The beginning of summer marks the period when roses reach their peak beauty in our gardens. Personally, I absolutely adore David Austin roses for their tenderness, stunning hues, and, of course, their enchanting fragrance. Today, I want to share one of my favorite varieties, Roald Dahl, and which companion plants work best with it.
David Austin’s description of ‘Roald Dahl’ perfectly captures its charm: “Soft orange-red buds open to medium-sized, cupped rosettes of perfect apricot coloring. They are produced almost continuously, are extremely robust and have a lovely medium strength Tea fragrance with leafy elements and dark fruit notes. Very healthy; it forms an attractive, rounded, bushy head of growth with mid green foliage and few thorns.” After about three years, the Roald Dahl rose will be approximately 3 feet (90cm) tall and 3.5 feet (110cm) wide.
While Roald Dahl forms a beautiful flowering bush on its own, I believe any rose truly shines when paired with companion plants.
Companion Planting with Roald Dahl from The David Austin Rose Gardens
For inspiration, let’s look at how companion plants are used around this variety at The Lion Garden. In the background, you can see Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group), an upright plant with brown-purple stems and foliage. To the right of the Roald Dahl rose is Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’, a versatile companion for any rose variety.
Inspired by this composition, we can see that Roald Dahl pairs well with dark-leaved plants. For a bright yet noble contrast, use Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’.
Additionally, add perennials with blue inflorescences, such as geraniums, lupines, or delphiniums, to bring a pop of color throughout the season.
My Favorite Companion Plants for Roald Dahl Rose
One of the pairings I find most enchanting with Roald Dahl is Salvia nemorosa ‘Amethyst.’ The soft pink hue of Roald Dahl’s petals harmonizes beautifully with the Salvia’s blooms. For a backdrop, I opt for something delicate and airy like Deschampsia cespitosa.
Last year, we created a flower bed showcasing this combination. In the left photo, taken during planting on July 11, Roald Dahl is positioned next to another exquisite David Austin rose, Boscobel. Flanking them are Salvia ‘Amethyst’ and Deschampsia cespitosa. The right photo, sent by the client in early June this year, reveals how wonderfully the composition has flourished in less than a year. Below, you’ll find the planting scheme for this delightful plant combination.
In another garden setting, a young Roald Dahl bush thrives alongside Salvia ‘Amethyst’ and Iberis, demonstrating yet another delightful pairing.
Conclusion
Roald Dahl roses create a striking contrast when paired with dark-leaved plants or alongside perennials boasting pale blue inflorescences. Yet, my absolute favorite pairing involves Roald Dahl alongside perennial pink-purple flowers. These blooms beautifully accentuate the blush hues present on Roald Dahl’s petals, enhancing the distinct charm of this variety.
Embrace the onset of summer with the enchanting Roald Dahl rose and explore the possibilities of combining it with companion plants to craft your own garden masterpiece.
Hello and thank you for the lovely article. I am planning a garden and wanted to combine Roald Dahl with another complimentary colored rose. I have apricot, cream, peach, medium pink as well as coral, blues and shades of purple in my garden and need to max out at 4’ high. I’m thinking Carding Mill, Dannahue. Do you mind offering a suggestion? Thank you in advance.
Thank you for your lovely message.
Both Carding Mill and Dannahue are beautiful roses and would fit your height requirement. However, because they are also in the apricot and peach color range, I think they may look a little too similar next to Roald Dahl rather than creating contrast.
Since you already have creams, pinks, blues, and purples in your garden, I would consider a rose that adds a soft contrast.
My favorite choice would be Olivia Rose Austin. Its gentle pink flowers look wonderful with the warm apricot tones of Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl also often develops a soft pink blush when the flowers are fully open, so these two roses would work beautifully together.
Another option is Desdemona. Its creamy-white flowers would bring lightness to the combination and would look especially beautiful with blue and purple plants.
Let me know what you think of these rose varieties and whether you feel they would fit with the rest of the colors in your garden. If not, we can think of some other options)