Roses always steal the show, but the right ground covers can make them look even more gorgeous. I’ve found 20 that pair perfectly—like the best supporting cast your blooms could ask for.
These plants help with weeds, hold in moisture, and add that full, lush look every rose bed dreams of. I’ve used a few of these myself, and they completely changed the vibe of my garden.
Let’s give your roses the beautiful backdrop they deserve!
1. Alyssum
Sweet alyssum creates a cloud of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers that smell like honey. The delicate blooms form a soft carpet that looks magical beneath tall rose stems, while deterring some common garden pests.
This easy-growing annual reseeds itself readily, ensuring year after year of beauty with minimal effort. Alyssum thrives in full sun to partial shade and requires little water once established, making it a practical companion for thirsty roses.
2. Creeping Thyme
Walking past this aromatic ground cover releases a delightful scent that perfectly complements the fragrance of roses. The tiny purple, pink, or white flowers create a dense mat that fills spaces between rose bushes beautifully while crowding out weeds.
Hardy and drought-resistant, creeping thyme stands up to light foot traffic and remains attractive even when not in bloom. Its shallow root system won’t compete with roses for nutrients, and the flowers attract beneficial pollinators to your garden.
3. Lamium
Silver-streaked foliage makes lamium (dead nettle) a standout ground cover that brightens shady spots beneath roses. The variegated leaves provide season-long interest, while the pink, purple, or white flowers add extra charm in spring and summer.
Growing just 6-8 inches tall, this shade-tolerant perennial spreads without becoming invasive. Lamium’s shallow roots don’t compete with roses, and its dense growth habit effectively suppresses weeds while protecting soil from erosion and temperature fluctuations.
4. Ajuga
Glossy, often colorful foliage makes ajuga (bugleweed) a striking addition to rose gardens. The dense carpet of leaves—ranging from deep green to bronze, purple, or variegated—provides year-round interest, while spring brings spikes of blue, purple, or pink flowers.
Fast-growing and adaptable, ajuga thrives in sun or shade and different soil types. Its tough nature makes it perfect for problem areas, and it stays low enough to showcase roses while effectively crowding out weeds and preventing soil erosion.
5. Sedum
Drought-tolerant and virtually indestructible, low-growing sedums create a living mulch that complements roses perfectly. Their fleshy, succulent leaves come in various shapes and colors—from bright green to blue-gray, red, or purple—providing interest even when not in bloom.
Many varieties produce star-shaped flowers in shades of yellow, pink, or white that attract butterflies. Sedums require almost no maintenance, thrive in poor soil, and actually perform better with neglect, making them ideal companions for more demanding roses.
6. Dianthus
Clove-scented blooms make dianthus (pinks) a fragrant companion that complements the perfume of roses. The blue-gray foliage forms neat mounds that stay attractive year-round, while the frilly flowers in shades of pink, red, or white create a romantic cottage garden feel.
Many varieties bloom repeatedly throughout the season with deadheading. Dianthus prefers full sun and excellent drainage, making it perfect for the same growing conditions that roses enjoy, and its compact size won’t overwhelm even smaller rose varieties.
7. Veronica
Brilliant blue flower spikes make prostrate veronica (speedwell) a striking contrast to pink, yellow, or white roses. The dense, spreading habit forms a weed-suppressing mat of small, often glossy leaves that stays neat and tidy throughout the growing season.
Many varieties bloom for weeks in summer, attracting beneficial pollinators. Veronica is drought-tolerant once established and requires little maintenance beyond an occasional trim to keep it looking its best, making it an easy companion for more demanding roses.
8. Heuchera
Ruffled, colorful foliage in shades of purple, caramel, lime green, or silver makes heuchera (coral bells) a spectacular underplanting for roses. The season-long color from the leaves provides a beautiful backdrop that enhances any rose color, while delicate flower stalks add vertical interest.
Preferring partial shade, heuchera thrives in the dappled light beneath roses, especially in hot climates. This low-maintenance perennial rarely needs dividing, stays compact, and its shallow roots won’t compete with roses for nutrients or water.
9. Geranium
Hardy geraniums create billowing mounds of deeply cut foliage that beautifully fill spaces between rose bushes. Unlike their annual cousins, these tough perennials spread gently to form weed-suppressing carpets studded with saucer-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, or blue.
Many varieties bloom for months, especially with light shearing after the first flush. Adaptable to sun or partial shade and various soil types, hardy geraniums are remarkably carefree and long-lived, returning reliably year after year to complement your prized roses.
10. Nepeta
Aromatic gray-green foliage and lavender-blue flower spikes make nepeta (catmint) a cottage garden classic that pairs beautifully with roses. The soft, billowing habit creates a romantic look, while the long bloom period ensures months of color that complements any rose shade.
Beyond its beauty, nepeta deters aphids and other rose pests naturally. Drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, this easy-care perennial bounces back quickly from shearing, potentially providing three bloom cycles in a single season when cut back after flowering.
