Designing a beautiful landscape is about more than creating aesthetic appeal. Modern garden spaces are increasingly valued for their role in supporting biodiversity and fostering healthy ecosystems. Beneficial insects, or “garden allies,” play a critical role in this balance, from natural pest control to pollination, helping landscapes thrive naturally without the heavy use of chemicals. Here, we’ll discuss key beneficial insects and the plants that attract and support them, so you can offer clients gardens that are not only visually stunning but ecologically balanced and self-sustaining.
Why Encourage Beneficial Insects?
Insects like ladybirds, lacewings, and hoverflies serve as natural pest managers, while bees and butterflies pollinate essential plants. By designing gardens with beneficial insects in mind, you’re enhancing the landscape’s resilience and sustainability. This approach not only reduces the need for synthetic pesticides but also aligns with eco-friendly gardening practices that homeowners value more than ever. A thoughtfully planned selection of plants can attract and shelter these insects, creating a dynamic ecosystem in the landscape.
- The Ladybird (Coccinellidae): The Pest Control Specialist
Ladybirds are often the first insects that come to mind when we think of “beneficials.” Known for their voracious appetite for aphids, ladybirds also consume other harmful pests like mites and whiteflies, making them an invaluable addition to any garden.
Plants that Attract Ladybirds:
- Achillea (Yarrow): Ladybirds are drawn to yarrow’s clustered blooms, which offer both food and a safe habitat.
- Fennel and Dill: These herbs produce tiny flowers that serve as excellent food sources for ladybirds, especially during the larval stage.
Design Tip:
Encourage clients to keep yarrow as part of a pollinator garden or herbaceous border. Its height and texture add depth to the landscape, while its attraction to ladybirds helps manage aphids and other soft-bodied insects across the garden.
- Lacewings (Chrysopidae): The Aphid Assassin
Lacewing larvae are sometimes called “aphid lions” for their impressive ability to consume hundreds of aphids in their early life stage. Adult lacewings are attracted to plants that produce small, pollen-rich flowers, where they can feed and lay eggs.
Plants that Attract Lacewings:
- Cosmos and Coreopsis: These brightly coloured blooms provide food for adult lacewings and help keep them in the garden.
- Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria): This daisy-like flower not only attracts lacewings but also adds a cheerful, cottage-garden appeal to beds and borders.
Design Tip:
Include a mixture of low-growing and tall nectar plants in sunny areas to encourage lacewing activity at various garden levels. Golden marguerite works well in mixed perennial beds, where its yellow blooms can anchor the overall colour scheme.
- Hoverflies (Syrphidae): The Pollinator and Pest Controller
Often mistaken for small bees, hoverflies are skilled pollinators and excellent pest controllers, feeding on aphids, thrips, and scale insects. Hoverflies are highly attracted to flat or shallow-bloomed flowers that allow them easy access to nectar and pollen.
Plants that Attract Hoverflies:
- Alyssum and Sweet Fennel: These low-growing plants create ground-level food sources for hoverflies and give them a safe space to lay eggs.
- Lobularia maritima (Sweet Alyssum): Its low mounds of flowers can be interspersed throughout planting beds, inviting hoverflies and creating seasonal groundcover.
Design Tip:
Suggest planting alyssum along the edges of garden beds or walkways. Its cascading, fragrant flowers will not only attract hoverflies but also soften hardscape elements, adding an inviting touch to pathways or seating areas.
- Parasitic Wasps: The Invisible Pest Fighters
Parasitic wasps may be tiny, but they have a powerful impact on garden pests. These wasps lay their eggs inside common pests such as caterpillars and aphids, controlling populations without the need for synthetic treatments. Despite their small size, these wasps are effective enough that their presence in a garden can make a noticeable difference in pest control.
Plants that Attract Parasitic Wasps:
- Cilantro and Parsley: These herbs, especially when allowed to flower, provide excellent food sources for parasitic wasps.
- Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea): A native plant in the carrot family, this is especially effective for attracting parasitic wasps.
Design Tip:
Incorporate flowering cilantro and parsley in the herb garden or pollinator zones. These herbs can be left to seed after flowering, providing additional food for beneficial insects and encouraging natural pest control in nearby plants.
- Bees: The Essential Pollinators
Bees, both honeybees and native varieties, are essential for pollination and the long-term health of many plant species. A well-designed landscape provides bees with a variety of nectar and pollen sources across different seasons, ensuring they remain active and beneficial to the garden’s ecosystem.
Plants that Attract Bees:
- Lavandula (Lavender) and Salvia (Sage): Both plants are low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and adored by bees. Their nectar-rich blooms provide ample food in summer and early fall.
- Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower): With a long flowering period and a high nectar yield, coneflowers are both a pollinator magnet and a popular design choice for adding height and texture.
Design Tip:
Integrate lavender and sage into sunny borders and low-maintenance areas. Lavender, in particular, makes an excellent choice for lining paths, where the fragrance will create an immersive experience for homeowners and encourage bee activity in adjacent areas.
Creating a Beneficial Insect Habitat
A garden that’s welcoming to beneficial insects goes beyond choosing the right plants. Consider these strategies for optimising the landscape as a habitat:
- Layered Planting: Design with a variety of plant heights and structures to provide habitat diversity. Low-growing ground covers, medium-height perennials, and taller shrubs create an inviting structure for different insect types.
- Continuous Bloom Cycles: Choose plants that flower in succession, ensuring a steady food source throughout the growing season. Early-blooming bulbs like alliums or late-season asters help bridge potential food gaps for insects.
- Minimise Pesticide Use: Discourage clients from using broad-spectrum pesticides in beneficial insect areas. Instead, recommend organic, targeted solutions if pest issues arise. This will help maintain a healthy insect population in the garden.
Educating Homeowners on Beneficial Insects
As garden designers, you’re in a unique position to educate clients on the benefits of welcoming insects into their gardens. Clients may need reassurance, as beneficial insects can often be mistaken for pests. Simple explanations about the benefits of ladybirds, lacewings, and bees can go a long way in helping them understand the value of a biodiverse garden. Suggest that homeowners observe insect activity and keep plants flowering in succession as small but meaningful steps toward supporting beneficial bugs.
Incorporating plants that attract beneficial insects is an elegant and effective way to boost a landscape’s sustainability and resilience. With Practical Plants’ ability to source a wide selection of insect-friendly species, you can design gardens that thrive naturally, providing clients with a space that’s as harmonious as it is beautiful. These intentional plant choices foster a biodiverse, self-sustaining environment that aligns with today’s eco-conscious gardening trends—making your designs not only visually appealing but ecologically impactful. Talk to us about how we can help you encourage biodiversity in your next project.