5 plants to keep aphids away from your rose bushes
Roses are considered one of the most beautiful flowers and it's easy to see why gardeners across the country love to have them growing in their outdoor space. Depending on the variety, roses will bloom from late spring into the autumn providing a colourful display for many months.
But one thing that can quickly destroy your roses is aphids. Aphids are sap-sucking insects which can converge on rose bushes and harm them by weakening their growth and causing deformed flowers on buds. They can also spread plant diseases.
While there are many ways to get rid of aphids, including shop bought sprays, there are a range of plants which can deter them from feasting on your roses in the first place.
Some of them emit strong smells which will stop the aphids in their tracks and planting them next to your prized rose bush can offer it some natural protection from the critters.
Ideal Home reports that these are the five best blooms to deter aphids from your roses, according to experts.
1. Lavender
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Liam Beddall, senior rose consultant at David Austin Roses said: "'With its strong scent and essential oils, lavender acts as a natural repellent to aphids and attracts helpful pollinators like bees and hoverflies.
"' Lavender and roses also thrive in similar growing conditions as they require plenty of sunlight throughout the day, making them a perfect pairing in borders or mixed beds."
2. Hardy Geraniums
Gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh recommends this plant as it also deters slugs and snails.
Lucie Bradley, expert gardener at Easy Garden Irrigation, said the geraniums will not only complement roses but its scent is a deterrent to aphids and Japanese beetles while it attracts ladybirds and lacewings which, themselves, help to control aphid populations.
3 Alliums
Liam told Ideal Home: "Alliums are a fantastic companion for roses as they have an onion or garlic-like scent when their foliage or stem is cut or bruised, which deters aphids and other soft-bodied insects."
A member of the onion family, they have pink and purple flowers, so are an aesthetic choice for the garden too.
4. Catmint
Lucie revealed: "Nepeta (catmint) produces a chemical compound called nepetalactone which attracts cats and at the same time attracts insects which kill aphids, including ladybirds, lacewings and hover flies."
Catmint is also known to help bumble bees and has the added benefit of helping to prevent weed growth.
5. Marigolds
A superhero flower which has a strong scent, Liam explained: "These bright, cheerful flowers emit a distinctive aroma that confuses pests and helps keep insects like aphids at bay.
They're also known to attract beneficial insects like ladybirds and lacewings, which feed on aphids, providing another form of natural pest control."
He added that the orange blooms will give a stunning contrast against roses.
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