If a garden only has vegetables, it is a waste and so bored! That is the reason I always save space for some flowers that I love. When growing them together, I not only have beautiful flowers but also have organic vegetables to uses for daily meals. Of course, my garden will be more colorful and more vivid instead of only having green foliages.
What is more, after a long time I grow them together, I know that flowers can also serve a range of other functions, such as repelling pests or acting as a trap crop to draw away harmful bugs, replenishing nutrients in the soil, and much more. So, in the post today, I am so glad to share the 12 best flowers that work perfectly alongside the fruits, vegetables, and herbs in a vegetable garden that are so useful for those who are love gardeners. Some are edible flowers, so you can take advantage of their uses maximum. Save and grow them in your garden right now!
#1 Marigolds
They are not only a useful edible flower but also a great companion plant. It is believed that they excrete chemicals that help keep harmful nematode numbers down. They also attract bees and other pollinators, and beneficial predatory insects.
#2 Borage
Borage is another amazing annual to include in vegetable garden polycultures. This is another edible flower. It is very easy to grow and self-seeds readily. It’s great for bees and acts as a trap crop for aphids, so it also attracts the predatory insects that eat them. It is also great for birds. Besides, it also breaks up and aerates the soil with its root system, and is a dynamic accumulator of nutrients that can be chopped and dropped, turned into a liquid feed, or added to your compost heap
#3 Nasturtiums
When in bloom, they attract plenty of pollinators and other beneficial insects. They also attract pests as a trap crop. Nasturtiums works well as a companion crop for a range of commonly cultivated cucurbits and other plants since they are believed to repel a number of other common pests. It also provides great ground cover around other plants, helping to keep the soil covered, retain moisture, and suppress weeds.
#4 Calendula
Calendula attracts a range of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and more. It also attracts predatory insects and acts as a trap crop for aphids and other pests. It also has great value as a living mulch or cover crop. Its thick, fibrous roots can help protect the soil. As blooms begin to fade, you can use them as compost activators.
#5 Sunflowers
Sunflowers are another of the best flowers to grow in the vegetable garden. They are not only good for edible seeds, but also as supports for other plants. Climbing and vining edibles can grow up their sturdy stems.
#6 Lavender
Lavender likes free-draining, sunny conditions so can be an excellent companion plant for fruits and vegetables. It not only smells divine, but it is also another great plant for pollinators and beneficial insects.
#7 Cosmos
Cosmos are very easy to grow, and are another great wildlife-friendly plant, helping to draw in a wide range of insects, including pollinators and predatory insects that will help keep aphids and other pest species at bay.
#8 Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are ideal for growing up a trellis or other support alongside peas, beans, or other climbing plants. And they will not only look good. They will also help attract pollinators to your crops.
#9 Phacelia
Phacelia’s beautiful purple/blue flowers are beloved of bees, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects. The dense fern-like foliage also helps smother weeds and creates good soil cover, while the extensive root system of the plant improves the soil structure. This plant also self-seeds readily but is usually chopped and dropped as green manure, often before flowering. This helps improve the soil.
#10 Lupins
Lupins are a nitrogen-fixing flowering plant that can also work well in crop rotation. Like peas, beans, and other legumes, lupins will help to add nitrogen to the soil in your vegetable garden. These are also a bee-friendly plant and will help to attract a range of beneficial wildlife to your growing areas.
#11 Clover
This is another nitrogen-fixing plant that could be used as green manure. Clover could also potentially be used as a companion crop for a range of common annuals, helping to provide ground cover to reduce moisture loss and weeds, as well as fixing nitrogen. When in flower, clover is also another great plant for pollinators and other beneficial insects.
#12 Comfrey
Comfrey is beloved of bees and other insects too. But the main reason to give it some space in your garden is to use it as a source of fertilizer for nearby growing areas.