Is It Safe To Plant Garden Mint Near Roses? Here's What We Found

Many people will want to plant mint with their roses, especially since they look nice together. However, while roses and mint would make your garden look even more beautiful, roses are typically not plants that grow well next to mint. According to Lucie Bradley, a gardening expert with Easy Garden Irrigation, "We might love the strong aroma of mint, and it can deter some pests from coming near your rose bushes. But it can also smother the more delicate scent of roses, which they use to attract pollinators." (via Real Simple). Mint can also quickly take over your rose bushes, causing them to lose access to nutrients, sunlight, and water.

However, there are some benefits to having mint planted near your roses, including getting rid of aphids, which can feed on roses. It will also help keep away other unwelcome guests, like mice and rats. Common pests can be deterred by the smell of mint leaves, but you're sure to enjoy their refreshing scent in your garden.

There are certain instances where mint and roses can be planted together. However, if you are planting mint near your roses, you will normally want to plant it in a pot — making sure to keep the downside of growing mint in containers in mind, of course. This way, you can still have the two plants near one another, but it will be less likely for the mint to overtake your rose bushes. Many people will also do this because mint helps hide the smell of roses, which helps keep away bugs.

One type of mint, known as catmint, is good to plant near your rose bushes, as long as it is planted in the correct way. Catmint should be at least 1 foot from your rose bushes so as not to get in the way of any roots. If it is done correctly, your catmint will help keep pests away from your roses. Catmint is also drought-resistant, so you won't have to worry about it taking too many nutrients or too much water from your roses.

If you decide to plant mint near your roses, it is best to plant it in an individual container first, then sink it into the soil. This technique essentially creates a barrier for the root system, and because mint is such an aggressive grower, a bit of control is exactly what you need. While it can still be risky to plant mint in a garden bed in any capacity, this will help decrease the chances of a total takeover.

One of the downsides of growing mint in your garden is that it can take up a lot of space that your roses would need to grow properly. It could also accidentally block out sunlight and take nutrients and water from your roses. This, of course, would lead to fewer blooms in the future (as well as poor growth for your beautiful roses!). While mint does help keep ants and other bugs away from your roses, it will hurt more than it will help the rose bushes if it's allowed to grow out of control.