Flowers I’m Growing in 2025: Plus Tips on Garden Benefits & Care
There’s something special about adding flowers to the garden—whether it’s the cheerful pop of color, the buzzing pollinators they attract, or the way they bring life to every corner of a space. This year, I’m growing a mix of flowers that serve multiple purposes: attracting beneficial insects, repelling pests, and, of course, making my garden a more beautiful place to spend time.
In 2025, my flower lineup includes Sunflowers, Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Alyssum, Lavender, Coneflowers, Chamomile, Black-eyed Susans, Salvia, and Zinnias. Each of these blooms brings something unique to the garden, whether it’s the towering sunflowers providing food for pollinators and birds, the pest-repelling properties of marigolds, or the soft alyssum that acts as a living mulch.
I’ll share why I chose these flowers, the benefits they bring to the garden, and some simple care tips to keep them thriving all season long. Whether you’re looking to enhance your vegetable garden, create a pollinator-friendly space, or just enjoy a burst of color, these flowers are a great place to start!
Pollinator-Friendly Blooms
Attracting pollinators is one of the best things you can do for your garden. More bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds mean better fruit and vegetable production. Even including a few of these flowers in your vegetable, fruit, or herb garden will maximize yields and lower pest pressure.
While it’s tempting to focus on growing exciting plants and crops like peppers, tomatoes, and beans, overlooking the importance of beneficial flowers can leave your crops struggling to thrive and more vulnerable to pests. Flowers are becoming increasingly crucial in our environments and gardens, especially as more ecosystems are destroyed for human consumption and development. Planting even a handful of flowers can not only add color to your garden but also create a much-needed haven for pollinators and beneficial critters.
These flowers are absolute magnets for beneficial insects:
Lavender – A fragrant favorite that bees can’t resist! Lavender thrives in full sun, well-draining soil, and drier conditions, making it a great low-maintenance option.
Coneflowers – Also known as echinacea, these flowers provide nectar for butterflies—especially for Monarchs during their migration—in summer and seeds for birds in the fall. Plus, they’re super hardy!
Chamomile – Beyond its calming tea benefits, chamomile attracts hoverflies and bees while also improving soil health. It’s easy to grow and even self-seeds.
Black-eyed Susans – These bright yellow blooms add a wildflower feel to the garden while bringing in butterflies and bees all season long. This will be my first year growing these.
Salvia – Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies absolutely love salvia. It’s drought-tolerant and blooms for months with minimal care. This is also a great option if you have deer and rabbit populations in your area like I do.
Companion & Pest-Repelling Flowers
As mentioned above, flowers aren’t just pretty—they can help protect your garden from pests, too! Many flowers have natural properties that act as a defense against unwanted insects, making them an essential part of any thriving garden. Flowers provide a natural, chemical-free way to maintain a healthy garden ecosystem. By planting the right flowers, you can create a balanced environment where beneficial insects thrive and harmful pests are kept at bay.
These varieties work hard behind the scenes to keep your plants happy:
Marigolds – The ultimate companion plant! I love marigolds so much and plant them everywhere in my garden. Some even grew large enough to act as a natural trellis for my peppers. Marigolds help deter nematodes in the soil and keep aphids, whiteflies, and even rabbits at bay.
Nasturtiums – These gorgeous trailing flowers act as a trap crop, luring aphids away from your veggies. Plus, they’re entirely edible with a peppery bite! I have too many varieties to count, but Alaskan Nasturtiums have to be my favorite and I love the shape of their petals.
Lavender & Salvia – While they’re great for pollinators, lavender and salvia’s strong scents also help deter mosquitoes, moths, and even deer.
Cut Flowers & Garden Aesthetics
Some flowers are just too pretty not to bring inside or gift to loved ones! Between my sunflowers, zinnias, and marigolds last year, I had plenty of varieties and colors to create stunning bouquets. It felt amazing to gift my mom and grandma flowers that I grew in my garden on Mother’s Day—plus, the cost-saving benefits were a huge bonus! Throughout the season, I loved providing my mom with fresh blooms to take to the office and share with our family and friends. Even having a small bouquet on my table or in the kitchen added so much life and warmth to my home.
These varieties not only make a statement in the garden but also last beautifully in bouquets:
Sunflowers – The ultimate summer showstopper! Sunflowers grow tall, bring in birds and bees, and make stunning cut flowers. I am growing a diverse amount of sunflowers this year since they are my favorite. To better aid in garden aesthetics, I picked varieties of differing mature heights.
Zinnias – One of the easiest flowers to grow, zinnias bloom all summer long and come in endless bright colors. They make excellent cut flowers that last for over a week in a vase! I’m very excited to grow two new kinds this year—Envy & Peppermint Stick.
Black-eyed Susans – With their daisy-like appearance, these flowers add a rustic, wildflower touch to bouquets and attract pollinators at the same time.
Coneflowers – Hardy and long-blooming, coneflowers add a natural elegance to any arrangement and keep gardens colorful late into the season.
Low-Maintenance & Spreading Flowers
If you love flowers but don’t want to spend all your time tending to them, these easy-going varieties are perfect!
They thrive on neglect and even help improve the garden in their own way:
Alyssum – This small but mighty flower acts as a living mulch, keeping soil cool and attracting beneficial insects. Plus, it self-seeds, so it keeps coming back! They also don’t grow too large, and starting them from seed is relatively easy. In fact, you can simply scatter a bunch of seeds in one spot, and alyssum won’t mind at all! I am most looking forward to my Allure Pastel Blend to add a soft touch to my garden.
Chamomile – Once it’s established, chamomile practically takes care of itself. It spreads easily and even helps suppress weeds. Last year, I didn’t even purchase chamomile. I actually found wild chamomile in a new construction zone that I easily transplanted into my garden. It thrived!
Nasturtiums – A true garden powerhouse—these flowers spread beautifully, require little care, and are completely edible from flower to leaf! I know I said earlier I’m going to grow too many to count, but here they all are—Alaskan, Purple Emperor, Peach Melba, Jewel Blend, Fiesta Blend, & Butterscotch (my second favorite). Outside of sunflowers, nasturtiums are another top choice for me.
Adding flowers to your garden isn't just about making it look beautiful—it's about creating a thriving, balanced ecosystem that benefits both plants and pollinators. Whether you’re looking to attract beneficial insects, deter pests, or simply enjoy the colorful blooms, the flowers I’ve chosen for 2025 offer a variety of advantages. From sunflowers that feed pollinators to marigolds that help keep pests at bay, each flower serves a unique purpose in the garden. Plus, they’re a joy to grow and share—whether gifting them to loved ones or simply bringing a little extra life into your home.
If you’re considering adding flowers to your garden this year, start small or go big—either way, you'll be creating a more sustainable and beautiful space for both you and the creatures that call your garden home.
Happy gardening, and I hope these flowers bring as much joy and benefit to your garden as they do to mine.
I’ll continue to share what other specific plants and varieties I’m growing in 2025, but here’s a sneak peak!
