“Happy Together”

Imagine me and you, I do…
I think about you day and night, it’s only right!

Just as the Turtles sang to us in 1967, some things belong together. In the plant world this loving and beneficial relationship is commonly referred to as “companion planting.” You might even have heard the popular expression…” roses love garlic.” Let’s consider several reasons why.

From the New York Botanical Garden

*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. 

According to Birds and Booms

*Garlic protects roses from not only bad bugs, it can also help prevent fungal diseases. Aphids don’t love garlic, they hate it!

The Garlic Farm offers this advice – 

*Plant three to four cloves in a circle around each rose bush, and the sulphur present in the garlic will disperse into the soil and be taken up by the roses – making it a less palatable treat for little bugs.

Gardening Know How says – 

*Rose lovers have planted garlic, chives, garlic chives and onions in their rose beds for many years. Garlic has been known to repel many pests that bother rose bushes. Garlic chives have interesting foliage, repel some pests and their pretty little clusters of white or purple flowers look wonderful with the rose bush’s foliage. 

Seasoned gardeners offer these tips – 

Included in the list of rose companion plants are alyssum, lavender, marigolds and parsley. 

Be sure to check on the companion plant’s growth habit as to height. In many cases, you might want lower-growing companion plants. Herbs will work well planted in the rose beds but, again, check their growth habits to be sure.  

Pairing members of the allium family with your roses helps to ward off aphids with their strong scent and may prevent black spot.

So glad we knew about this dynamic relationship when planting our beautiful rose topiary a few years ago and surrounding it with garlic chives. As you can see from the photo, they seem to be saying… yes, we are indeed happy together!

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008