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Surround your roses with strong-scented companion plants, such as lavender, thyme, rue and garlic chives, and help keep aphids at bay. While gardeners are attracted by their beauty, pests hate the plants' repellent properties.
Plant it:
March - April
At its best:
June - August
Takes just:
20 minutes
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Put crocks in the bottom of the window box, then half fill it with compost.
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Position the rue in the centre of the box with a rose on either side. Arrange the other plants around the edges. Top up with more compost, firming it around the plant roots with your fingers.
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As long as your plants don't get waterlogged, this planting should overwinter quite well. You may need to replace the rue.
"To keep the blooms coming, deadhead the roses as the flowers fade and apply a liquid feed every three weeks during the growing season."
"Rue is hardy, but if it should fail it's easily grown from seed sown outdoors in spring. Beware of its sap, though, as it can burn your skin on contact."