11. Viola
Cheerful faces of violas smile up from beneath rose bushes, adding charm and whimsy to formal or cottage gardens alike. These diminutive relatives of pansies come in every color imaginable, often with contrasting centers or whisker markings that create endless variety.
Cool-season bloomers, violas fill the gap when roses are dormant or just waking up in spring. Many varieties self-seed gently, creating new color combinations each year, and their edible flowers can be used to decorate salads or desserts alongside rose petals.
12. Erigeron
Daisy-like flowers cover erigeron (fleabane) in such profusion that the foliage nearly disappears beneath them. The small blooms—typically white or pale pink with yellow centers—create a frothy, cloud-like effect that softens the sometimes rigid structure of rose bushes.
Tough and adaptable, erigeron thrives in poor soil and withstands drought once established. This long-blooming perennial attracts beneficial insects that help control rose pests, creating a natural balance in your garden while adding months of carefree color.
13. Iberis
Snow-white flower clusters blanket iberis (candytuft) in spring, creating a striking contrast with emerging rose foliage. The neat, mounding habit and evergreen foliage ensure year-round structure even when not in bloom, making it a practical and attractive choice.
Extremely drought-tolerant once established, iberis thrives in the same well-drained soil that roses prefer. Its woody base becomes more sculptural with age, providing interesting texture beneath roses while its shallow roots won’t compete for nutrients or water.
14. Cerastium
Silver-gray foliage makes cerastium (snow-in-summer) stand out against the typically green leaves of roses. The fuzzy, almost metallic leaves form a tight mat that effectively smothers weeds while creating a stunning backdrop for any rose color.
In late spring, a profusion of star-shaped white flowers covers the plants completely. Extremely drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, cerastium thrives in poor, dry soil and hot, sunny conditions that would stress many other plants, making it perfect for tough spots in the rose garden.
15. Origanum
Ornamental oreganos create cascades of silvery bracts and tiny flowers that spill beautifully around the base of roses. Unlike their culinary cousins, these varieties are grown primarily for their unusual flowers in shades of pink, purple, or chartreuse that dry beautifully right on the plant.
The aromatic foliage deters many common garden pests naturally. Extremely heat and drought tolerant, ornamental oreganos thrive in the same sunny, well-drained conditions that roses prefer, creating a low-maintenance partnership that looks increasingly beautiful as both plants mature.
16. Phlox subulata
Needle-like evergreen foliage forms a dense carpet that bursts into bloom in spring with moss phlox. The star-shaped flowers in vibrant shades of pink, purple, blue, or white create such a solid mass of color that the plants seem to disappear beneath them.
After flowering, the tidy mats of foliage continue providing weed suppression and soil protection. Extremely hardy and long-lived, moss phlox requires almost no maintenance beyond occasional trimming after flowering to maintain its neat shape and prevent woodiness in older plants.
17. Tiarella
Foamy white or pink flower spikes rise above attractive, often maple-shaped leaves with tiarella (foamflower). The lobed foliage frequently features dramatic central markings in burgundy or chocolate, providing season-long interest even when the plants aren’t blooming.
Preferring partial shade, tiarella thrives beneath roses in locations that receive morning sun and afternoon shade. This woodland native spreads slowly to form a tidy groundcover that effectively suppresses weeds while adding textural interest to rose beds in cooler, moister areas of the garden.
18. Lithodora
Electric blue flowers make lithodora a standout companion for roses in colors that would complement this striking shade. The true-blue blooms—rare in the plant world—appear in spring and continue sporadically through summer, creating a stunning contrast especially with yellow, peach, or white roses.
Evergreen foliage provides year-round structure and weed suppression. Preferring acidic soil with excellent drainage, lithodora makes a perfect partner for roses that also enjoy these conditions, such as many modern hybrids that perform well in slightly acidic environments.
19. Aubrieta
Cascading habit makes aubrieta (rock cress) perfect for spilling over edges or creating colorful mounds between rose bushes. The tiny evergreen leaves disappear beneath a solid mass of purple, pink, or blue flowers in spring, creating weeks of spectacular color.
After flowering, a light shearing keeps the plants compact and neat. Extremely drought-tolerant once established, aubrieta thrives in the same well-drained soil that roses prefer and can handle the drier conditions often found under the canopy of mature rose bushes.
20. Sagina
Moss-like texture makes sagina (Irish moss) an intriguing ground cover that creates the illusion of a soft, green cushion beneath roses. The incredibly dense, bright green mats grow just an inch or two tall, creating a perfect backdrop that makes roses appear to float above a verdant carpet.
Tiny white star-shaped flowers appear briefly in spring but the main attraction is the year-round texture. Irish moss prefers consistent moisture and partial shade, making it ideal for roses in cooler, damper parts of the garden where other ground covers might struggle.