Aaah, Zuzu! Your question gives us the perfect opportunity to try out the new image sets feature.
First, I'll answer with a list, and then tonight I will spend some time with a few photos and you'll see what I'm talking about.
The best plant I use as a companion is Homestead Purple verbena. It has proven hardy to -10 here. Temps have gone over 100 for the last week, and it's still growing and blooming. I also use the red version but it is not as hardy here.
Next, shorter growing dianthus. The Ruby series? I can't remember. Low growing, clumping. The blue tones on the foliage plays well with every rose color.
Profusion zinnias. These also are low growing and mounding. Mainly I use pink and white ones. They drop seed and return faithfully. Zahara Rose is another neat one.
Creeping phlox.
various sedums. 'Blue Spruce' is my favorite.
Clumps of tall spuria iris. The watering requirements are similar here, so I use spurias on the border of the rose areas.
Daylilies. In some places, I have daylilies that are the exact color of the rose. (Hot Cocoa, Cinco de Mayo, Koko Loco, Bengal Tiger are all easy to match)
Iberis
Silver Mound artemesia
Daisies, even though they are tall, they are pretty in among red roses.
Lavender
Rosemary
Garlic
garlic chives, but it took over
Kit Kat nepeta
Liriope with white and green leaves, can't find the exact name.
Veronica, 'Georgia Blue'
Clematis...I have a few that I allow to scramble on the ground.
This year I had two groups tour my garden. One was an organic gardening group, and a few days later, the local Rose Society. The first group absolutely loved the place, and commended my use of groundcovers and xeric plants. They loved the abundance of bees, birds, insects and wildflowers. The second group ...not so much. A few friends tactfully suggested that it is about time to thin the beds, pointing out how each plant would be better featured if there were not so many crammed into the beds. This is true, I said. But then, I would have to water more, replenish mulch more often, and either pull weeds or use chemicals. Most rose lovers around here leave plenty of room between plants, and that does help with disease prevention. I leave lots of room between roses...but crowd in lots of companions. Yes, from a design standpoint, I would not do that to a customer. But in my yard, I love it because I can have more plants and less work!
Bare dirt bakes hard. Mulch has to be weeded and replenished. Groundcover plants are win-win.
Love to hear what all other people use!
