![]() ![]() ![]() Included in the list of rose companion plants are alyssum, lavender, marigolds and parsley.īe sure to check on the companion plant’s growth habit as to height. Garlic chives have interesting foliage, repel some pests and their pretty little clusters of white or purple flowers look wonderful with the rose bush’s foliage. Garlic has been known to repel many pests that bother rose bushes. *Rose lovers have planted garlic, chives, garlic chives and onions in their rose beds for many years. *Plant three to four cloves in a circle around each rose bush, and the sulphur present in the garlic will disperse into the soil and be taken up by the roses – making it a less palatable treat for little bugs. *Garlic protects roses from not only bad bugs, it can also help prevent fungal diseases. Herbs and other aromatic plants make wonderful rose companions. *Members of the onion family such as chives, ornamental alliums and edible onions are rumored to increase the perfume of roses, ward off aphids and prevent black spot. In the plant world this loving and beneficial relationship is commonly referred to as “companion planting.” You might even have heard the popular expression…” roses love garlic.” Let’s consider several reasons why. Just as the Turtles sang to us in 1967, some things belong together. ![]() I think about you day and night, it’s only right! ![]() The dusky purple-pink of the coneflowers and the dark stems of Sedum “ Matrona” should be easy complements to Malevolence’s deep purple thorns.‘Brilliant Pink Iceberg’ Floribunda and onion chives at Raincatcher’s in the edible landscape If there’s room, some borage and calamint. Lots of busy foliage, some dark and shadowy, and a majority of bright red blooms contrasting with the white rose, the haze of calamint and the deep burgundy hollyhocks. In this case, I’ll be teaming it with Crocosmia “Lucifer,” Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master), “ Bishop of Llandaff“ dahlias and a plant or two of “ Lacinato” kale in the front beds. It can get lean and leggy, so consider tall, leafy companions to hide the bare ankles. It is hardier than tomatoes too, taking several nights in the teens to finally knock it down.ĭepending on conditions, Malevolence ranges from three to six feet tall and two or three feet wide. As such, it is cultivated in much the same way as tomatoes: plenty of sun and heat, and regular, deep watering–though Malevolence, a plant not far from wild, does better with less water and much less fertilizer than your tomatoes. Malevolence is a member of the Solanaceae family, kin to tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, peppers and belladonna. The first thing most people say when they get close to Malevolence is “Oh!” At a distance, the deeply cut leaves make it look almost frilly and a bit weedy–until you get close enough to see those magnificent purple thorns. I’ve grown it before, in California sand, where it reached nine feet and half that in spread. But a rose with repeat bloom, at least, and fragrance, if possible, would improve the composition–“ Don Juan“, “ Dortmund” and the robust miniature “Red Cascade” are good candidates for this year.īecause I want this garden to be somewhat wild-looking and sinister, Solanum atropurpureum has long been on my mind. I had seen pictures of that rose in bloom and I liked the look of that bright red flower with the barn-red of the house and all the white trim. The trellis on the south side–five feet wide by nine tall–was once home to a Spring-blooming, cherry red climbing rose, a scentless, small-flowered variety which has naturalized all over town. Click image to visit the Antique Rose Emporium. Rosa “Red Cascade,” a profusely flowering miniature used as a climber or groundcover. Thankfully, Rob uses photography to help describe a plant. For my purposes, close-ups of bees nestled in dewy blossoms are best suited to greeting cards. And I warn you, the hours will evaporate once you start browsing his plant portraits. Rob is a true botanist, growing well over a thousand different plants on a half-acre of land. He’s a good garden photographer–to me, good means one or two pictures that show the plant in the garden, full shots that give a clear sense of habit and scale. When I’m researching plants, Rob’s site is a first stop. My quest has finally ended, thanks to seeds provided by Rob Broekhuis of Rob’s Plants in Allentown, Pennsylvania (Zone 6). Can go as low as -10F for a few nights.Īs a devotee of sinister plants I number Solanums among my favorites, with Solanum atropurpureum the holy grail. Moderate to light water, less than tomatoes.Four to six feet tall, two to three feet wide.The formidable Solanum atropurpureum a/k/a Malevolence, Purple Devil or Five-Minute Plant ![]()
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