| |  | | Lavender and Roses as Companion Plants
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Lydia Huber
Posted on: March 9, 1999
I’m wondering if lavender would be good companion plants to a fairly closely planted hybrid tea rose garden? I read that lavender, unlike roses shouldn’t receive a lot of water. If they are good plants are some better than others--including not crowding the roses? If they aren’t do you have any other recommendations?
When we think of companion plants we think of plants that benefit each other either by repelling pests and diseases or by somehow promoting growth. A classic companion for roses is chives. Chives is said to repel aphids, the main pests that plague rosebushes. The purple flowers of chives also complement roses well, much in the same way it appears you have envisaged the colour scheme and height for lavender planted with rosebushes.
Do lavenders offer some benefit to roses? We have not heard of any.
It is true that lavenders generally prefer drier conditions, and slightly more alkaline soil conditions, than roses; but the difference is not so much that the two plants could not be grown together.
Lavender bushes can get quite large and dense, and could easily crowd roses. They should not be planted closer than 60cm (24 inches) to roses, preferably further away.
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