The Popular Perennial You Should Never Plant Next To Roses In The Garden

Thinking about what delightful plants would be suitable companions to plant next to your roses? With the huge variety of rose (Rosa spp.) colors, it's exciting to ponder planting companion plants with your roses for a showstopping garden of color. As you contemplate the fragrance of your roses, it's tempting to consider bringing in other aromatic plants to create a fragrance area of your garden. For many, one of the first plants that comes to mind when fragrance is mentioned is lilac (Syringa vulgaris).

Envisioning roses and lilacs adjacent to each other conjures an enchanting image of roses with colors that coordinate with and complement the pinks and purples of lilacs. And the scents of two highly fragrant flowering plants tantalizes. But the reverie is interrupted by a metaphorical needle scratch on the record when you learn that lilac is a large woody perennial shrub, the roots of which will not play nicely with rose roots.

Like the roots of most woody shrubs, lilac roots are a dense and multi-branched system of woody fibers. Their root systems can spread up to five times the width of the lilac's crown. Rose roots can turn woody as a result of secondary growth. Because of these similar root systems, the two plants will compete for nutrient and water resources. 

Instructions for both plants advise planting holes that are wide and deep enough to accommodate extensive root systems. In fact, digging a hole that is too small for its roots is one of the mistakes everyone makes when growing lilacs. Roses should not be planted next to any woody shrubs or trees, but lilac is especially a risk because of its susceptibility to powdery mildew, which can spread to your roses. If you already have lilacs next to roses, give them both extra support with additional water and fertilizer.

Alas, the lilac and rose marriage is not to be. Instead of sweet-smelling lilacs, try adding additional rose varieties that will make your garden smell heavenly. And just as alternate companion suggestions are available for roses, the same is true for lilacs. Consider companion plants you'll want next to your fragrant lilacs this year, such as peonies, with their rose-like appearance.