In good company: Michael Marriott, from david austin roses, tells how to combine roses with other plants to get the most from any garden situation

摘要

For a long time, roses have been closely associated with the formal parts of the garden, especially hybrid teas and floribundas, which are ideal for bedding. However, gardeners are now realising that roses are some of the easiest plants to incorporateinto any type of garden. One of my favourite places to plant roses is in a mixed border with herbaceous plants. Here, the shrub roses are the most reliable; these include the old roses--from the 19th century and before--and the shrub roses--from the 20th and 21st centuries -- like the rugosas, hybrid musks and the David Austin roses. Almost any herbaceous plant will go superbly with these roses, as long as they are not too vigorous: they may end up squashing the roses or invading their root system excessively. Following are a few suggested combinations.