What to put around rose bushes in landscape?

I have two rose bushes I planted that are long stem and then in the middle of them I planted a climbing rose bush I planted them plenty of feet apart. I know that roses do not like to be sitting in water it will rot their roots. But I was wondering if not mulch what else can I put around the base of my roses to make them look nice in my landscape? Can I put rocks if not mulch?