Plant Pansies Under Roses

It is that time of the year! The last rose blooms have just faded. The leaves consumed by black spots have sadly turned yellow and fallen. Either you practice de-leafing (remove all leaves on your roses) each fall, or the recent crazy weather bombs took most leaves away. Your roses are looking a bit bare, lonely, not very pleasing to the eyes. There are at least 6 to 7 more months before you’ll see some colours – WHAT DO YOU DO? I recommend planting pansies under your roses as companion plants for fall and winter. In the checklist below, you will see why it is a winter marriage made in heaven! 

Points to consider planting under roses in fall & winter  

Select plants that will thrive in the same conditions as roses 

Adequate watering, full sun to part shade 

Ensure that your rose will still receive plenty of air circulation 

Select lower growing plants. 

Roses do not like competition 

Select smaller plants with shallow root systems 

Provide colour under bare Rose plants for 6 - 7 months 

So many choices of colours. With occasional deadheading, winter pansies can flower until June 

Prevent soil erosion by not leaving the soil bare 

Pansies as living mulch: You can still mulch with woodchips or leaves around pansies if desired. 

Easy removal in spring/early summer 

Pansies don’t have large root systems. Either pull them out or cut them off at the soil surface. Easy as pie!