Roses in Mixed Borders
Planting roses in a mixed border is one of the easiest ways of enjoying roses in your garden. Combine shrub roses, other shrubs, perennials and annuals to create a tapestry of different colors and textures.
Planning a mixed border
thinking about color
The color of the roses and accompanying plants in a mixed border is a matter of personal taste, but there are a few simple guidelines you can follow. Decide if you want to stick to a narrow color scheme or if you would like to go for something more eclectic. Larger spaces absorb more colors, whereas smaller gardens benefit from fewer colors.
When mixing colors it is important to plant the same plant in groups of 2 of 3 so that each color covers enough space to make an impact.
One Color
Blend both light and mid pink in a mixed border for a romantic effect. Alternatively, simple white flowers allied with green foliage creates a serene feel.
Two or More Colors
For a calm classic mixed border, punctuate whites and creams with deep purples or reds. For something more uplifting, combine orange shades with blues and light purples. The more colors you combine together, the more energetic a feel you will create, especially if it includes a number of stronger shades like reds, yellows and purples.
The Color of Foliage
The color of foliage is also worth considering when planning a mixed border. Choose both darker and lighter greens, as well as red-toned foliage, to add both depth and color, or grey-leaved cotton lavender and artemisia to act as a natural backdrop to vivid colors.
Combine with Purple
Plants with purple or blue flowers, such as salvia and catmint, work especially well in mixed borders as there are not really any roses in this color group. See our recommendations for Purple Partnering Plants.
accompanying plants for a mixed border
In a mixed border, combine shrub roses, other shrubs, perennials and annuals to create a tapestry of different colors and textures. Avoid over crowding beds and borders and choosing vigorous companion plants, which will create too much competition with the roses.
Height Variation
Create height variation in a mixed border by planting taller shrub roses and companion plants towards the back of the bed. Towards the front, place shorter, preferably fragrant roses and accompanying plants.
Low-growing at the Front
Blend both light and mid pink in a mixed border for a romantic effect. Alternatively, simple white flowers allied with green foliage creates a serene feel.
Tall Punctuating Plants
Punctuate the middle of the border with tall flowering annuals or perennials, such as foxgloves, alliums, verbascums and delphiniums.
Edge with Box
As a finishing touch, edge mixed beds and borders with a low box hedge. It will also hide any bare stems.
recommended roses for mixed borders
creating year round interest in a mixed border
Repeat flowering roses have a long flowering season but it's still worth planning your mixed border so that other plants can provide interest and fill the space when your roses are dormant.
Winter and Early Spring
In winter and early spring, small evergreen shrubs and perennials are vital for adding color with foliage. Hellebores, pulmonarias and primulas all work well. You can also incorporate bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocuses and dwarf daffodils.
Late Spring
For late spring color in a mixed border, before the roses come into full bloom, try tulips, aquilegia, vibernum and dicentras.
Fall
From early fall until the first frosts, use sedums, salvias, verbenas and compact forms of bedding dahlias to inject color.
English Roses are some of the best-loved, high-performance flowers in the garden, so they are perfect for growing in the mixed border. When David Austin set out to breed the English Roses, one of his guiding principles was that his new roses should have the natural, shrubby growth that is typical of their ancestors the Old Roses. This graceful, bushy habit makes them perfect for the mixed border. Unlike most Old Roses, English Roses have the great advantage of repeat flowering in flushes, providing color and interest in the border from June through to the first frosts.