When planting out a vegetable garden, it’s easy to focus purely on the food crops. But one of the ‘best-kept secrets’ to a thriving veggie patch is the beneficial flowers. Not only for their beauty, flowers support pollination, attract a wide range of beneficial insects, and can even deter pests.

In Australia’s diverse climates – from cool temperate regions to tropical and arid zones -planting the right beneficial flowers can make all the difference and increase our yields.

Benefits of Flowers in the Veggie Patch

Flowers serve many roles in a productive vegetable garden. Not just pretty faces; they are hardworking allies in the home garden ecosystem:

• Pollinator Attraction: Attracting a diverse range of insects like bees, flies, butterflies and even tiny native wasps to their bright, nectar-rich flowers. These visits help cross-pollinate crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins and zucchinis.
• Pest Management: Certain flowers repel harmful insects, while others attract predatory insects like ladybirds and hoverflies that happily feast on pests. A chemical free bonus!
• A Biodiversity Boost: A healthy garden buzzing with a wide variety of life is more resilient to a wide range of disease and pest outbreaks.
• Aesthetic Appeal: A splash of colour among the greens of a veggie garden lifts the spirit, creating a vibrant, inviting space to spend your time.

Top Beneficial Flowers for Australian Gardens

Australia’s climates differ greatly, but there are so many beneficial flowers that adapt beautifully across cool, temperate, tropical and arid zones. Here’s a closer look at some of our favourite and standout beneficial flower choices:

Everlasting Daisies (Xerochrysum bracteatum)

A stunning native to Australia, everlasting daisies are perfectly suited to our varied climates, especially arid and temperate zones. Their everlasting papery blooms come in a rainbow of colours and persist well even in tough conditions. They attract a host of pollinators and are especially ideal for encouraging native bees, an important group often overlooked in pollination discussions. In cooler climates, they’re a stunning sight in spring and early summer, while in warmer regions they can flower almost all year-round. Who doesn’t love a native beneficial flower?

Cosmos (Cosmons var.)

Cosmos are extremely easy to grow and loved by bees (both native and introduced) and butterflies. They thrive in full sun and tolerate both cool and tropical climates. Their open, daisy-like flowers make it easy for insects to access nectar and their fine, feathery foliage adds a lovely softness to a garden – forever dancing in even the slightest breeze. Cosmos self-seeds readily, meaning once established, they can pop up year after year which is a great savings too

Marigolds (Tagetes var.)

No vegetable garden should be without the stunning and edible marigold. Available in a range of tall and small growing varieties, these hardy annuals are famous for their pest-repelling properties. Their strong scent is believed to deter nematodes, aphids and whiteflies, and they are a natural companion plant for tomatoes and beans. Marigolds grow well across all Australian climate zones, from cool regions to tropical gardens. Producing vibrant and edible gold, orange, and red petals, they bring a cheerful glow to garden beds.

Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

An old classic in Australia, alyssum’s low-growing carpet of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers is a magnet for beneficial insects such as hoverflies and predatory wasps. These beneficial insects, in turn, help control aphids and caterpillars. Alyssum is perfect for edging vegetable beds and easily filling some of those ‘gaps’. It flourishes in cool and temperate climates but can also grow through the cooler months in tropical regions. It’s particularly valued for its long flowering period and subtle, sweet fragrance.

Nasturtiums (Tropaelium majus)

Nasturtiums are the ‘vegetable gardeners’ multi-taskers as they attract pollinators, serve as a ‘trap crop’ for pests like aphids, and their peppery leaves and stunning flowers are edible- perfect in summer salads. A real winner, they thrive in temperate and cool regions and can also grow during the dry season in tropical areas. Because nasturtiums’ habit is sprawling, they make a great ground cover, helping to suppress weeds and protect the soil from the harsh sun. Their vivid flowers of reds, oranges, and yellows create an instant colour burst.

Single Giant Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)

Few flowers make a statement in a garden like the towering ‘Giant sunflower’. The large ‘single-headed’ varieties are best for attracting bees as multiple-headed Sunflowers can sometimes produce smaller, less nectar-rich flowers. Sunflowers grow well in all Australian climates with sufficient warmth and sunshine. Besides being a beacon for pollinators, their seeds provide food for birds and, if you’re lucky, a handful for yourself too!

Zinnias (Zinnia elegans)

Zinnias are known to be heat lovers, flourishing in Australia’s hot summers, especially in tropical and arid zones, but will perform nicely even in cooler regions. Their bold, bright flowers are incredibly attractive to bees, butterflies and if you live in the right area even hummingbird hawk-moths! They are drought-tolerant once established and come in a wide variety of colours, from soft pastels to neon-brights, making them a stunning addition to any vegetable plot.

Creating a Productive & Colourful Garden

Adding flowers to your patch isn’t just practical, they will help turn your vegetable garden into a work of living art. Picture golden marigolds peeking out between leafy zucchinis, nasturtiums trailing around tomato trellis and sunflowers standing proudly at the back of the plot. The visual beauty of your flowers can inspire more time spent in the garden, which can often lead to better care and greater harvests.

We find sowing/planting beneficial flowers in clusters, rather than singularly, makes for an attractive statement. Practically, mass plantings are also more attractive to the right beneficial insects.