Don’t Forget the Flowers: Why Your Veggie Garden Needs a Little Bloom
Don’t Forget the Flowers: Why Your Veggie Garden Needs a Little Bloom
It’s easy to get tunnel vision this time of year. The tomatoes need tying, the beans are climbing, and the zucchini are multiplying at a pace that should probably be studied by scientists. The veggie rows demand attention—and they usually get it. But there’s a quiet, colorful part of the garden that sometimes gets overlooked in all the productivity: the flowers.
Not the accidental ones that pop up in the compost pile. Not just the sunflowers your kiddo insisted on planting. I’m talking about the intentional, built-into-the-plan flowers. The ones planted not just because they’re pretty (though they are), but because they play a vital role in the health of your whole garden system.
Flowers Feed More Than the Eyes
When we think about what makes a garden thrive, we often talk about soil health, sun exposure, water. But pollinators? Beneficial insects? They’re just as essential—and they’re not going to show up for your kale. Flowers are their invitation.
Pollinators need continuous bloom, a mix of colors and flower shapes, and a reason to stick around. When you plant flowers in and around your veggie garden, you’re building habitat. You’re saying, “Hey bees, hey hoverflies, hey weird wasps—I planted snacks. Hang out here.” And when they do, they’ll also be out there doing the work: pollinating squash, protecting your greens from aphids, and generally bringing balance to the space.
A Few Workhorse Flowers to Consider
Not all flowers are created equal when it comes to usefulness in the veggie patch. Some do double or triple duty—pollinator magnet, pest repellent, cut flower bouquet star. Here are a few favorites:
Calendula – A pollinator favorite that blooms forever, is edible, and self-sows. Low effort, high payoff.
Zinnias – Bright, tough, and loved by butterflies. Plus they last forever in a vase.
Cosmos – Cheerful, drought tolerant, and surprisingly tolerant of neglect. Bees love them.
French Marigolds – French marigolds are the go-to variety for gardeners looking to naturally repel pests. They’re known to exude compounds from their roots that deter nematodes (especially root-knot nematodes) and can help reduce aphid, whitefly, and even mosquito activity.
African Marigolds – These are the showy, big-headed marigolds. They aren’t quite as good for pest control as the French types, but pollinators love them, and they make a beautiful addition to bouquets. Great as a bold border plant.
Dill, fennel, cilantro – Let them bolt and flower! Their tiny umbels are irresistible to beneficial insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps.
Yarrow (white flowering) – A powerhouse perennial that attracts a wide range of pollinators and beneficial bugs, and thrives in tough conditions with very little water.
Milkweed – A critical native plant for monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars rely on it as their sole food source. Also attracts bees, beetles, and other beneficial insects. Plant native varieties like Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed) or A. fascicularis (narrowleaf milkweed) for the best habitat support.
Even just one row, one patch, or a few scattered bunches can create a noticeable difference in your garden’s energy.
Flowering = Functioning
This isn’t just about attracting bees for better fruit set (though that’s a huge bonus). Flowers can:
Attract predators that eat aphids, cabbage worms, and mites
Add biodiversity to your planting, reducing pest pressure overall
Break up the visual monotony and bring a bit of soul into your space
Spark joy—and sometimes, that’s what saves a hard week
It also doesn’t hurt that having a handful of blooms around makes it easy to throw together a little bouquet for your kitchen counter or to gift to a friend. Beauty is part of resilience.
Make Space for the Bloom
It’s not too late. Even now, mid-season, you can tuck in a flat of zinnias. Broadcast some calendula. Let the cilantro go to seed and do its thing. Think of flowers as your garden’s social glue—the thing that pulls everything together and makes it more than the sum of its parts.
So yes, chase down the cucumber beetles, harvest the chard, plant that next succession of salad greens. But don’t forget the flowers. Your garden—and your spirit—will be better for it.
Special Shout-Out:
A big thank you to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust’s Pollinator Program for championing native blooms and wild habitat across our region. Their work supports both wild pollinators and local growers by encouraging the planting of native species, creating pollinator corridors, and educating the community on how to create pollinator-friendly spaces—even in your own backyard.
Whether you're a gardener, farmer, teacher, or just a flower-loving human, ESLT offers resources and workshops to help you turn your garden or outdoor space into a thriving pollinator haven.
To learn more or get involved, visit:
www.eslt.org and check out their Pollinator Garden Project under the “Get Involved” section.
Let’s keep the Eastern Sierra buzzing.