violets there and only in partial shade by
Cornelia
Lavender Dream
Crepescule
Rosa moschata
Nastarana

Lux

Geranium 'Rozanne'

I live in Virginia and we have a vole problem. They tunnel under the knockout roses, eat off the roots, and then the bush lays over like the vole kicked it up and out of its hole just to prove it could. Does anyone know a plant that can be planted near roses to deter them? Or any other remedy? I have used several commercial ground applications, even caught 45 of them in traps with peanut butter used solar spikes that emit sounds, but my neighbors do nothing and their yards are full of vole holes. I just moved here and know very little about dealing with this little critter. zone 7a

How far away from the base of the rose should the companion be planted?