Zinnia

Place colorful zinnias (Zinnia elegans) among your vegetables for better pollination and soil health, says Laura Walsh of Oasis Forage Products. "Zinnias are colorful, long-lasting flowers that attract pollinators like butterflies and bees. Their vibrant blooms add beauty to the garden while also attracting beneficial insects," she says. "They can also indirectly benefit soil health by attracting beneficial microbes and fungi." Zinnias also attract ladybugs, which are natural predators for garden pests.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 8 to 10 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
  

Purple Coneflower

The pretty petals and contrasting centers of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) can boost the health of your vegetable garden. "Echinacea, also known as coneflower, is a perennial flower with colorful daisy-like blooms that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, which can enhance the yield of vegetables through improved pollination," says Walsh. "Its aromatic foliage may also help repel some pests."

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-draining soil
  

Lavender

While you may be drawn to lavender's (Lavandula spp.) iconic hue and instantly recognizable fragrance, garden pests have the opposite response. "Lavender repels pests like mosquitoes, flies, and moths," says Walsh. Even more good news: The plant attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that ensure your garden turns out a bountiful harvest.

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained, slightly alkaline soil

Chamomile

Chamomile's (Matricaria chamomilla) feather-like leaves and tiny flowers are a dainty complement to your vegetable garden. "Chamomile attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and predatory wasps, which prey on garden pests. It can also be used as a natural fungicide," says Walsh. You may want to harvest it, too: "It is known for its calming properties and is commonly used in teas and herbal remedies," she says.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 6 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil

Petunia

Petunias (Petunia spp.) come in a rainbow of shades, so whether you want them to stand out or blend in against your tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, there's a hue that will work. They are known for being low-maintenance, prolific bloomers. "Petunias attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, which can enhance the yield of vegetables," says Walsh.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Marigolds

Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) beautify your landscape with their colorful blooms, while other qualities help your vegetables. "Marigolds are known for their ability to repel nematodes and other garden pests," says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app. "Marigolds repel pests like grasshoppers, aphids, and spider mites, and some gardeners also believe that marigolds improve the flavor of nearby vegetables."

Eric Preston Stout, a certified master gardener and landscaper, recommends planting marigolds alongside tomatoes. "Marigolds can attract bees, ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps that help control pests like aphids," he says. "The essential oils in marigolds can also repel the moths that lay tomato hornworms."

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Calendula

Layers of tiny petals on yellow or orange calendula (Calendula officinalis) are a colorful, edible addition to your vegetable plot. "Calendula is prized for its medicinal properties and culinary uses," says Spoonemore. "It attracts pollinators and beneficial insects like hoverflies and ladybugs; its strong scent may also deter pests like aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies."

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil

Cosmos

Pink, white, and red cosmos (Cosmos spp.) are known for their airy foliage and prolific flowering, says Spoonemore. But they also improve your garden by attracting pollinators and warding off harmful insects. "They help deter pests such as aphids, flea beetles, spider mites, and thrips," says Spoonemore. "Cosmos can also contribute to soil health by attracting beneficial soil microbes and fungi."

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 12 to 48 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Sunflowers

Towering sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are an eye-catching addition to any yard. "Sunflowers are tall annual flowers with large, vibrant blooms that follow the sun throughout the day," says Spoonemore. "They provide shade and support for taller vegetables like tomatoes and pole beans, and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies." Consider their snack-ready seeds a natural addition to your backyard food garden.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 2 to 16 feet tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Hibiscus

Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.) are most famous for the large, colorful flowers associated with warm-weather climates, but some members of this diverse family of annuals and perennials also attract bees and butterflies, says Spoonemore. "In some cases, hibiscus plants can provide shade for certain vegetable crops that prefer cooler temperatures or part shade," she says.

• Zones: 4 to 11
• Size: 2 to 16 feet tall, depending on variety
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil

Nasturtiums

In addition to adding flavor to salads and baked goods, nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.)—known for their edible, peppery petals—also discourage aphids, squash bugs, and white flies from making your plants their home. They also attract ladybugs and other helpful insects, says Alex Betz, landscape designer with Plant by Number. "Nasturtiums also thrive in poor soils and can help improve soil quality over time," he says.

When planted alongside kale and tomatoes, "Nasturtiums act as a decoy crop, attracting aphids away from the more desirable edibles," says Stout. "Once the nasturtium plant has attracted aphids, it is removed from the garden before the aphid young develop wings."

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil

Bee Balm

Bee Balm (Monarda spp.), also known as bergamot, is a perennial flower with showy blooms in shades of red, pink, purple, and white, says Betz. "It attracts pollinators, which enhances the yield of vegetables through improved pollination, and its aromatic foliage may also help repel some pests," he says.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 48 inches tall x 12 to 48 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

Alyssum

At just a few inches tall, alyssum (Lobularia maritima) won't fight your vegetables for space, but it will attract predatory insects that keep your garden free from aphids and spider mites. "Alyssum is a low-growing flower with clusters of tiny blooms in white, pink, or purple," says Betz. "It forms dense mats of flowers and attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and lacewings."

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 3 to 6 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Queen Anne's Lace

The intricate, lace blooms that give Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota) its name provide a perfect spot for predatory insects to create a home. "Queen Anne's lace is an excellent habitat for small predator wasps that lay their eggs in the bodies of aphids," says Stout. "Parasitic wasps are a beneficial insect that kills aphids and other foreign insect pests."

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 48 inches tall x 12 to 48 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Mint

So long as its kept in containers, growing any kind of mint (Mentha) in your garden is always a good choice, as it provides a fragrant flowering herb to dry or use fresh. The plant also repels ants and cabbage moths, says Stout, which protects the rest of your harvest from these insects. Note: mint is a fast-grower that can take over the landscape, so it should always be grown as a potted plant.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x up to 8 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; moist, well-drained soil