are the flowers I’m growing on my veg patch this year, to encourage biodiversity and make it more productive, more resilient, and more beautiful. Flowers with a simple open structure such as these cosmos, borage and sunflowers attract pollinators. These beneficial insects will improve pollination rates of our vegetables, increasing yields. Sunflower seeds are also loved by birds. Sarah Raven has a beautiful selection on their website. Umbellifer flowers such as Ammi Majus, Ammi Visnaga and Orlaya Grandiflora are loved by ladybirds and hoverflies. These insects help to control aphid populations. Some flowers can be used as “sacrificial plants”. Nasturtiums will tempt caterpillars away from your cabbages while calendula attracts aphids away from your prized crops. The colours available on the Sarah Raven website are stunning! I’m growing all these plants from seeds that were kindly gifted by Sarah Raven. All of them will flower this year. These flowers and the wildlife they attract will make my veg patch a vibrant, exciting and beautiful place to be, with colour from late spring through to late autumn. Ad/Gifted - these seeds were very kindly gifted by Sarah Raven. #gifted #flowers #selfsufficient #gyo #growyourown #growyourownfood #homestead #smallholding #garden #lovegardening #kitchengarden #veggarden #plants #igrewthis #ediblegarden #gardendesign #spreadsheets - @happy.smallholding