I love the smell of lavender. This hardy herb can add fragrance and beauty to your garden. Here are the best lavender companion plants to grow alongside this popular purple plant.
Companion Plants for Lavender
When growing plants near each other, make sure they all have similar conditions to grow in. This includes needing the same amount of water, sun, soil, and type of fertilizer.
You wouldn’t want to grow a succulent, which needs little water but lots of sun, with a hydrangea, which needs more water and can grow in shade, for example.
Lavender needs full sun, about 6 to 9 hours of sunshine daily. Lavender does not need much water and grows best when ignored.
Benefits of Companion Planting
Lavender makes a great companion plant because it can keep garden pests away due to its strong scent. Lavender, as well as most of the companion plants below, can attract pollinators to your garden.
By combining both to attract pollinators and keep pests away, both plants can grow strong and healthy.
What to Plant with Lavender
Below are the best lavender companion plants. Grow some with lavender so that they all can reap the benefits of each other!
Roses
By far, roses make the best companion plants to lavender. Both smell great and are beautiful to admire from the garden. Lavender also looks striking as a plant to grow next to rose bushes.
The best roses to grow with lavender are floribunda roses and rose shrubs. No matter what kind of rose plant you choose to pair with lavender, pink contrasts well with the purple herb.
You can learn about these and other roses in my Growing Roses post.
Echinacea
Echinacea are also known as coneflowers. They bloom bright colors and look similar to daisies. Echinacea love being left alone and are equally enjoyed by butterflies, bees, and birds.
Yarrow
Yarrow is another great flower to grow with lavender because it’s drought-tolerant and can survive in hot, dry conditions. It’s a good choice for areas that get a lot of sun and can reach up to three feet tall.
The flowers are small but they’re very pretty and come in a variety of colors including white, yellow, pink, and lavender. This plant is also deer resistant which is an added bonus if you live in an area where these pests are common.
Black Eyed Susan
Black eyed Susans also go by the name Rudbeckia hirta. It loves the sun and blooms beautiful yellow flowers with chocolate centers that look similar to daisies.
Gaillardia
Gaillardia is also referred to as the blanket flower. It has bright, orange, daisy looking flowers that contrast well with purple lavender.
Sedum
Sedum, or stonecrop, can be enjoyed for over 6 months. They grow up to 2 feet high and bloom tiny flowers in pink, white, or red, based on the kind you get. Pollinators love these flowers too!
Alliums
Alliums have a strong smell like lavender, so growing both can bring plenty of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to your garden. Both plants can also keep unwanted garden pests away.
Sweet William (dianthus barbatus)
This aromatic flower is great in containers because it blooms all summer long. It also attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to the garden as well as other beneficial insects that help control pests and pollinate plants.
The plant has a strong fragrance but it’s not overpowering which makes these sweet-smelling flowers perfect for lavender gardens!
Lobelia
This is a great choice for those who want a little bit of color in their lavender garden. The plant has small, blue flowers that bloom all summer long. It’s a good choice for containers or gardens that get partial sun.
It’s important to note that this plant is poisonous if ingested so keep it away from children and pets.
Poppies
Poppies are another great choice for lavender companion plants because they’re drought-tolerant and can survive in hot, dry conditions. They come in a variety of colors including white, pink, red, and lavender.
The flowers are beautiful and they make great cut flowers for bouquets. Just be sure to deadhead the spent blooms to encourage more flowers.
Herbs to Plant with Lavender
There are also some herbs that make great companion plants to lavender. It is not uncommon to have a section in a garden or pot filled with a variety of herbs. Herbs that make great lavender companion plants include:
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Mint
- Sage
- Basil
- Parsley
Thyme
Plant some thyme near your lavender plants to make it easier for you to harvest them together at the same time. Thyme will also help deter pests from eating your lavender leaves since their strong scent drives animals away.
It’s important that you keep these two plants spaced apart so each has adequate sunlight.
Parsley
These plants not only can live next to each other but they’ll also complement each other’s colors for a more attractive appearance.
As an example, if you were growing lavender-purple flowers near green parsley leaves then these two color combinations will work together very nicely because both have shades of reds/purple and greens respectively.
This is true even when it comes to harvesting time as well; this makes picking easier on one person by switching between crops that match in color.
Types of Lavender
There are several types of lavender you can choose to plant with other flowers. There are over 30 species of lavender grown all over the world Types of lavender that are popular to grow include:
Talk to a gardener at your local nursery to find out what kind of lavender grows best in your area.
Lavender Companion Plant Care
Lavender needs dry soil to grow well. Lavender grows best in Plant Hardiness Zones 5-9, although some varieties can withstand colder northern climates.
Make sure each plant has plenty of room to grow. Leave extra space in your garden area, or purchase a container that is larger than both the lavender and companion plant.
Soil needs to be well draining. Give your plants plenty of water until they are established. Lavender does not need to be fertilized, so make sure the plant you are growing with it needs little to no fertilizer as well so they both grow well.
Lavender plants love the sun, enjoy dry soil, and generally grow best when ignored. Make sure the specific plant you grow next to your lavender likes the same for successful companion planting.
Design Tips for Gardeners:
Plant lavender flowers around corners of garden beds or pathways where you walk often! Lavender planted at corners helps cleanse negative energy from people who have walked past them, which has been found to promote healthful living and meditation to calm the body and the soul.
Plant lavender and rosemary together to keep aphids away. Aphids are a common pest for lavender plants, but they’re repelled by the strong scent of rosemary.
Lavender companion planting is a great way to add color and interest to your garden. With so many choices available, it’s easy to find the perfect plant for your needs! So get out there and start planting!
Lavender Companion Plants FAQs
What should not be planted next to lavender?
Lavender is a particularly delicate plant and needs to be protected from certain types of plants. Impatiens, mint, and hostas should not be planted near lavender.
Impatiens can be too invasive and quickly overtake the lavender with their aggressive root system, while mint will also try to take over the space. Hostas are too thirsty for the same soil as lavender and will out-compete it.
What is the best companion for lavender?
Some of the best companion plants for lavender are herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. These herbs have similar water requirements and can help keep pests away from lavender.
Other great companions include santolina (Cotton Lavender), scabiosa (Pincushion Flower), and gypsophila (Baby’s Breath). All of these plants require similar amounts of sun and moisture, and can provide a natural pest deterrent.
What plants should you plant with lavender?
In addition to the herbs and plants mentioned above, some of the best plants to plant with lavender are shrubs or evergreen groundcovers.
Varieties such as heather, juniper, ivy, and vinca minor are ideal choices for lavender companions, as they require similar amounts of sun and water and can provide natural pest control.
Using evergreen groundcovers such as thyme, ajuga, and acaena can also help keep the soil near lavender healthy and moist.
Is lavender a good companion plant for vegetables?
Although lavender can be a great companion plant for vegetables, it is important to take the time to research the specific type of vegetable and its requirements. Lavender grows well with various vegetables, such as squash, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and brassicas.
Lavender can help deter pests, while the vegetables provide shade and shelter for the lavender. It is important to make sure that all of the plants have similar water needs, as too much water or too little can be detrimental to either plant.
You should also make sure that there are enough nutrients in the soil for both plants.
The Best Lavender Companion Plants
The above plants make great lavender garden companion plants. Do you grow any of these plants in your garden with lavender? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!