Geranium 'Mavis Simpson' is an ideal underplanting for roses.

By Carolyn Parker

DURING QUESTIONS after a talk I gave last month at the Danville Alamo Garden Club, a woman asked me what kind of companion plants grow with my roses.

My immediate response was, “Catmint (nepeta Mussini) used to flourish at the edge of my rose beds.” Then I had to pause and collect my thoughts before I continued with, “To really answer your question would take hours, because after enjoying the beautiful lavender nepeta edging for ten years, I pulled it out to make way for a much more diverse and abundant array of plants.” The plants that are companions to my roses now range from hugging ground covers to small trees.

I’m a greedy plant lover always on the lookout for new specimens. In the early days of my garden I scoured nurseries, weekly, to educate myself and spend (to my surprise) almost as much on plants as I did on groceries. Experimentation and trial-and-error introduced me to a lavish world of possibilities. After twenty years of hands-on gardening, many discoveries of what looks good and thrives with roses have come my way and almost all of the plants are easy to multiply.

Before I mention some of my favorite plants, I’d like to share an invaluable gardening concept. Many years ago, on a visit home to Oregon, I dug out a clump of sedum in my Dad’s rock garden. I noticed the stems easily separated and they all had roots. So I figured I could divide and plant the stems in the little plot of dirt outside our Oakland apartment. The sedum thrived and I soon wanted other plant varieties. Since I had no plant budget, gleanings from neighbors were my only source. So I’d observe each acquisition to try and unlock its procreation secrets.

Decoding is usually easy, most of the perennials I like can simply be pulled apart at the roots and replanted. Some, dianthus for one, don’t even need roots to get started, others, like aquilegia, reseed naturally. Only a few, grasses especially, need to be cut apart at the root ball with sharp clippers or a serrated knife.

In past years, I’ve often been short on cash in early spring when the urge to go plant shopping arises. Instead of spending money, I make note of the plants that are ready to divide, and then look for places that can use more of certain plants. Invariably, after the most is made of existing possibilities, money seems to be available for new choices.

Underplant roses with perennials

Cranesbill geraniums are especially lovely companions to roses. Don’t confuse these plants with what most of us know as the common geranium, which is really a Pelargonium. Cranesbill geraniums come in many varieties. Two I especially like, that are beautiful throughout the year and are no more than 3 or 4-inches high, are the white 'Biokovo' and the light pink 'Mavis Simpson'. 'Biokovo', growing at the edge of my white rose section, is always neat and tidy, and when there are no flowers the decorative leaves create a lush tapestry. 'Mavis Simpson' edges the pink roses with delicate blooms that are impervious to blazing heat.

Cranesbill geraniums can be divided into many new plants. Thirty or more plants, from a clump like this, is common.  

Geranium 'Magnificum', a cranesbill that dies back in the winter and is 18” high x 2’ wide, is a rich purple that looks great with red roses. Mine grow at the mid-point of the rose bed. Cranesbills lend themselves to planting en masse as well as edging, and they are all easy to divide. The photo above shows how many new plants (29) were pulled from one clump of 'Mavis Simpson'. With such bounty, there are many design and planting options.

Other front to mid-border plants that are easy to divide in the magenta-pink- white range are armeria, dianthus, and silene. Dianthus deltoids 'Flashing Ligh't, and Potentilla nepalensis 'Miss Willmott' are standouts with red roses. Geum borisii is great amongst orange roses and origanum 'Aureum' is delicious growing under yellow roses.

Strawberries in their many varieties, edible and decorative, are irresistible companions to roses. Fragraria vesca 'White Delight' and Variegata are gorgeous in the white bed. 'Pink Panda' and 'Lipstick' are two decorative varieties for the pink and red beds. All strawberries divide generously.

Heucheras are gorgeous with roses and come in all colors these days. Many are now sun lovers and all are easy to divide.

I have no more room to tell you about more plants this month. Go shopping and experiment. All these plants are easy to dig up and move, or dig up and divide. Three great sources for perennials are Moraga Garden Center, Annie’s Annuals in Richmond, and Cottage Gardens in Petaluma.

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