Why Plant Flowers in Your Yard

No matter the size or shape of your yard, flowers can provide numerous advantages. They add vibrant hues during different seasons, draw pollinators and aid in pest and disease management.

Planting flowers not only boosts your mood, but it has been scientifically proven that people who have flowers around them experience lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Add a Flash of Color Across the Seasons

Flowering plants add a vibrant splash of color to your garden at any time of the year, and they’re an easy way to spruce up your lawn and give your home some added curb appeal. Planting a flower bed is as easy as sowing seeds or purchasing transplants from a local gardening center – but before you get started, research which flowers would thrive best where you live.

One of the great joys of planting a flower garden is watching it evolve over time, as the seasons pass. I used to love gazing out my back window at all the vibrant colors and textures coming together. Growing up, it was always an exciting sight for me!

If you have the space, it’s a great idea to include some eye-catching shrubs and trees in your design. Not only will these provide some much needed greenery when the weather is dismal, but they can also serve as an inviting spot to sit in the summer sun and read a book.

Remember, plants don’t always bloom at the same time, so it’s best to arrange your flowers strategically. Doing this ensures the most out of your investment and maximizes flowering beauty. Planting in late spring when temperatures are still slightly cooler than summer’s peak temperatures is ideal. Gardening offers immense satisfaction as you watch all your hard work pay off with stunning blooms!

Attract Pollinators

Planting flowers in your yard can attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden. These beneficial insects are essential to agriculture as they help plants produce fruit and seeds while also protecting them from pests by repelling them.

When selecting flowers for your pollinator garden, ensure they are native to your region. This way, you can guarantee they have evolved specifically to withstand your area’s climate and soil conditions.

Consider planting flowers that bloom throughout the growing season rather than just in summer to provide pollinators with a constant source of food. Doing this will give them an incentive to move from flower to flower, collecting nectar along the way.

Choose flowers with various shapes to attract a range of pollinators. For instance, bumblebees prefer snapdragons and hummingbirds love fuchsias.

If you have the space, plant multiple flowers in clusters. These clumps should be at least four feet across so pollinators can easily locate them.

Bees and hummingbirds prefer open center dahlia varieties with petals that are not too close together, as well as other blooms like zinnias, sunflowers and cosmos.

Plant herbs with aromatic scents, such as sage, basil, oregano and lavender. Herbs such as these contain oils which attract pollinators.

Water can be another effective tool to attract pollinators to your garden. Create a shallow bird bath, fountain or small pond in your pollinator garden and fill it with pebbles or liner for holding the water. This also provides nourishment to butterflies who require an area to drink from.

Micro Habitat for Wildlife

Though you may not realize it, even simple garden features can provide homes to a variety of wildlife. Lawns, borders, and trees planted with flowering plants not only provide food for birds, bees, and butterflies but also shelter from the elements.

Make a log pile in your garden – an ideal habitat for various creatures. As this dead wood decomposes over time, it forms microhabitats which offer food, water and shelter to small animals.

Maintaining fallen leaves in your yard not only benefits wildlife, but it has other ecological advantages as well. Leaf litter not only feeds the soil and inhibits weeds, it retains moisture; moreover, it can be used to create habitat corridors that facilitate migration between natural areas on a larger scale.

One way to assist wildlife in your community is by creating microhabitats within gardens, front yards, drainage reserves, and parks. This encourages animals to move from natural area to natural area and provides more foraging, roosting, and nesting opportunities.

Identification and observation of microhabitats in nature is essential for understanding the diversity of wildlife species living in various environments, as well as providing alternative habitats for those threatened. This teaches children about their local ecosystem and emphasizes the significance of caring for it.

Companion Plants for Pest and Disease Management

Companion planting is a longstanding strategy for increasing plant diversity and mitigating pest and disease issues. It draws from generations of gardeners’ experience as well as recent scientific research.

Companion plants that repel or confuse pests are the most efficient. This is achieved by using their scent, color, or other compounds to irritate pests enough for them to leave your yard.

Marigolds (Ocimum sanctum), for instance, repel and trap flies and beetles while producing a toxic substance that kills root knot nematodes. As such, marigolds make excellent additions to your vegetable garden.

Mint is an excellent companion plant when it comes to deterring certain pests, like fleas and ticks. Additionally, mint has the power to deter aphids, cabbage moths, and beetles as well.

Basil is an herb that repels mosquitoes and other pesky pests. It makes an excellent companion plant for tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, and beans.

Other herbs that repel pests include dill, chives, rosemary and sage. Furthermore, these plants attract beneficial insects which help control pests that eat your plants.

Another way companion plants can manage pest is by improving the soil. By adding organic matter, you increase access to essential nutrients for your crops and make them more resistant to disease.

For instance, growing green garlic near cucumbers increases organic matter in the soil and allows them to absorb more nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and manganese. Furthermore, Welsh onions planted alongside cucumbers help prevent root knot nematode damage by releasing chemicals which inhibit their egg and larvae development in the soil.

Many flowers, like zinnias and nasturtiums, protect plants against pests like aphids. Furthermore, these blooms attract beneficial predatory insects like ladybugs which consume any existing aphids on your plants and prevent them from becoming an issue.

As a Ground Cover or Space Filler

Planting flowers in your yard can be a quick and easy way to fill in those pesky bare spots. Whether you’re looking for a low-growing plant to add color to a shaded area, a drought-tolerant ground cover to replace a lawn or a perennial that thrives in full sun and doesn’t need much watering, there are a wide variety of options available that are both hardy and attractive.

Grace Ward lithodora (Lithophora x ‘Grace Ward’) has bold blue blossoms and is an excellent choice as a low-growing ground cover used in rock gardens or accent retaining walls. It’s a deer-resistant plant and works well in sun or part shade.

Jewel mint of Corsica (Mentha requienii) is another great option for a low-growing, drought-tolerant ground cover. It forms a mat of tiny green leaves that look like moss and releases a minty fragrance reminiscent of toothpaste when you walk on it.

A favorite of gardeners for its low-growing growth and dependable performance, creeping thyme (Thymus spp.) is an ideal ground cover to use as a filler between flagstones in your garden. It grows in sun or shade, is deer-resistant and will hold its shape, even in dry soils.

If you’re looking for a plant that doesn’t require much care, look no further than hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum). This low-growing succulent is an excellent companion to sedums and will thrive under sunny conditions, requiring only occasional watering to keep it healthy. It’s also a great option for filling in crevices or rocks in the landscape, and can be planted right next to the house as a privacy screen. It can be trimmed back after it blooms to promote a tidy appearance and is also an excellent choice for adding a splash of color in the winter.